The Wonder of #Symbaloo – Part One – A Webmix of Mostly Maths – 1st Class to 6th

Symbaloo is a great time saving curating tool.

I heard about it first from @MariaMernagh who sang its praises.

 

Currently I teach mostly maths to children aged 6 – 12.

Instead of setting up the links to maths websites on tabs

each day before school now all I have to do is open a  webmix

that I have prepared of the online maths activities

I use most frequently in class. Scroll to the right to see more.

Symbaloo is a great discovery.

Thank you @MariaMernagh for some great advice!

UPDATE: Click here for a Symbaloo of useful websites for teaching English 1st Class – 4th approximately.

Maths Websites: Learning about Tessellation: 1st to 6th Class

Six Sided Rose Blossom Tessellation-Square
Creative Commons License Photo Credit: Crystal A Murray via Compfight

We learned about tessellations here.

Tessellations are where shapes are arranged

in such a way that they fit closely together

in a pattern without gaps or overlaps.

When we had finished learning

about tessellations we went

to experiment with them in

Tessellationtown from Mathscats.com

First Class Maths – Useful Websites

First class have asked me for some useful websites

so that they can practise their maths at home, so here we are:

A very popular game for practising addition

and take away tables is called ‘The Balloon Game’.

Click on this link to find it.

and away we go
Creative Commons License Photo Credit: darwin Bell via Compfight

Another one the children enjoy that helps them

with their learning is Crossing the Swamp .

It is also useful for practising addition and subtraction.

 

Add Like Mad and its sister site Subtraction Action 

are like gymnastics for the brain.

 

The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment 

have a number of videos online

to help parents help their child with maths.

Scroll down to view them here.

 

First and Second class is a window of opportunity

for learning tables.

Knowing one’s tables is a skill which one will call upon 

through out one’s life.

Read about the importance of tables here.

You can find other maths websites for students from 1st-6th class here.

Student Favourite: ‘Crossing The Swamp’ – Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication & Division Practice

Spinning Objects d_02-0444
Creative Commons License Photo Credit: Widianto Nugroho via Compfight

‘Crossing the Swamp’ from BBC.co.uk

 

You also can ‘Add Like Mad’,

try some ‘Subtraction Action’

and practise multiplication 

here or here.

 

Maths: Online resources for learning about & revising how to simplify fractions

Equivalent Fractions
Creative Commons License Photo Credit: Judy Baxter via Compfight

Simplifying fractions explained from

Cool Math 4 Kids.com

Six minute video explaining how to simplify fractions

Maths Playground.com

Very comprehensive blog post with lots of ideas

‘Teaching Fractions: Tips, Tricks & Great Websites’

from Fascinate Educate.com

 

Online activities for learning & revising rounding off and estimation

Happy Pi Day (to the 69th digit)!
Creative Commons License Photo Credit: Mykl Roventine via Compfight

Very simple estimation exercise from Jan Brett.com

Numbernut.com

Quick fire rounding off game on

‘Which One Rounds?’ from Math Nook

Dart game for rounding off Topmarks.co.uk

Extensive lists on Online Math Learning.com

Maths Zone.co.uk and AAAMaths

Table Races – Speed Tests for Addition/Subtraction/Multiplication&Division Practice.

Numbers
Photo Credit: Rich Bowen via Compfight

‘Addition Speed Test’ from Mr Myers.org

‘Timed Subtraction Test’ from Mr. Myers.org

‘Multiplication Speed Test’ from Mr.Myers.org

‘Division Speed Test from Mr Myers’.org

 

‘Tables Challenge’ from The School Hub.ie

and there’s MORE!

Online games for learning and revising Times Tables

Central City Times Tables
Photo Credit: Derek Bridges via Compfight

1. Games for revising and learning Times Tables from Maths Games.org

2. Lots of games on Multiplication.com

3. Interactive Times Tables Games from Woodlands-Junior.Kent.sch.uk

4. Tables grid game on BBC.Co.Uk

5. Games on Topmarks.Co.Uk

It’s all about pizza! Games for learning and revising fractions

pizza boy
Creative Commons License Photo Credit: tomek.pl via Compfight

1. Graded Resources for Teaching Fractions from www.bgfl.org

2. More from Sheppard Software.com

3. Comprehensive selection of activites  

from ‘Who wants pizza?’ by Cynthia Lanius

4. Tony Fraction’s Pizza Shop from MrNussbaum.com

5. Pizza Fractions Game from Soft Schools.com

6. More fraction games from Maths Games.org

7. And if you get tired of pizza …

there are other activities here Classroom.JC-schools.net

Online activities to teach and revise place value – Senior Classes

5376883 pairs of scissors on the wall, 5376883 pairs of scissors, take one down, pass it around, 5376882 pairs of scissors on the wall
Creative Commons License Photo Credit: Tal Bright via Compfight

1. Resources for the whiteboard  from Topmarks.co.uk

 

2. Learning about Place Value on Kids Math Games Online.com

 

Games to practice Place Value on  

3. Sheppard Software.com

4. Toon University.com (Hundreds, Tens and Units)

5. Toon University again (Thousands, Hundreds, Tens and Units)

and 

6. Mr.Nussbaum.com – Place Value Pirates (includes decimals)

Online activities to learn about and revise factors, prime and composite numbers.

Prime Numbers
Creative Commons License Photo Credit: Chris via Compfight

1. Revising tables and factors on the 100 square

at Illuminations.nctm.org

 

2. Learning about Factor Trees

on Maths Playground.com

 

3. Four useful activities from

Cool Math.com to learn about prime and composite numbers.

 

4. Finding factor game from Calculation Nation

 

5. Scroll down to the bottom of this link

to find an activity to practice

spotting prime

or composite numbers

from AAA Maths.com

 

6. From Sheppard Software.com

‘Fruit Shoot’ – A game to revise composite + prime numbers

 

7. A Treasure Trove of ideas here from Edutopia.org

192/i365 Treasure
Creative Commons License Photo Credit: Keith Bloomfield via Compfight

2. Helping your Child’s Learning; Mostly Maths (for 2nd Class going into 3rd)

Tirando Los Dados. / Rolling The Dice.
Creative Commons License Photo Credit: Gonzalo Barrientos via Compfight

Dear Parent,

 

A number of parents have asked for more details

than was contained in the end of year report

about how parents can help their child’s learning over the Summer.

 

I have already posted some suggestions about reading

Suggestions for Children’s Reading Over The Summer

 

This post relates to Maths.

There will be a third post about using higher order questions

to develop your child’s learning.

 illustrated math problem
Creative Commons License Photo Credit: Jimmie via Compfight

 

The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment

have several short videos for parents

about working on maths with your child.

Short Videos from National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA)

 

They appear to be still compiling resources for 3rd/4th class

For Parents of 3rd/4th Classes – National Council for Curriculum and Assessment

 

This post relates specifically to

students in 2nd Class going into 3rd.

It is a long post and you will find

the contents will help you

over the next school year.

 

In many reports I wrote that;

‘3rd+4th Class is the window of opportunity

for learning multiplication+division tables.

They are easier to learn than

the addition/subtraction tables from this year

because of the number patterns apparent in them.

Prioritizing these tables next year will

give your child a very useful life skill.

Tables are gymnastics for the brain.

Knowing them well is confidence building

and allows your child to concentrate on methodology’.

 

Multiplication is introduced as repeated addition.

Towards the end of 2nd class, we did this in class.

 

You may find the following websites helpful.

The two introductory videos here are useful;

Teach the Times Tables on Multiplication.com

 

This is a useful follow up game;

Carl’s Cookie Capers from Multiplication.com

 

The Balloon Popping Game from the School Hub

with which your child is very familiar will also be helpful.

 

Other online games that practice multiplication can be found here;

Multiplication Games from ICT Games.com

 

It may be that your child finds it hard to learn by rote.

So you may find this site useful;

Strategies for Learning Multiplication Facts from Olc.spsd.sk.ca

 

This  game also provides some gymnastics for the brain;

http://members.learningplanet.com/act/count/free.asp

 

Problem Solving is a skill that all students would benefit from practising.

I suggest an inexpensive purchase  Mad 4 Maths – 3rd Class

To start with your child could do a few of these with you

perhaps using the 3-step strategy highlighted below.

Once they master these steps they can continue on, independently.

 

How can you help your child with problem solving in Maths?

Problem Solving:

The following strategies are useful in relation to problem solving
• Discussing the problem
• Rephrasing to make the meaning clearer
• Using concrete materials where possible
• Using smaller numbers
• Setting out problem on paper using diagrams, drawings etc.
• Estimating

 

Some teachers use the mnemonic  RUDE 

to remind the children of problem solving strategies.

So the children are encouraged to 

Read,

Underline key words, 

Draw, 

Estimate (Answer).

This is the simplest approach.

‘Drawing’ the problem can be very effective.

It gives the child time to think and process the information.

 

Another approach is

We LUV 2 C word stories!

Look, 

Underline (the key word), 

Visualise(draw), 

Calculate and 

Check.

 

In tandem with these approaches you could ask your child:

 

1. What do I have? (what info is given?)

 

2. What do I want to have at the end? (What am I being asked to do?)

 

3. How do I get there? (add/subtract/multiply/divide or a combination)

 

The additional website may be useful for some.

 

It teaches a visual strategy for problem solving:

 

Problem Solving with Thinking Blocks

 

Penrose Triangle
Photo Credit: gfpeck via Compfight

 I have checked out all these websites,

but please supervise your child online.

Supplementary Homework in Maths

Here are a dozen links to Maths Activities

that you might like to try:

 

Many of these games were sourced from 

Maths Primary National Strategy – Maths Activities

This is easy; practising ‘counting on’ with 

Online ‘Snakes and Ladders’

Snakes and Ladders
Creative Commons License Photo Credit: John Johnston via Compfight

As an alternative to the

Balloon Popping Game to practice tables,

you can practice addition tables on Circus Climber

 

This activity teaches about Data

 

These are more challenging:

Practising computation with

Swimming Lengths

Long Jump

 

Measurement;

Reading measure with Javelin Throwing

 

Measuring angles;

estimating or using an online protractor with Sailing

 

Practicing Addition using ‘Who Wants To Be A Mathionaire?’

 

This is a more challenging game;

 ‘Who Wants to Be A Mathonaire?’

Mastermind
Creative Commons License Photo Credit: Steve Berry via Compfight

Like the game Mastermind this is an online game

called Code Breaker

Here is another version from Creativity Games.net

Add Like Mad

Add Like Mad was a very popular game in 2nd Class, Room 6.
We have been playing it on the Interactive Whiteboard.

Here is the link if any of the children would like to try it at home.

ADD LIKE MAD

This is a picture of a family of owls that Jessica did 🙂

New games for learning maths in 2nd Class.

Square Root of 558919216881Creative Commons License Bill Smith via Compfight

Here are some of our favourite games

for learning maths

This one is called Number Eaters.

It helps us learn our addition tables

and it is fun to play.

1. CLICK HERE FOR NUMBER EATERS

 

There are lots of other maths games on this site.

If Numbereaters is’nt for you why not try

2. PRINCESS MATH

 

3. BALLOON POPPING GAME FOR ADDING AND TAKING AWAY from earlier in the term
is also good.

 

4. Don’t forget the ‘Crossing The Swamp’ game also from earlier this year.

CLICK HERE TO PLAY:)

 

5. If you get tired of popping balloons you could try this one

MATHS MAGICIAN

 

6. THIS ADDING GAME IS BASED ON THE TV SHOW ‘WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE?’

 

7. In 2nd class we also learn about halving numbers and doubling them. This game is good practice

Halves and Doubles

New games to help you learn your addition and take away tables

Here are some new games for checking

if you know your addition tables.

This one is called Number Eaters

and it is fun to play.

1. CLICK HERE FOR NUMBER EATERS

There are lots of other maths games on this site.

If Numbereaters is’nt for you why not try

2. PRINCESS MATH

3. GOOD FOR CHECKING THAT YOU KNOW YOUR ADDITION TABLES

4. BALLOON POPPING GAME FOR ADDING AND TAKING AWAY from earlier in the term

is also good.

5. Don’t forget the ‘Crossing The Swamp’ game

also from earlier this year.

CLICK HERE TO PLAY:)

6. If you get tired of popping balloons

you could try MATHS MAGICIAN

7. THIS ADDING GAME IS BASED ON THE TV SHOW ‘WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE?’


A detail from Ryan’s colourful picture of the Northern Lights.

Maths – Simple Computation: Addition & Subtraction in Second Class.

Maths – simple computation: addition/subtraction in Second Class

If you feel the need to supplement homework, these are some suggestions.

Learning simple computation (addition/subtraction tables to 10+10) really benefits the student in second class. Because when they go on to learn how to add tens and units with renaming they can concentrate on this new methodology because the addition and subtraction come easy to them.

We will be doing this in class. These websites may help you help your child.

The first  is an addition speed test.

http://www.mrmyers.org/Math_Mania/ttadd.html

http://www.ohio-distinctive.com/toybox/mathbarge/mathbarge.html

In preparation for adding tens and units with renaming, this game might be useful.

http://www.ictgames.com/sharknumbers.html

This is a good site for practicing number facts and computation:

TUTPUP.COM

Finally this site has games that practice addition and take aways at speed.

SKILL BUILDERS

Finally following a recent recommendation I will be using the following site in class.

Problem Solving with Thinking Blocks

The Thinking Blocks website teaches a visual strategy for problem solving.

Hope you find these helpful.

Teacher