Multiplication Madness

After discovering I was moving up two grades I thought I might want to look into some of the things I need to be prepared to teach. One of those "big ideas" is multiplication and division. After doing some exploring and receiving some direction here is what I have found.

XtraMath - I used it with my second graders last year and they loved it. It is free, fun, and extremely helpful to a teacher who would rather not grade 20+ timed tests. All you need to do is sign up for a teacher account, input your children's names, and assign a grade level for them. Easy peazy. XtraMath tracks how each student is doing and sends you a detailed report every week. These reports are great to share at parent teacher conferences. Your students can even practice at home with a computer with internet access.

TimezAttack - Something I am still exploring. It has great graphics, smart AI, and it is fun. It's also free! The part I love is the kids do not realize how much they are learning. And it has a pre-test and a post-test. See if your school or district is already a part of this great game.

Arcademic Skills  - A fun website that has fun arcade games for different math subjects. My favorite has to be the Grand Prix Multiplication. You create a name and then race against 3 other players. If you have more than one computer in your room your students can race against each other. They have great games for division, money, decimals, and more. Check it out and play some of the games. I know I did. :)

Bored of the same old thing? Want more fun options your students can play in class? Head to multiplication.com for loads of interactive games. There are games about ice cream, fish, diapers, dinosaurs, penguins, and more. I played the Farm Freak Out and herded sheep, pigs, and chicken all while practicing my mad multiplication skills.

Yes, one can herd chickens. 

Fun4TheBrain.com has another list of interactive games (not all math related). Under the tab for multiplication, you move your murb character  (little monster) around town and click on items in the buildings to start the game that is perfect for your skill level.

Want to focus on the standards more? IXL has a website dedicated to math standards for each grade. (However, there is a daily practice limit and I'm just not sure I can afford a $200 subscription for my class.)

Not enough computers to go around? Look for some fun game ideas that don't involve a computer right here. Try Around the World, What's Your Number, Break My Eggs, and more great ideas.