Mad Math Minutes: Whole Group and Guided Math Practice
We used to give mad math minutes all the time. Back in the Day:) Some people still do it. Others don’t. Here’s what I think. We should do mad math minutes. It builds fluency, IF we do it in a way that builds fluency. Fluency doesn’t just happen. We plan for it. So, I would give mad math minutes in a scaffolded way. I would do it by problem sets, working on particular MATH dolch words. For example, +0 and +1 facts or complements of 5 and then 10, or doubles, doubles +1, doubles +2 or lucky 8 and lucky 9 facts. I would give no more than 10 -20 problems at a time. I would give a minute. AND AFTER, I WOULD HAVE THE STUDENTS GRADE THE TEST. THEY WOULD CIRCLE WHAT THEY GOT WRONG. TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY KNOW ALREADY AND WHAT THEY ARE STILL LEARNING. COME UP WITH AN ACTION PLAN FOR STUDYING FOR THE NEXT TEST. THEY WOULD ONLY COMPETE AGAINST THEMSELVES. I would start everyone (even our 4th and 5th graders) out with addition, then subtraction, then multiplication and then division, of course mixing them up as they pass each category. I would start giving mad math minutes around the middle of kinder only on +0, +1 and complements of 5 (New Common Math Core says kinder should know up to 5). Let me know what you think.
Here are some mad math minutes:
Printables:
http://www.mff.org/mmc/madmath_25.pdf
http://www.dadsworksheets.com/v1/Worksheets/Subtraction.html
http://www.dadsworksheets.com/v1/Worksheets/Multiplication.html
http://www.superteacherworksheets.com/math-drills-minute.html
http://www.softersoftware.com/math/
http://www.webmathminute.com/online.asp (both)
Internet Ones:
http://www.oswego.org/ocsd-web/games/Mathmagician/cathymath.html (personal favorite)
http://www.softschools.com/math/games/mad_minute_math/
http://www.mrsbogucki.com/aemes/resource/apps/madmath/madmath.htm
Happy Mathing,
Dr. Nicki
I absolutely agree with you on the fluency building with mad minutes or some sort of timed facts quiz. IT WORKS!! Students actually like getting better at their facts. Thanks for the suggestions about scaffolding the facts. There should be consistency when planning for fact fluency success. The hard work will pay off in the middle grades, when students are thinking about more difficult mathematics.
Lisa
January 31, 2011