Tag: go to activities

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Comparison Cards

When I rounded up all my various links about some of my favorite, go to activities I made a discovery.

I had posts about equivalence cards, and error correction, and my write/shuffle/share routine (although it could use expanding, tbh)

I had two different activities with comparison cards in my Teachers Pay Teachers shop. (Scientific notation, and probability for the curious)

But, somehow I had never written about how I actually use them.

Oops.

Clearly, I have been taking Comparison Card activities for granted. Also, clearly, I am attempting to rectify the situation

Why: 

They make for natural pair or group activities, so students are talking and figuring together (*cough* Mathematical Practice 3*cough*) 

They ask students to stop and think and reason about the meaning and values of the numbers, instead of jumping straight into computation.

Content:

Super-flexible, but they’re particularly well suited for formats that students tend to struggle to read/understand. So decimal values with multiple places, or scientific notation, in my class.

Materials:

Make cards by hand (half of a 3×5 index card works well) or use my Google slides tutorial.

Each card should have a single value, but mixing the number formats raises the critical thinking level (For example: my exponents set uses whole numbers, exponent notation, expanded notation, and words) 

Make enough for each student to have a set.

Facilitation options: 

Number line: Sort the values from smallest to largest, arranging in a line on the table.

Further option: Give students benchmarks to compare their number line, or construct parallel numberlines with two formats (one line with fractions, for example, and another with decimals)

War: Each student gets a set of cards, shuffled and face down. Play the classic card game, War, where the player who turns over the card with the higher value takes both

Inequalities | Number Sentences: Add inequality cards to the mix. (I have a full on set in my store, or make your own). Students should arrange two value cards and a comparison symbol to create sentences

(Note: If students are comfortable with inequalities, this is a less challenging activity since students can pick values that are easy to compare) 

Extensions: 

Add reflection/discussion questions (I always like to start by asking which were hard? which were easy? and why?)

Students create their own cards to add to the mix. This might be open or more structured (e.g. add a card that is smaller, larger, in the middle…) 

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4 Go-To Math Activities

As I’ve shared, I’m so grateful at this point in my career to have a set of flexible activities that I know work for me and my students, that I can swap new content in when I need to.

And, in the past, I’ve been so grateful to learn from other teachers, I thought I’d round up some information on a few of my favorite activities.

Equivalence Cards

Possibly my most gone-to go to. Format changes mess with my students’ tenuous sense that they understand math, so this feels key.

A question and answer, two forms of the same value, a term and a definition. Pairs on small cards are easily shuffled. Students can match equivalents, or play Concentration to build fluency.

Comparison Cards

Note to self: Write a post about comparison cards

Key question: Which decimal? Signed number? Exponent? Algebraic expression? etc. is larger? Values on small cards can be ordered or play “War” to compare

I love to make both types of cards using google slides (click for my free tips)

Error Correction

Transform a worksheet or text book activity, and seriously level up the critical thinking.

Teacher does the worksheet … with all of the common errors that students might make make. Hand out red pens, and let students find and correct them. 

Extension: Have students write you a note about what you need to remember (They’re such encouraging teachers)

Write Shuffle Share

Have *students* write examples or questions on index cards. Check the answers, shuffle and re-distribute. Repeat. 

Infographic: 4 go to math activities... that aren't worksheets. 1. Equivalence cards 2. Comparison cards 3. Error correction 4. Write, shuffle, share
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The benefits of experience

Events in my life have recently reminded me how long I’ve been at this.

I started in adult education with a volunteer gig in 2008, which became a part time job, and then a career.

All together, it means, I’ve been teaching for just about 10 years, and involved in adult ed for 12. Plus the years of higher ed before that.


Sometimes, this makes me feel old.

Sometimes it just feels unreal.

Sometimes, it makes me feel super grateful.

Mostly, lately, I’ve been feeling the gratitude. Because I’m far enough in to have learned some lessons and gained some perspective and be able to see the benefits of both.

Three reasons I’m loving in this stage:

My network: My version of hell looks something like a cocktail party. I’m an introvert, and until recently, I would tell you I’m terrible at networking because I’m terrible at the work a room cocktail party kind of networking. But when you do good work and help people and build real relationships for a dozen years, it turns out you have a pretty good network. I’ll be honest, my mind is still a little bit blown to realize this is true.

Compounding interest: To take one example… It’s not a big deal for me to make and do my spiral reviews now, because one year I scanned all of my materials to google drive; and another year, I worked out the classroom routines; and another year I made the template. It’s daunting imagining doing that all at once, but step by step, year by year improvements add up.

Go-to activities: I had to pivot a lesson this week. I like quick pivots on only slightly better than cocktail parties, but they are sometimes a fact of life. Fortunately, I had a mental list of tried and true go-to activities that I could plug my content into and move forward without a lot of fuss. I definitely did not have that when I was starting out Feeling confident that I have tools I can count on makes those things So. Much. Easier.