Lost Marbles Balancing Equations

Although I teach visual arts now, I still create some general education materials by request. I was recently asked to come up with a math station activity for finding balanced equations. So, I came up with the concept of Lost Marbles. This “print and go” set of balanced equation problems for students to solve are a quick, low prep addition to math stations. Students add the two colors of marbles in the first jar to find the sum and use that sum to find the missing addend in the second jar to equal the same sum. Students can use manipulatives such as marbles, two-color counters, or beans to find the missing addend. The set includes sums from 4 to 10 and a blackline master to use for creating additional problems. Two versions of recording sheets are included for accountability. You can download the file from my TpT store.

 

Math Fact Celebration

To celebrate the completion of learning our math facts, we had mini ice cream cones for lunch dessert. Each week we focused on a new set of math facts. They did a practice time test on Monday of each week and then the real test on Fridays. Students who had a passing grade, got into a "Math Facts Club" and got to sign their autograph to a poster in the hallway. The posters were a great incentive for the students to work hard to memorize their facts and the ice cream was a special bonus!

Ocean Word Problems

The students used paper fish manipulatives to solve addition and subtraction word problems. Each student could pick their own numbers to use. They then solved the problems. After solving their own problems, they worked with their table groups to  check them.

Balanced Equations

My teammate, Mrs. Guzman, had a great way of having the students show their understanding of equal, or balanced, number sentences. Each student was given a sum to show with paper color tiles in two different ways on a student drawn balance scale. The students then wrote to explain the number sentences and how they were equal.

Balancing Number Sentences

The students used balance scales and manipulatives to demonstrate different ways to make the same sum. This helps them understand two different number sentences that are equal or to find a missing part of a number sentence.

Number Sentence Match Up

Mrs. Timms, who plans our math, came up with a fun game for the students to play to practice finding equivalent number sentences. The students have a set of cards with number sentences on them. They turn two over at a time, like in a traditional matching game. If the number sentences equal the same total, they get to keep the cards. If they do not, they have to put them back. This is a great game for them to play for additional practice while I work with  small groups.

Taking Math Outdoors

After several weeks of freezing temperatures, we have been loving the warmer weather. So, we decided to take math outside. We have been learning about balanced equations or number sentences. The Students took a dry erase board outside and I called out various number sentences. They wrote the number sentences and then drew circles under each addend. They then counted the number of circles on each side of the equal sign to see if both sides were equal, or balanced.

Valentine's Day Math

The students have been working on the strategy of "Making Ten" to help them with larger addition problems. But, in order to do that, they need to know what addends make ten quickly first. So, we reviewed by adding dark and milk chocolates. You can find this template on my Teachers Pay Teachers store.

Doubles Snack

To review the concept of using doubles to solve addition and subtraction number situations, the students made edible dominoes. They added icing on top of a graham cracker and then drew a line down the middle with the knife. Then, they added one chocolate chip to each side to represent the pips on a domino. As they did this, they said the related addition and subtraction number sentence. Then, of course, they ate them!

Holly Wreath Fact Families

To quickly review addition and subtraction fact families, the students created Holly Wreaths. They counted how many leaves and how many berries and wrote their corresponding number sentences. You can download the templates for this mini-lesson here.

Shaving Cream Fun

To have a little fun and clean off their desks, we played in shaving cream during the last week of school. The students practiced writing their word wall words, solve addition and subtraction problems, and drew pictures in the shaving cream.

Fact Family Flowers

A former teammate of mine had a great idea to have the students create Fact Family Flowers. Each student was given a set of three numbers that would create a Fact Family. They had to decide what two addition sentences and two subtraction sentences they could create with those numbers. They recorded their numbers on the flower petals. Their flowers were added to the garden display along with their garden research and frog life cycles.