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Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Time Fillers

Good Morning and Happy Tuesday!!!

This is a quick post about a few games I came across and have begun making to use as time fillers in my STEM classroom. 

Math Taboo
Roots of the Equation published an Algebra Math Taboo game that is perfect for a middle school or high school classroom!  Of course you can make your own cards to supplement this set.  This is so easy to print, cut, bag, and then pass out to early finishers or on days when there is extra time in class or a shortened class period.  I just finished printing my sets and plan on using this as early as next week with my students.

Quick Six
Ellen McHenry published a game called Quick Six that is played with the periodic table of elements.  I do not expect my students to know or understand the periodic table and they are not taught it until high school, but this is a great game to begin introducing them to it and how to find information about the elements.  I just printed out my game card set and a periodic table that is kid friendly (I have yet to use it to play the game to see if it will suit the needs of the game).  I can't wait to have all of the pieces laminated and play with my students!

I find games like these as well as Math 24, tangrams, math battleship, etc. are great to add to a sub binder or sub tub.  Once the games are explained to your students and they have had a class period to play, a sub can pass out the materials and allow the kids to play.  With a little one at home, I have fallen back on my emergency sub plans in my sub binder a number of times.  I will be adding these games to the other activities I have outlined in my sub binder.