Warm it Up {More Guided Math}

Welcome to the third installment of this Guided Math Book Study.

First time here? Well, click {HERE} to see last week's post about creating a numeracy rich classroom and click {HERE} for more information on this book we are reading.

This chapter was all about using math warm ups... and math stretches in class.

Just like with exercising, a stretch is designed to get those brains working and moving and ready to go. They also encourage problem solving and working together.

There were so many great ideas of stretches that can be used I can't share them all... and really I don't want my blog post to read like a book....

So instead I am brining you one math stretch that I use to kick off my new school year.

For the first 26 days of school we create a daily graph. Does your name have a _____ ? Insert each of the 26 letters of the alphabet on each line.

This is the perfect start up to kinder... and you know what, it could work in first grade too. Yes, first graders may already recognize their own name, but this would help them to learn each other's names.


Plus... there's more {it is like I am selling you an As Seen on TV special!}

1. It gets them in the routine of doing a math warm up
2. It is a great introduction to graphs and counting
2. It helps them recognize their name
3. It helps them recognize the names of others
{I realize only half of my reasons are math related... but isn't it great to get two for the price of one!}

Students should come into the classroom and put their belongings away and then grab their name and do the math stretch.

That is another reason this is so great for September - it is so predictable. They know what will be asked of them the next day. You can grab the graph you see in the pictures by clicking on the words below:

Quick tip if you set your graph up like mine: I laminate the "a" and "an" back to back:

That way when I need to ask "Do you have an o in your name?" I just flip it around and don't have to change another piece... just the letter.


Some teachers do a Yes/No question every single day ALL year long. I don't. It can be an effective way to unofficially take attendance.

After this 26 day affair we change it up a bit with some of the other stretches..... read this Guided Math book or visit others in our linky for more math stretch ideas.

Later in the year I do other yes/no questions like this one:

I make cards with their picture and they sign their name. They love these cards and I make them using the pictures that we get for free from picture day. If you don't get those stickers it is easy to make them on regular labels just take extreme close ups of each little one.

So that is my math stretch for today... one of the rules of math stretches is that they are supposed to be short and effective... I am hoping that is the vibe of this post.

But wait... you should enter this giveaway before you leave! And if you scroll down to my previous post from Tuesday you can enter to win a hardback copy of Mo Willems' book, "That is Not a Good Idea!"

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