Ninja Multiplication: Recalling math facts

Ninja Multiplication

I was having a hard time thinking about ways to practice basic multiplication facts that would be interesting for my students. I came upon something on the internet that caught my attention. The idea is to set up different colored belts for each multiplication fact. I created a chart to display in the classroom that shows each student name and each belt they can achieve. I would change the order of the facts for next year, but this is what I tried this year. 

To advance to the next fact, they need to be able to recall the facts at a reasonable rate. Students seem to be very engaged and have been working hard to advance to the next belt level. 

After they have mastered all the black belts, students will be given a black, cloth belt to wear on their heads during math class to reward them for their hard work and to show the other students that they are the classroom genius for this content.  :) 

The Science of Happiness

I came across this feel-good video this weekend while I was procrastinating on Twitter and I thought I would share it. 

        

Prodigy Math Game

If you are looking for a fun math game to use with your students that is engaging, but actually requires them to solve math problems, look no further than prodigygame.com

This awesome online platform aligns with the ideas of game based learning. You create a class, and then students create a wizard avatar. Through solving math problems, they build up their avatar's skills and talents as they play the game. 

Cool features of this site include:

• You choose the grade level of your class
• The problems require students to use mental math and problem solving skills
• You can create assignments that line up with certain topics and you can differentiate the level by individual student. When you create an assignment, it pauses the natural flow of the game and gets the students to do those questions
• It collects assessment data on how the students do on the assignment questions 

I would say that the game could be played for sure down to grade three, but possibly even at the grade 2 level. Check it out! My students LOVED it!!