We are all crunched for time these days. Even as a tutor, I wanted some materials that I could throw together at a moments notice when I saw a skill that my student needed help with now. I created these awesome things called 3-5 Common Core Aligned Playing Card Math Mats (say that 5 times!). The title though tells us exactly what it is!
Every math mat has been aligned with the Common Core and it's easy to see which standard has been met. Let's look at the anatomy of a math mat.
In the upper right hand corner, you'll see an oval with the Common Core Standard written inside. At the top we have clearly written directions for the student. Over to the left in a banner is the skill that is being worked on. The rectangles in the center are used to write inside of or place cards in (if there is enough room).
I like to have mine printed out and slid into a sheet protector so I can use them again and again. All that would be needed to throw together this center or station is a deck of cards, a dry erase marker, and the playing card math mats. Many teachers use them for early finisher students too, differentiation activities, and test prep games.
My students really enjoy using these math mats. They are fun and less intimidating than a page full of math problems. I love watching them cruise through the practice and they feel much more confident with the skill after they are done.
You can view the entire product (66 pages) before you purchase it over at Teachers Pay Teachers. These are a deal at $8.00. There also is just grade 3 available. I think they are awesome, but don't take my word for it, read the comments in the ratings section.
Adrianne is the author of The Tutor House.
