Bringing Spring into Our Math Centers

I try to keep my Number Puzzles updated for the season on top of keeping them updated based on the skills we have learned/are learning.  I rotate out puzzles that are really old or have a seasonal theme as we pass them and add in new puzzles as frequently as I can manage.

[Flower Pot Subtraction Sort Puzzle]

So when the winter wind was still whipping around snow and massive blizzards were striking Northern New York in March, I just HAD to make a spring number puzzle to bolster my spirits and hurry up Mother Nature.  What is more springy than flowers?!

       

This Number Puzzle helps students practice their basic subtraction fluency 0-10.  Students match the flowers to the flower pots.  Each flower pot has a different number of correct matches because I tried to include all possible fact combinations.

Grab it now at my TpT Store! 

Phew!

Wow! We are 23 days into the school year already!  My first year of teaching 1st grade keeps me way to busy to stop and post!  I am using our first 3 day weekend as a perfect opportunity to catch up on my TpT page and my blog posts.

What has been keeping me so busy, you ask?  Everything!  But, I would say that I spend the most time creating math materials for our Guided Math block.  My co-teacher and I try to keep the kids busy and engaged with different center activities, purposeful worksheets, and (of course) number puzzles! 

Man, oh man, my kiddos LOVE number puzzles!  I don't think they even realize all of the learning they are doing!  And when they choose to work with a partner?? Even better!! Now they have to explain their thinking to their friend.  Got to love the higher order thinking that's happening without them even knowing it!

So, what kinds of things do these number puzzles work on?

• Counting Skills
• Number recognition
• Making 10
• Ten Frames
• Basic Addition
• Fact Fluency
• and more!

Some puzzles I find from other wonderful educators on Pinterest or TeachersPayTeachers, but when I can't find exactly what I want, I make it!  My two latest favorite are my 3-Way Addition Facts Number Puzzles. 

These puzzles ask students to match an image, with a number sentence, with the sum.  A great way to scaffold student understanding while building fact fluencies!

  

A puzzle that is a little bit harder but focuses on many of the same standards is my Apple Addition Number Puzzles.  

This puzzle is great because it is easy for the students to put together (and easy to cut out!!! Always a plus!).  It helps students develop more fluency with addition facts and can even teach students about equivalence between expressions.

And what about some of those engaging worksheets?  How about these great Fall Color By Number Puzzles that I created with my kiddos in mind!  The three puzzles focus on number words, addition facts, and counting skills.