Activities for September (and a new math game)
I started my blog last year around this time and wrote several articles to help teachers plan early in the year. Below you will find links to the posts I wrote last year as well as a new math game you can build in this year!
Activities (Previous Blog Posts)
Navigating the Curriculum: This post breaks down the curriculum websites for BC.
Engaging Activities to Build Class Community: Most of these activities I do within the first week of school. They are hands-on and highly engaging. I have done these activities with grades 4-7.
Deeper Dive in the Class Survey: This was a reader’s request. They asked to know how I used the class survey more in depth during the first week of school.
Refugee Picture Books: This was a big topic last year because of the people fleeing Afghanistan. That crisis has not disappeared and now we can add on the refugee crisis because of the war in Ukraine. Sadly, these books are still relevant and can be used effectively to start conversations as well as break stereotypes.
Picture Books to Start the Year: This post features three picture books that can be used from day one in your classroom. They are good for primary to intermediate.
Two Pre-Reading Strategies: I have used these both repeatedly in my classroom and they are powerful ways to introduce a text or concept.
Two Math Games: Two games about factors and multiples. I love teaching math games!
The Nasty Place Value Game
This is an extremely popular game that I teach my class in September. It can be scaled up to larger values and also decimal points can be added.
The goal of the game is to have the largest number at the end of the game. Each player takes turns rolling a 6-sided or a 10-sided die and places the digit on the game board.
What makes it nasty?
You can put the digit you roll in ANY spot that is empty (give 0 to your foe!)
Once all of the boxes are filled, every person gets ONE final roll and can change ONE digit anywhere on the board.
You will only win if you have the largest number AND if you say the number correctly!
Materials
dice and a dice mat
photocopied sheet with 3 rounds OR a whiteboard
You can download a PDF of the game HERE. I did adjust this from a game I found online years ago, but I cannot find the original…so thank you person who invented the concept that inspired me!
I hope you all had a relaxing summer. I know I did a little toooooo much planning, but I did spend lots of time relaxing. I am looking forward to getting back to sharing my passions with students as well as educators this year. I am teaching a grade I haven’t taught in three years, so I am ready to go on an adventure!
If you have any questions or activities you are thinking about trying, let me know and I will try to help!