I've been focusing on engaging ways for students to develop fluency with math facts while actively using flash cards. Here are some of my students' favorite ways to work through a pack of flash cards.
Kids work with a partner. One student "builds" the addition problem while the other student answers the problem using magnetic numbers. The final step: Kids check to make sure their answers match one another.
Here's a variation on the idea above. Kids work with a partner. Each child "builds" the problem using unifix cubes. Kids compare their answers to make sure they match.
I'm lucky to have this great floor number line! My kids love placing their flashcards on the number corresponding to the answer on the number line. (If I didn't have this number line, I'd improvise by placing numbers on the floor for kids to work with.)
My kids find everything a bit more fun while they are working on a Magna Doodle. One child places the flashcards; the other writes the answers and then they trade roles. (Chalkboards or whiteboards also work well for this activity.)
The classic game of Compare (or War) is also a favorite with my kids. Kids just split the deck and put their cards facedown in a pile. Each player puts his/her top card in the middle, and the player with the highest answer keeps both cards. (The classic games just never go out of style.)
The cards shown in this post are for addition and subtraction within Five. I run them off on colored cardstock. To download a copy of these cards, click here.
Do you have a favorite way of working with flashcards? I'd love to hear about it!
Thanks for much for stopping by!
:) Anne Gardner (NBCT)
These are such great flash card ideas! We have been trying to think of ways to help our daughter who struggles with flash cards, basic addition and subtraction. I think these ideas should really help! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteWendy
ps. I found you on Pinterest!
I am so glad these look helpful to you. Thanks so much for commenting! Anne
ReplyDeleteI gave each student 3 colored 5 by 7 sheets of paper, one red, one green and one yellow. They each had their bag of flash cards. If they knew the flash card right away they placed it on the green sheet of paper, if it took them a few seconds to figure it out then they placed it on the yellow card. If they didn't know it they placed it on the red card. This way they could spend more time working on the flash cards on the yellow paper and red paper. I laminated the 3 sheets of paper so the kids could use them over and over.
ReplyDeleteBailey, I love your idea - brilliant! Thanks for sharing. I love how "manageable" it is and that kids really think about which facts they know and which facts they need to learn. I'm on my way over to check your site out now.
Delete:) Anne