Small Math Groups: G is for Games

A year ago, our district switched from Everyday Math, which had a HUGE focus on game playing for concept/skill practice, to GoMath, which doesn't focus on playing games and what they do have just isn't good.  

It made me sad to not be able to incorporate all of the games that I had made and purchased over the years to go with my math instruction.  Throughout the first quarter of this school year I kept thinking about all those math games in my cupboard and was excited to make them a regular, daily, part of my new math instruction!

One of the games I made when we were working on Fact Families.

At least one new game is introduced a week, if not more.  It just depends on what we're learning, what games I have and if the game needs an adult to facilitate or not.  Having kids play games they already know (and are kept at our math station) helps reinforce concepts/skills and is one less thing I have to plan for the rotations.

Playing a symmetry game called 'Copy Cat' with a parent volunteer.

I forgot to share this in my "L is for Learning" post, but here is how I keep track of the timing of my groups.  I use my iPad mini and an AWESOME app called Best Sand Timer.  You can change the color and music, so I use it for both my small reading and math groups and just have different music for each.