It's the season for mittens!  What could be more inviting and fun than matching up mittens while learning math facts?  Problem solving and engaging activities are all here in the 
Mitten Match-Up game.

I wanted to create something that I could use with my First Graders to build fast and familiar recall of those Addition and Subtraction facts to 10 and 20.  After I copied the various pages on colored paper of my choosing, I cut them out and laminated them for years of mileage.  It's a lot of work to prep some things, so I made sure to  do it well so it would last being shared among many small hands.

The idea is simple.  Sort the various addition and subtraction equations to their matching mittens.  

The Mitten Match-up Game.  Complete with mittens to sort and printables for accountability.

There are many mittens with subtraction facts.  They include subtraction facts to 10 and 20, but you could even divide them up for facts up to 5 or 12 if that was the stage your students needed.  I actually did divide the equation mittens up based on need and understanding so that everyone could be participating in this activity in a way that was appropriate for their needs.  
Some kids got facts to 5 and only mittens that were equal to 3 and 4 (as an example), while others sorted out mittens with facts to 12, but maybe specifically only 9, 10, 11 and 12.   So many options!

Mitten Subtraction Equation Fact Pages

Here is an example of the mittens with addition facts.  Again, these are done through 10 and 20, so they could be sorted and used for children who need to work on particular addition facts.

Mitten Addition Equation Fact Pages

Here are the larger mittens with the answers on them.  The smaller mittens with the equations match up with one of these.  Mittens with 0-20 are included in the set.

These are the Match-up mittens to use when sorting.
Students match an addition or subtraction fact to the appropriate larger sized mitten.

Recording pages are made that match up with all equation mittens and help with accountability.

Mitten Match-up Recording Pages

Here is a blank Match-up mitten fact page which enables teachers to differentiate the task for their students.

Blank Mitten Match-up page for differentiation.

 While it's important for children to start to have immediate recall of all those facts, it equally important for them to begin to understand the relationship between and adding and subtracting. So if you're working on fact families, like I am, you might like these. We've been using them not only for sorting, but when solving story problems.  

I did have to copy these onto a color I wanted as well, and cut them out and laminate them, but I know the time I invested will be well worth it in the coming years.

I haven't given all of the sets to all of my kids.  Instead, I've given four Fact Families and their matching addition and subtraction sentence to a small group of children and had them sort them out and record their findings.  This is one activity that keeps them engaged and has been helping them make those beginning connections to adding and subtracting numbers and how they relate to one another when solving specific equations.

Fact Family mittens with equations.

Recording page for Fact Family Mitten Sort.

One other great feature to these mittens, is that they can be used for many months.  I've only just started using them in my classroom, but I know that they will have a purpose for the next few month of winter.

If you like this product, see it HERE, or visit my TpT Store, FirstLittleLessons, for lots of other great games and printables.

I hope it's warm where you are. Please send sunshine our way in cold and snowy Michigan!

Stay Warm!

A Sprinkle of Winter

I've been finding my way through the twisting, winding road that is Tpt as well as the world of creating things.  I'm enjoying it....most of the time.  It's difficult when you don't have anyone to turn to when you're trying to figure out how things work, but I'm getting there. 

The good news for anyone reading this, is that I keep having ideas of things I'd like to do and make for the kids in my own classroom and have been trying them out and am sharing with you!  I get a lot of feedback from those little people I spend my days with, and it's almost always positive!  Win-Win!

I've been piloting a great Math program this year in my room, but still like to give my First Graders varying experiences in math while having those experiences be meaningful at the same time.
This is the time of year when everyone is enjoying the middle of winter but needs to have a pick me up since we're all stuck inside so often.  My Winter Workout packet of printables is not only fun, but engaging and differentiated.   That's something to smile about!      

Check out this great Winter themed packet of print and go pages.
It's full of varying stages of development so you can differentiate with
ease.  Check it out in my TPT store HERE!

Several pages include sorting facts that equal a particular number. The numbers get progressively higher so you have options over several days.  And the kids love this because they're already excited about winter and the cold snow!

Sort the equation pages encourage children to use varying strategies to
solve the equation and then sort into appropriate columns.
There are several printable pages to choose from.

Now, if you're class is like most, you've got little ones with varying abilities in all curricular areas.  Math is the same.  I've got kids who need to sort equations to 5 and kids who can sort equations in the hundreds!  It's amazing to say the least.  This packet includes several pages like this one.  The child has to figure out how to sort the equations and then be able to explain her thinking.  This might be perfect for a few of the kids in your class and certainly something all of the kids in all of our classes should be working toward.

How are these equations the same or different?
Students have to solve and make decisions and then explain their thinking.

This next printable takes some thinking on the part of the child.  They are presented with two numbers and need to make equations that will correctly equal either number. Then, they cut and glue their snowball in the appropriate place.  For some, this will become an successful and independent activity, but others will gain confidence the more they practice this concept.  

You've got the answer!  Now create equations that are true and match the answers.
 Solve, sort and glue.

I know that each morning in my classroom, we're solving a number story.  We're constantly checking our answer to be sure it's correct.  Children need to be able to determine if an equation is true or false.  In this case, they need to determine if the equation on the mitten is equal to the number on the penguins tummy or not and color the mitten orange or blue, accordingly.  They love this!  Several of my kids got out double ten frame boards and unifix cubes to solve each equation while other counted on or back in their minds.  It's fun to see their varying stages of understanding progress.

Solve and determine if the equations match the number on the penguins tummy.

We haven't enjoyed outside recess in a week.  Afternoons can feel long.  These are great options to give your kids to make the long, cold winter engaging and fun.

Visit my Tpt Store, FirstLittleLessons, to see this and other fun-filled products to help you put a little sparkle in these long winter days!

Visit FirstLittleLessons here.