There are so many math tools out there that have the potential to transform your elementary math instruction. This blog post focuses on 5 of them. It doesn’t matter if you teach first, second, third, fourth, or fifth grade – you need these tools!
5 Math Tools All Elementary Classroom Teachers Need
Below are 5 math tools you need for your elementary classroom.
1. Dice
These are a staple in every elementary classroom. They can be used with a variety of math games. Access tons of math games in my math collections, which also includes hundreds of resources to help you with your math instruction. You can learn more about these down below. You can also access the games in the Clutter-Free Classroom Teachers Pay Teachers store. In addition to them being used with games, they can be used as stand-alone games – topics ranging from understanding place value to multiplying fractions. A quick example of a stand-alone game is to give each student a pair of dice. Each student rolls 2 dice, subtracts the smaller number from the larger number, models it with math manipulatives, and documents his or her work on a piece of lined paper. It’s that simple!
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2. Dominoes
The second item on the list of elementary math tools is dominoes. There are so many fun ways to use dominoes! One way is to have students sort them. For example, they can sort them by sums within 10 and sums within 20. Another option is to sort them by even and odd numbers. A second way is to have students use them to write fact families. The opportunities are endless!
3. Decks of Cards
There are so many fun math games you can play using a deck of cards – some as simple as War, Go Fish, and Top it. Consider asking for donations from students’ families or venturing out to yard sales.
4. White Board, White Board Markers, and Erasers
Every elementary classroom needs a class set of white boards, white board markers, and erasers. They are great for keeping students engaged during whole group instruction and quickly collecting student data through formative assessment. Having a set of 5 or 6 for your small group instruction table would be helpful too.
5. Classroom Calendar
This is a must-have in every elementary classroom. This is a simple tool that can be used to teach so many different math skills like skip counting, even and odd numbers, and much more. Learning how to display and use a classroom calendar is really important as well.
Math Resources for 1st-5th Grade Teachers
If you need printable and digital math resources for your classroom, then check out my time and money-saving math collections below!
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In closing, we hope you found this list of elementary math tools helpful! If you did, then you may also be interested in these posts:
