More game boards! I’ve decided you can’t ever have too many blank game boards in your classroom to use with review games (click here to read about some of my favorites). This one’s Thanksgiving themed, and would be perfect to use with math facts, spelling words, etc. They’re actually really simple to use: for example, hand 2 kids a game board (it’s best if you laminate them first) and a die. Kids can roll the die and earn that many spaces if they get a math fact right (just hand them a stack of flash cards) or if they correctly spell a word on their weekly spelling list. Enjoy!
Click here for the free printable PDF: Thanksgiving Game board 1
Here are some printable math flash cards that I made using the Microsoft Word 2013 templates. (Can you tell I’m a big fan of the new Office suite!?)
I love this math activity. It’s genius on so many levels! This would help students with addition and subtraction, but also to teach “the 9’s trick” with multiplication! It would be a great introductory/review activity at the beginning of the year, especially to have each student trace their own hands and make one of these themselves. (
When I first heard about this article, I was amazed. What? Not teach kids to memorize basic math facts like the teacher did when I was a kid?! With the timed tests and everything? This article, “Strategies for Basic-Facts Instruction” by Andrew M. Isaacs and William M. Carroll, is an excellent article that discusses what teachers really need to be focusing on when teaching math facts. What really makes learning math facts effective? The author argues that rote memorization is much less effective in teaching mathematics, and why a strategy-based approach should be used. Isaacs and Carroll conclude that “a strategies-based approach {to teaching math facts} builds students’ understanding and confidence. De-emphasizing rote memorization encourages students to use their common sense in mathematics, thus supporting concept development.”
Squarehead Teachers 
