1. Problem solving and critical thinking
At mbes

2. Why do a warm-up in math? The start of a lesson is the most important part of the lesson The teacher that starts a lesson by sparking the student’s interest It exposes students to the key grade level concepts 5-10 times (or more) during the course of the school year. 

3. Show me the number Kindergarten example: number of feet we have Add 3
First grade example:
the number of sides on a square
Add 2
Minus 3
Second grade example:
the number of days in a week
Double the number
Add 5

4. Show me the number Third Grade example 6 rows of 7 Add 8 Divide by 5
Fourth Grade Example
Number of feet in a yard
What is 4 times larger than that
Add the number of nickels in a quarter
Subtract 10
Fifth Grade Example
How many minutes are between 11:02 and 11:15
Add the number of letters in the English alphabet
Subtract 9
Divide by the number of doors in our room

5. More K-2 warmups Today’s Number Is… (K-5)
Select a number that is in the range of numbers studied at your grade level. Put “Today’s Number is 36” in the middle of the board. Then do a “word splash” format around the number, with anything and everything the students can connect to that number. Help guide them at first, then when this warm up is done in the future they will have the idea of the kinds of things to say. You record what they say on the board or on chart paper.
Put the number on the number line with benchmarks above and below
Draw the number as three rows of 12, etc.
“36 people at a party”—a way of getting at what 36 means in the real world (It wouldn’t be “I ate 36 brownies in one day.”)
Different ways to expand the number: 3 tens, 6 ones; 2 tens, 16 ones (etc.)
Ways to add, subtract, multiply, and divide and end up with 36 as the answer
A simple word problem with 36 as the answer
Word form

6. K-2 warmups Ways to Make a Number (K-5)
This is just like “today’s number is,” but focuses on decomposing the number (breaking it down) in a variety of ways. So it might be “Ways to Make 719.” Students are offered the challenge to do this in lots of different ways! You record them on the board or chart paper.
Which One Doesn’t Belong? (K-5)
Have some key math vocabulary visible to students. This can be on anchor charts, on a word wall, on a document displayed on the interactive white boards, or written on the board for this purpose. Either the teacher or a student selects four words, three of which they think are pretty closely related and one which is not. The person who responds must name the one that doesn’t belong, and why. Discuss if they don’t have the same “odd word out” as the original student who chose the words.

7. K-2 warmups Mental Math: Number Board (K-3)
Give students a 20’s chart, 100’s chart, 120’s chart, or a 1000’s chart. Give each child a single colored disc. Tell them where to place the marker to begin with. Then provide them with a series of “more than, less than, add to, subtract from” problems that they can work with a see-through colored disk on the board. Tell them where they should have ended up.
Thumbs up Thumbs down
Start by telling the students what the are counting by (1s,2s,10s, etc.). Give them a number to start at. They must watch the teacher’s signal to know if they are counting forward (thumbs up) or backwards (thumbs down). Hands flat out gives a signal the direction is changing or to stop.

8. 3-5 grade warmups Create a Context
Put up a problem at the appropriate level for your students. For example, it might be = 21 or x 32 = 1,956.8.
Students have to generate a real life context that would match those numbers. For instance, “I got 3 bucket fillers in August, 6 in September, and 12 in November, for a total of 21 bucket fillers.” Or “I played my favorite video game 16 and 15 hundredths times every single day for 32 days. At that point I had played the game 1,956.8 times in all.”

9. 3-5 grade warmups Mental Math: 0-9 Digits (2-5)
Give each student a baggie with the digits 0-9 in them. For older students, add two decimal points. Call out a series of problems.
As much as possible, include a variety of words that represent math in various contexts and in real life. Students put the digits down to make the answer. For instance, if the first problem is, “One more than three dozen,” they would take the 3 card and the 7 card and put them together to make 37.
Then the next problem might be 6 tenths more than four tenths, so the answer is 1. They would put the 1 card under the 7 card to line up the places. They continue until all the digit cards 0-9 are used up exactly once. (You have to have these problems developed in advance. You can’t wing it and expect to quickly use up all digits from one to nine exactly.) Then review each of the answers to make sure everyone understands.

10. 3-5 grade warmups Reasoning About Reasonableness (K-5)
Put up a problem. Explain that another child worked this problem and got Then ask students to justify if that answer is reasonable or not.
An alternate is to give 6 or so possible answers and have students decide which of those are reasonable or not.
The point is NOT to solve these problems exactly, but to determine the reasonableness of answers using mathematical thinking, then explain that thinking to others.

11. BreakOut Boxes

12. What are BreakOut boxes?
Breakout EDU is an immersive games platform for learners of all ages. In Breakout EDU games, players work collaboratively to solve a series of critical thinking puzzles in order to open a locked box. Each Breakout EDU kit can be used to play hundreds of games.

14. How do I find a game for my class?
Games are available for all subject areas and specials.
Go to
Games password: showyourwork

15. Spiral Review

16. What is Spiral Review?
takes place when skills that have been previously introduced and taught resurface regularly throughout the school year
an opportunity for students to revisit and interact with concepts so they remain proficient in the foundational skills needed for higher level work

17. Why Do Spiral Review Throughout the School Year?
provides students with a chance to strengthen areas they might not have completely mastered
enables teachers to see where each student is currently performing so that instruction can be planned accordingly to best meet the individual needs of their learners
it greatly reduces the amount of class time that is used for test prep each spring
daily practice helps students sharpen their skills.
provides a daily opportunity to see where students are still struggling

18. Examples of Review POW Constructed Response Math Minute/Jump Starts
Remember This? (cumulative quiz)

20. What is Coding? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THOEQ5soVpY

22. What could I implement NOW to start my students coding?
Games to purchase or play online