Mental Math Strategies!

3:00 AM


Mental Math strategies build the foundation for Math-Minded student achievement!  Partner games provide a great opportunity for students to build on their mental math skills.  Here are some games/fluency building techniques I've used with my 2nd - 4th graders: 

Race to Make 10s:  Use the numbers only in a deck of playing cards, with ace equaling 1.  Turn cards face down.  As students flip over a card, partners race to determine the number needed to make a 10. 1st student to call the number, keeps the card.  Student with the most number of cards at the end of the game, wins.  Quiet version:  Students write answers on their white board.  Every student that has correct answer gets a tally mark.  Most number of tallies, wins!  (Example:  Student  turns over an 8.  First student to say 2 keeps the 8 card or gets a tally.) 

Double Trouble: This game is played much like Race to Make 10s.  In this version, students race to determine the double of the number card flipped over.  

Hop on over to Spivey Sparks Resources to grab these Sum 100 Freebies to use with your students! 


Sum 100 Top It:  Place all cards face down.  Each player uses a different color marker/crayon.  On your turn, flip over a card.  The first person to say the addend needed to make 100 colors in that square.  The person with the most colored squares on the chart, wins!

Sum 100 BINGO:  Students will work individually to determine the addend needed to make 100.  If they have that number on their card, they will use a BINGO marker to cover that space.  Play continues until a player has 5 in a row or until the entire board is covered. 

Sum 100 Memory: Students will search to match number pairs that equal 100.  


Addition & Subtraction Fast Facts:  Learning Fast Facts is easier with these leveled quizzes.  They begin with students focusing on doubles, doubles +/- 1, then move into the facts.  Students build stamina as they increase the number of facts answered in a specified time. 

Multiplication & Division Fast Facts: These leveled quizzes focus on learning Facts 1-5, then 5-12, before building stamina as they build stamina as they increase the number of facts answered in a specified time. 


What are some of your favorite mental math games and strategies?  I'd love to continue this conversation!

Stephanie @ Spivey Sparks 

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by Stephanie @ Spivey Sparks

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