Flurries of Fact Fluency!

The kids love this activity and it's a fun way for us to build our mental math strategies.  I give each kid 2-3 sheets which we crumple into "snowballs".  Then we go over reminders about careful and safe run for our snowball fight.  Then the fun begins the kids start tossing their snowballs around the room.  Everyone tries to catch a snowball or find one that's fallen and then un-crumbles it and solves the problem as quick as they can. They record each problem on their snowman and "build their snowman" one problem at a time. I usually copy the snowman front and back.For the next 30 min we have our own little snowstorm of mental math facts.  The kids have a ball :) and get great practice on their fact fluency!

+/- Snowball problems no regrouping
+/- Snowball problems with regrouping
Snowman recording Sheet

"Snow"body like you!

I had one of those days yesterday,  when the kids make me question my career choice.  SO, I sat down after school  began looking for that bright spot in the day.  I started a list and wrote one thing I liked about each kid. The thing about that makes me smile, laugh and cherish each one.  What perfect therapy! By the end, I felt better ...much better.  After listening to me grouch, I thought the kids should get a chance to be reminded why they're special to me.  I die cut snowmen and wrote out a message for each kid.  When they walked in, their snowmen were waiting for them and the kids love the gesture. We all got the day started on a happier note and had a much better day today!