Math for FUN!

Any educator knows that reinforcing the skills students need to be successful in math is important at all levels. But, how do we make this reinforcement fun? Luckily we have manipulatives and interactive math games to assist us in the process.

When I taught math to my 1st grade students you were sure to find M&Ms, Skittles, plastic bugs, blocks and more in my classroom as I tried to find engaging ways for them to learn basic skills. Once the basic skills were there and we began working on story problems, I would see the "fun" begin to fade and the views of "work" set in. I wondered how I could bring the "fun" back into the picture. I was fortunate to have access to 2 computers (1 teacher and 1 student) in my classroom at the time which gave me my avenue to make the story problems fun.

Each student was given a mission...write a story problem based on something that interests you. That caused a few grumbles. In the eyes of my students, math did not include writing. We moved past the grumbles into the world of creativity when they realized that once they finished writing their problems they were going to create them on the computer. Using Microsoft Word and clipart my students created their story problems on the computer. Each story problem page included the clipart images that would be used to solve the problem. When we were finished with creating our problems, the students would print and test each other on their math skills. The kids loved this part. I would usually take it one step further and "publish" their story problems into a book that was laminated and shared with other classes. The classes that used the book would use vis a vis pens to solve the problems.

This was a great way to integrate math and technology into the world of my students. What are some of the ways that you integrate technology?

A few fun interactive math games:
http://www.mathsonline.co.uk/nonmembers/gamesroom/bugs/bugrace3.html - elementary level addition
http://www.primarygames.com/squigly/start.htm - lower elementary level number order
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forkids/kidsclub/flash/games/levelthree/KC_Blast_Off.html - elementary level addition
http://www.arcademicskillbuilders.com/games/jetski/jetski.html - elementary level addition
http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/cross_the_river/cross_the_river.swf - elementary fractions
http://media.arcademicskillbuilders.com/games/island_chase/island_chase.swf - elementary subtraction