Halloween Math Ideas, A FREEBIE and Looking Ahead to Thanksgiving

We are right in the middle of Halloween in our room.  I can't believe that it is coming NEXT WEEK!!!  Today in one of my math centers, I had the kids make a ghost.  In our math journals we have been practicing ....the answer is....  This is when I give students an answer and they come up with what the equation could be.  Today they came up with their own answer and then listed 10 equations and wrote them on this cute ghost.

 

Another fun center that I think turned out super cute is this spider sorting activity.  Students put the spider webs in front of them and then sort the spider onto the correct web. 

 

The webs are numbered 1-100, 101-200, and so on up to 500.  Students have to decide where the spiders go.  Some students used their numbers to 1000 book if they needed help.   This game is included in my October Literacy and Math Centers.  You can find it in my TPT store by clicking

HERE!

Another math activity that I pulled out this week is the Race to 1000 game.  Today in math we started a new unit on Addition Strategies. Click here to see the addition strategies unit.  Today we learned to use the 100's board to solve addition problems.  I wanted the kids to practice this in centers so I brought out the Race to 1000 game.  Students had 2 number cubes.  They rolled the cubes, made a 2 digit number and then moved down for the tens and across for the ones.  For example, 52 means I move down 5 rows and to the right 2 boxes.  Here is a look at the game.  You can make one by copying 100's boards to 1000 and tape them together.  Laminate for durability.  Give the kids a clear bingo marker and 2 dice or number cubes and you are ready to go.  The first one to 1000 is the winner.

 

I highlighted the 100's just to give kids a reference point.  I had to tape the ends down because I store these rolled up since they are so long so they won't stay flat!  The kids love seeing all of the numbers to 1000.  This is a great game for the entire year.  I don't think you can get enough practice using numbers to 1000.  After I teach subtraction using the 100's board, students will play again and start at 1000 and subtract to race to 1.  You could also use this with counting coins, word problems, base 10 blocks, and on and on.  It's an easy go to game.

Last week we wrote our Halloween stories.  We have been working on narratives.  I had students write a story about a time they went trick-or-treating.  They copied their story onto this cute Halloween paper and then made a Halloween craft to go with their writing.  This is how they turned out.

These are the patterns they had to choose from.  They are in my tpt store as well.  Click

HERE to see them.

 

 

If you want a free copy of the writing paper, click HERE FOR THE FREEBIE!!!

 

 

So my head is spinning now.  BUT I'm looking ahead to November...because it is coming next week. If you are going to all of the trouble to put something in the hall, you need to get it finished so it can stay up a couple of weeks!! :)  So I've already made the patterns for Pilgrims and Indians.  Here is how they turned out.

 

 

You can see them in my store as well.  Click here.

I hope you found some helpful ideas today!  Leave me some feedback and let me know what you think!

Sharon