When you’re thinking about back to school, a common theme is apples, which I love to use as well.

But many of us go back to school long before apple season. (Our district goes back during the last week of July.)

So if you’re looking for a simple early math center to get kids engaged during those early weeks, this sunflower making ten playdough math center is a great fit for first grade!

Any time I can make a resource hands-on, I jump at the chance.

And because you can use this with several kinds of manipulatives, it’s versatile. Which is great if you’re still trying to get your classroom supplies sorted at the start of the year.

Read on to see how to get your copy of this resource – free!

And, for more fun in the sun, take a look at our simple Coffee Filter Crab Craft!

Sunflower Making Ten Playdough Math Center

To use this early math center, you’ll need the following: (Affiliate links are used below. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

• Printer (with ink)
• Printer paper
• Laminator (optional)
• Scissors
• Playdough

This resource includes ten sunflower addition circle cards – each displays a pair of numbers that equal a sum of 10.

There are also ten yellow ten frames inside.

You can print the resource with regular printer paper if you’re only planning to use it once.

But if you intend to reuse it (like most of us teachers do), laminate the cards and ten frames before you cut them out.

How to Use The Making Ten Playdough Math Center

When you’re ready to begin this activity, ask your class about how we add numbers to make ten. If they’ve never done it before, have them hold up all ten fingers.

Walk them through adding a couple of different numbers to make ten.

For example, you could say: “Hold up all ten fingers. We’re going to count out three together. As we count each one, put that finger down. 1-2-3.”

They should have seven fingers still extended. Use this to show that 3+7 = 10. Repeat with a few other combinations.

Now you can demonstrate the activity.

At the center, put down an addition circle card and a ten frame. Use two different colors of playdough.

Make enough playdough balls to represent the first numeral. Then use the second color to make playdough balls that represent the second numeral.

Show students how to count each group and then add them all up to make ten.

If you don’t have playdough, you can use just about any math manipulative you can think of.

Coins, buttons, stickers, math counters – even LEGO blocks or drawing circles with dry erase markers would work well.

Scroll down to get your copy of this Sunflower Making Ten Math Center!

Take a look at these other early math activities for centers!

To get your copy of this sunflower adding to make ten center, click the image or the link below to have it sent directly to your inbox!

You’ll also get our weekly newsletter – coming this Sunday!

>>> Sunflower Make Ten Playdough Center <<<

The post Sunflower Playdough Making Ten Math Center appeared first on Look! We're Learning!.

Multiplication facts, though, are still giving my youngest a hard time.

She’s working on memorizing her times tables so she can sail into third grade math this fall with no trouble.

To make it a little more fun, I thought we’d try this printable pineapple multiplication by four game!

This is a simple and cute way to help kids work on multiplication fluency!

Keep reading to see how to get yours – free! And, for more ways to have fun with math, take a look at our list of outdoor math games to play!

Pineapple Multiplication by Four Game

To use this printable multiplication roll and cover game, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

• Printer (with ink)
• Printer Paper
• Six-sided dice or ten-sided dice
• Math counters or buttons
• Astrobright paper (optional)

This product includes two versions of the multiplication roll and cover game:

• One for use with a six-sided die
• And one for use with a ten-sided die

The rules are simple.

Students roll a die and then find the corresponding multiple of four on the game board.

Then they just cover that number with a math counter and keep going!

You can also use buttons, counting bears, pom-poms, or coins in place of counters.

Students can play the game alone or with a partner. If they’re playing alone, challenge them to see how quickly they can roll and cover all the multiples.

If they’re playing with a partner, the first one to cover the last multiple wins!

A line art version of both game boards is also included.

Personally, I love to add a pop of color by printing them on AstroBright paper – as above. It definitely makes the activity a bit more cheerful.

Scroll down to get your Pineapple Multiplication by Four Game!

Check out these other fun math learning ideas!

To get your copy of this Pineapple Multiplication by Four Roll and Cover Game, click the image or the link below to download it to your computer!

>>> Pineapple Multiplication by Four Game <<<

The post Pineapple Multiplication by Four Roll and Cover Game appeared first on Look! We're Learning!.

When I was young, there was a general store about 10 miles away from our house that sold Dreamcicles – a combination of orange sherbet and vanilla ice cream.

Every time the weather started to warm, I’d get excited, because it was almost Dreamcicle-time.

My kids love popsicles too, so why not add them into a math lesson?

Which is where these popsicle 1-12 addition puzzles come in!

With these printable math puzzles, early elementary students can practice adding numbers to make one all the way up to twelve!

Read on to see how to get your set of these printable arithmetic puzzles.

And, be sure to check out our Ladybug Number Word Counting Puzzles for more ways to teach math fluency!

Popsicle Plus! 1-12 Addition Puzzles for Kids

To use these printable popsicle addition puzzles, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

• Printer (with ink)
• Printer Paper
• Scissors
• Laminator (optional)
• Astrobright paper (optional)

This set of popsicle addition matching activities includes 24 individual puzzles: 12 color and 12 line art.

Each puzzle has four pieces: three addition problems and one matching sum – the top “scoop” on the popsicle.

Simply cut apart each puzzle and let students practice matching up the correct problems and sums.

This would make a fantastic activity for early math centers.

Laminate each puzzle before cutting it apart and you can reuse it as many times as you like.

This addition activity also helps students learn different ways to add to make each sum.

For example, you can add 3+3 to make six. But you can also add 5+1 and 2+4 to make the same number.

If you need to save ink, use the line art version instead.

For a pop of color, print the line art version on AstroBright paper (my personal favorite!).

Scroll down to get your set of these popsicle themed addition matching puzzles!

Try some of these other hands-on math learning activities!

To get your copy of Popsicle Plus! Printable Addition Puzzles, click the image or the link below to visit my Teachers Pay Teachers store!

> Popsicle Themed Addition Matching Puzzles <

The post Popsicle Plus! 1-12 Addition Puzzles for Kids appeared first on Look! We're Learning!.

If there was a way to study only literature for the remaining seven grades, she’d be in heaven.

But once numbers show up on a paper, her love for reading goes out the window.

I wasn’t encouraged to pursue a mathematics-based career and I’m a literature lover, so I understand her feelings completely.

But I don’t want her to allow a discomfort with mathematics to limit her career choices, so we’ve got to find a way to make math fun!

Thankfully, there are a lot more resources for making math interesting these days than there were when I was a kid and I’ve gathered up a few today!

Check out this list of educational and fun math books for middle school to find some resources your kids might like!

For more fun with math, don’t miss our list of hands-on math activities to try!

Fun Math Books for Middle School

These books are not the only cool math books for tweens around, but they are some of the best. Especially if you have students who love to work with their hands.

If you like any of these, leave a comment and let me know which one!

(This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

1.Math Dictionary for Kids: The Essential Guide to Math Terms, Strategies, and Tables (Grades 4-9)

2.Math Doesn’t Suck: How to Survive Middle School Math Without Losing Your Mind or Breaking a Nail

3.100 Math Brainteasers (Grades 7-10)

4.40 Fabulous Math Mysteries Kids Can’t Resist (Grades 4-8)

5.Janice Van Cleave’s Math for Every Kid: Easy Activities That Make Learning Math Fun

6.One Minute Mysteries: 65 Short Mysteries You Solve with Math

7.Sir Cumference and the Dragon of Pi: A Math Adventure (Grades 2-7)

8.Math Puzzles and Games for Grades 6-8

9.Funny & Fabulous Fraction Stories: 30 Reproducible Math Tales and Problems (Grades 3-6)

10.Math Projects: 50 Hands-On Projects (Grades 5-8)

11.Everything You Need to Ace Math in One Big Fat Notebook (Grades 6-8)

12.Real World Math (Grades 5-8)

Does your middle schooler have a math book that he or she loves? Please share your recommendations in the comments!

Need more math learning resources? Check out these posts!

The post Fun Math Books for Middle School appeared first on Look! We're Learning!.

The trick, though, is that counting numbers don’t always look like numerals. They also appear as objects and number words.

Which is why these three-piece ladybug number word counting puzzles are so helpful for little learners!

These are fantastic for early math centers! Or you could put them in morning tubs for rotations!

Need to help your students learn remotely? There’s even a distance learning version!

Read on to see how to score these for your early math students.

And, for more practice with early math skills, check our our Bee Counting On Math Center!

Ladybug Number Word Counting Puzzles

To print these number word puzzles, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

• Printer (with ink)
• Printer paper
• Scissors
• Laminator (optional)
• Dry erase markers (optional)
• Astrobright paper (optional)

These puzzles include the numbers from one to ten.

Each puzzle contains three pieces:

• One that depicts the number word
• One that depicts the numeral
• And one that shows a ladybug with the matching number of spots

After you print the puzzles and cut the pieces apart, mix them up and let students practice matching them correctly.

If you need to save on ink, a line art version is also included.

Personally, I love to use AstroBright paper whenever I’m using a line art product.

It adds a nice pop of color without using up all of my color ink.

Add some early numeral and number word writing practice with the write and wipe version of these puzzles!

These feature three pieces as the original set, but the number word and numeral puzzle pieces feature blank spaces.

Laminate the pieces and let students practice writing in the numbers and words on their own with dry erase markers!

Get a look at this product in action in the video below!

Digital Ladybug Number Word Matching Activity

Prefer to use a digital counting activity with your kindergarteners?

This ladybug themed counting practice is also available for use with Google Slides!

With the digital version, students can line up the three puzzle pieces to match the number of ladybug’s spots with the right numeral and number word.

An answer key is also included for easy grading.

Scroll down to get your copy of these print or digital Ladybug Number Word Counting Puzzles!

Take a look at these other math learning ideas!

To get your copy of these Ladybug Number Word Counting Puzzles, click the image or the link below to get them from my Teachers Pay Teachers store!

>> Ladybug Number Word Counting Puzzles <<

Want the digital version? Click the image or link below to pick that up for use with distance learning!

>> Digital Ladybug Counting Word Puzzles <<

The post Ladybug Number Word Counting Puzzles appeared first on Look! We're Learning!.

Our smallest learner has been recognizing numbers for years.

She can count all the way to 100 and she is so proud to tell you about it.

Every. Single. Chance. She. Gets.

But I noticed that she needed a little more help recognizing number words, so I wanted to make learning that as fun as possible.

Which is how we ended up with this rainbow number word matching activity! I thought this would be a wonderful early math lesson and so I’m sharing it with all of you too!

Read on to see how to get this number word recognition activity for your little ones!

Need to use it as a digital activity that your students can complete online? Keep reading to see how to grab it as a digital lesson!

And, for more math learning, don’t miss our list of 10 math activities for kids with ADHD.

They’re all hands-on and easy to set up, so your active learners won’t have to sit around waiting.

Rainbow Number Word Matching Activity for Kids

This number word activity is a perfect fit for early spring math centers!

Since it involves basic literacy skills, it’s best suited for kindergartners. But if you have preschoolers are who are ready for number words, feel free to use it with them.

For this number word matching activity, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

• Printer (with ink)
• Printer Paper
• Laminator
• Scissors
• Hook and loop sticky dots
• Colored pencils (optional)

Once you print out the product, use scissors to cut out the rainbows and the cloud number words.

Time to break out the sticky dots!

Just place one on each side of the rainbow and one on the back of each cloud.

Then let the kids practice matching up the number word clouds with the correct number rainbows!

One cloud goes on each side of each rainbow.

Like so!

There are rainbows and clouds for the numerals and number words all the way to ten!

These would make a great busy bag activity for little ones too! Just assemble them and store them in a bag for later.

Need to save on ink? Use the lineart version!

Let the kids color the rainbows themselves, then laminate them and assemble like usual.

Digital Rainbow Number Word Matching Activity for Kids

If you’re using distance learning or just prefer digital activities with your students, you can pick up the digital version of this activity!

This resource is compatible with Google Slides and you can use it on a tablet or on a desktop computer with a mouse.

All ten rainbows are included, along with the number word clouds.

An answer key is also provided for ease of grading.

Get a look at this digital math activity action in the video below!

Scroll down to pick up these Rainbow Number Word Matching Puzzles!

Check out these other fun math ideas for early grades!

 

 

 

 

Want to use this activity as a digital lesson for distance learning?

Click the image or the link below to pick up the digital version of this product from my Teachers Pay Teachers store!

>>> Digital Rainbow Number Word Matching Activity – Teachers Pay Teachers <<<

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I am in the small group of people who actually enjoy solving arithmetic problems.

When I was young, I would doodle math problems in my notebook in my spare time.

My kids, though, aren’t big fans of arithmetic, unless I can make it fun.

So instead of just giving them a sheet of problems to solve, I put together a fun aquarium-themed lesson: our Aquarium Arithmetic Seek and Find activity!

And if you’re looking for a way to practice adding and subtracting online, you can get this in a digital version too!

Read on to see how to get your copy.

Plus, take a look at our easy Sidewalk Chalk Outdoor Math Game for some hands-on math practice fun!

Aquarium Arithmetic Seek & Find Math Activity

To use this aquarium arithmetic math activity, you’ll need the following: (Affiliate links are included in this post. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

• Printer (with ink)
• Printer Paper
• Crayons

This product includes eight sheets of addition and subtraction problems.

Once they find the corresponding problems, they can color them in!

For example, one of the pages instructs kids to “color the problems that have a difference of 5”.

So after kids solve the subtraction problems, they can go back and color in the bubbles for the problems that equal 5.

Easy!

A full set of instructions and a complete answer key are also included!

To get your copy of our Aquarium Arithmetic Seek & Find math activity, click the image or the link below to get it from my Teachers Pay Teachers store!

>>> Aquarium Arithmetic Seek & Find Math Activity <<<

Prefer to use this online with your students? Pick up the digital version for distance learning below!

>>> Aquarium Arithmetic Math Practice Activity – Digital Version <<<

This post is part of the Free Aquarium Unit Study linkup! Check out more fun aquarium activities and learning ideas below!

Aquarium Animals Letter Find Worksheets from 3 Boys and a Dog

Under the Sea Fun Octopus Vegetable Platter from Crafty Mama in ME

Fish Books for Kids from The Jenny Evolution

How Fish Breathe – A Science Experiment from Tales of Education at Home

Fun Things to See at the Newport Aquarium from Something 2 Offer

Aquarium Scavenger Hunt Printable for Kids from CraftCreateCalm

Aquarium in a Bottle: Ocean Sensory Idea from A Little Pinch of Perfect

Aquarium I Spy from Schooling a Monkey

The post Aquarium Arithmetic Seek and Find Math Activity appeared first on Look! We're Learning!.

We’re about a month out for spring, but I’m ready for it NOW.

Like yesterday.

Today, I’m excited to share a brand new set of spring worksheets for kids: Flower Repeated Addition Worksheets that are perfect for early grades!

I’ve been working on the concept of multiplication with my boys this year.

Once you get the idea that multiplication is just adding groups of numbers rapidly, then it’s easier to understand how to solve multiplication problems.

And repeated addition is a big help in mastering that concept.

This set of math worksheets features repeated addition problems in a fun spring theme!

Read on to see how to get your copy! And don’t miss our printable All About Flowers Spring Unit Study!

Spring Worksheets for Kids: Flower Repeated Addition Worksheets

To use these flower repeated addition worksheets, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

• Printer (with ink)
• Printer paper
• Pencils
• Laminator (optional)
• Dry erase markers (optional)

This product includes two worksheets that display the concept of repeated addition.

As well as two worksheets that use the same flower groups to display basic multiplication.

The addition problems are fairly simple and only use numbers from 1 to 6.

There are problems that show 3 + 3 + 3, which is the same as 3 x 3, 5 + 5, which is the same as 2 x 5, and so on.

The multiplication worksheets are a wonderful introduction to multiplying for early grades!

And you can laminate them and use them with dry erase markers at math centers.

A complete answer key is also included!

Scroll down to get your set of Spring Flower Addition Worksheets!

Don’t miss these other spring learning ideas!

To get your copy of our Spring Repeated Addition Worksheets, click the image or the link below to grab it from my Teachers Pay Teachers store!

> Flower Addition Worksheets – Teachers Pay Teachers <

The post Spring Flowers! Flower Repeated Addition Worksheets for Kids appeared first on Look! We're Learning!.

There wasn’t an introductory lesson about it in early grades. 

So I think it’s good that students get to learn about making equal shares in first and second grade – before they get to the concept of fractions. It makes the concept much clearer later on.

I wanted to make a hands on math activity that would help first and second graders to learn this geometry concept – this Share A Donut! Making Equal Shares Activity!

I feel pretty confident that I’m not the only donut lover on Earth, so I thought this would be a fun math center activity for early grades!

Read on to see how to get your copy. And, for more fun with donuts, take a look at our Donut Colors! Sentence Writing Activity! 

Share A Donut! Making Equal Shares Activity

To use this making equal shares activity, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

• Printer (with ink)
• Printer Paper
• Child-safe scissors
• Glue stick
• Laminator (Optional)
• Hook and loop sticky dots (Optional)
• Dry erase markers (Optional)

This product includes:

• Two pages of unlabeled color donut pieces
• Two pages of labeled color donut pieces
• Eight line art fill in the blank donut cards
• A full answer key
• And a set of instructions!

You can use this as a one-time cut and paste lesson.

Just print the pages, let students cut out the parts, and then glue them into the donut cards to fill in the donut with the correct number of equal shares.

Be sure to have students label the number of shares and use the unlabeled donut pieces to name each part as a fraction (if you like).

You can also make this into a reusable math center!

Laminate the pages and cut out the donut shares. Then add hook and loop sticky dots to the back of the donut parts and the donut cards.

Students can use them over and over again!

Scroll down to get this Donut Making Equal Shares Activity!

Don’t miss these other hands-on math ideas for early grades!

And see more ways to teach math on my Math Mania! Pinterest board!

To get your copy of this Share A Donut! Making Equal Shares Activity, click the image or the link below to grab it from my Teachers Pay Teachers store!

>>> Share A Donut! Making Equal Shares Math Center – Teachers Pay Teachers <<<

The post Share A Donut! Making Equal Shares Activity for Early Grades appeared first on Look! We're Learning!.

Kids get to gather around the center in small groups and work with math activities that are actually fun. It’s great for taking math off the page.

The key to a simple math center, though, is finding a simple interactive resource you can use again and again.

Which is where these simple robot number tracing worksheets come in handy!

These are good for a one-time practice lesson, but with just a few minutes of prep, you can easily make them reusable.

Perfect for math centers!

Read on to see how to get your set! And, for more fun with math centers, don’t miss my English and Spanish Cupcake Number Word Activity!

Robot Numbers! Number Tracing Worksheets for Kids

To use these number tracing worksheets, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

• Printer (with ink)
• Printer Paper (I used Astrobright paper)
• Laminator (optional)
• Dry erase crayons or Dry erase markers (optional)

This product includes ten robot-themed number tracing printables. 

Each has the selected number shown on the robot with nine tracing numerals for students to the right.

I like to use colorful Astrobright paper and then laminate these.

Then, you can simply let kids use dry erase crayons or dry erase markers to practice tracing each numeral.

When they’re done, just wipe them off and they’re ready to go for the next group!

These are also fantastic for morning tubs.

Just print them, place them on a ring and include dry erase crayons in the tub.

Scroll down to get your copy of these Robot Number Tracing Worksheets!

Stop by to see these other hands-on math activities for early grade students!

See more ways to make math fun on my Math Mania! Pinterest board!

To get your copy of these Robot Numbers! Number Tracing Worksheets, click the image or the link below to visit my Teachers Pay Teachers store!

>>> Robot Number Tracing Worksheets – Teachers Pay Teachers <<<

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