I love using math centers and different math activities for my learners in the classroom, but holding the interest of all students in the primary classroom can be really challenging. One way I solve the problem of student engagement is by using math mats. Start to engage your learners with math maths that focus on various skills and can be used to differentiate instruction all year long, and you will be hooked. Here are some ways to use Math Mats this year!
Reuse mats all year.
The Math Mats growing bundle works best when you print out the full page (or two to a page) sheets and put them in dry erase pockets. Your students can use manipulatives and write on the sheets with dry erase markers to practice skills. Then, throughout the year, additional sheets will be added to practice skills. Print off the mats once, get your manipulatives ready, and then you have a no-prep math activity to use from August until June!
Build basic skills using centers.
These easy to follow activities can help your students with different math skills. There are 20 Number Sense Mats. Terms like “less or more”, “greater or smaller”, and “quantities” will reinforce the math vocabulary you use during instruction. For some of your students, number sense may come easy and they can quickly move on to other mats. Building base ten skills with the 15 developing math mats will help to reinforce two-digit numbers. Working with tens and ones through place value will help your students start to develop basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division skills. Addition and subtraction mats are also part of the Math Mats growing bundle!
Teach and reinforce new skills.
One thing I love about using the the mats is that new skill mats are introduced throughout the year! In addition to the skills I already mentioned, your students will have access to mats that help them practice multiple skills. Your students will learn about:
- telling time
- Geometry
- fractions
- measurement
- balancing equations
Math Mats are perfect for reinforcing new concepts throughout the year.
Differentiate instruction.
Your primary students learn at different rates. While one student may still struggle with number sense, another student may be ready to practice Geometry skills. The Math Mats give your students a chance to learn where they are. If you have data from progress monitoring or state assessments and are looking for activities to work well with the strands your students need to work on, Math Mats are the perfect choice!
The growing bundle includes multiple maths so your students can practice skills again and again. More mats are added each month!
- 20 Number Sense Mats
- 15 Developing Base Ten Mats
- 10 Graphing and Data Mats
- 16 Addition Mats
Use these various math mats to help differentiate instruction within math centers, for early finishers, or for interventions.
Math Mats are one of my favorite ways to engage students in the primary classroom. With the Math Mats growing bundle, your students will use physical manipulatives, be introduced to various skills with growing difficulty throughout the school year, and have a whole lot of independent fun. There are 80 pages that will be included in this bundle. Your students will never run out of math activities to practice with Math Mats!
