Maths Tool Box

As a Learning Support Teacher I regularly teach maths intervention groups. Here are my must haves to support learning in a concrete and fun way.

Cuisennaire rods

These coloured blocks are a great support for students in developing their number sense. Read my blog here about how they work.

Cuisenaire rods - TracyAshbridge.com

Numicon

These work in a similar way to Cuisenaire rods. I really like that they work using the ten-frame visual support. They are a great support for teaching odd and even number too.

6 and 10 sided dice plus blank dice

These are a must have in my maths tool box. I use these for many games. You can use for simple addition and subtraction. With the 10 sided dice I often use to practice a multiplication table - how many can you get correct in a minute or use for bingo.

Blank dice are good for adding in other options - add 1 or 10, subtraction of small numbers etc.

Arrow cards

Arrow cards are a fantastic way to teach place value. You can start with the single number and the tens cards to make teen numbers and add more as you progress. I also use these for adding and subtracting using place value e.g. 23-20

Number tracks 1-20 - horizontal and vertical

Number tracks come developmentally before number lines. With a number track there is a concrete space to land on, this is much less abstract than a number line. Often students are moved onto a number line too soon. If you are teaching 3+2 on a number track it is more natural to get to 5 than on a number line as you are actually on the number 3 to count on from. so you can see 3 spaces and 2 spaces make 5. This is much more abstract on a number line. Don't forget to work horizontally and vertically.

2 sided counters

I love using 2 sided counters for 2 people games. You never run out of the right colour. I also like to use these for 4 in a row type games - when there is no option where to go, you can find the number you need under your opponents counters and turn it over.

Pack of playing cards

I use these in so many ways. Often I remove the picture cards. You can add, subtract and multiply cards. I like to pick a timetable e.g. 9x: how many cards can you multiply by that number in 1 minute the can you beat that - 20 in 1 minute is a good starting goal.

Bead strings

A great concrete way of counting, the beads stay where they are supposed to be and don't move around. I like bead strings in 10,s 5's and 2's for counting practice. Slide them along as you count. With strings to 10 and 20 you can also use these for pairs to 10 and pairs to 20 - these work best if grouped in 5's.

Shut the box

Shut the box can be used in many ways for number practice. My favourite version currently is to roll a 10 sided dice plus a dice numbered +1, +2, -1, -2 (plus 1 and minus 1 is there twice). Students roll both dice - they an choose to take the main number or they can combine the 2 dice. For example if they roll an 8 and +2 - they could shut the box on 8 or 2. This is good for building number sense and strategy.

I have also used it with a 10 or 12 sided dice for multiplication practice - just pick a multipication table to work on.

Sometimes at the end, when everyone only needs 1 more to shut the box - I add a rule that anyone can play on anyone's number, not just their own turn.

Go fish, snap, memory game, stealing game

With the right set of cards you can play all these games from the one deck which means lots of practice for minimal teacher preparation. Many of the activities in Mathtastic Level 3 are based on these games.

I have made videos of how to play each one. The stealing game is my favourite.

My favourite, the stealing game - collect the whole set of a particular card by stealing!