The Teacher's Corner
Puzzles and Activities
Self-Checking Math Fact Cards
Grades: Kindergarten to 2nd Grade
Summary: This is a fun and easy project for younger students.
You will need:
coloring books with simple pictures
tongue depressors
shoe laces
contact cement
laminating machine or maybe clear contact paper
pen
tagboard
colors or markers
Directions:
1.Get coloring books with large simple pictures....no details....examples would be a fish, a frog, an ice cream cone, an apple, etc...
2. Using the photo as a stencil or as a guide ... duplicate the image on slightly heavier tagboard and cut it out.
3. Using a hole punch ..punch a hole every inch or two around the perimeter of the card.
4. Next to each hole, write a numeral.
5. Turn the shape (card) over and on the back side of each hole, write the answer to the problem at the corresponding hole on the front of the card.
6. You may wish to laminate the card.
7. Attach a tongue depressor to the base of the card (thus creating a small place card) using contact cement.
8. Attach one end of a shoelace at the back of the card in the same place as the tongue depressor.
9. On the tongue depressor write a function and a numeral.......example: +4 or -3
10. Using the shoe lace, poke it into one of the holes with a numeral next to it...example: 8
11. The function is noted on the tongue depressor (you wrote it there) as +4 so you will add 4 to the number 8 and apply the mental math computation to determine the answer.
12. Turning the card on the back, it will show you right away if your answer is correct...if in fact the number on the back side of the hole marked on the front as #8 should be the #12. Thus, 8+4=12
13. The student continues to approach each problem and find the solution or learn as he goes along. Self checking affords him the opportunity to evaluate his progress, develop self esteem and reinforce the skills.
