A couple years ago I started to use the TouchMath program to help teach my students how to add and subtract. I must say I LOVE TouchMath! It has made a HUGE difference with my student’s math fact fluency. I no longer have students adding and subtracting with their fingers! Once my students get the hang of adding and subtracting using TouchMath, I have them start working on their fact fluency. I want them to be able to recall their facts quickly, accurately, and effortlessly without having to use the dots anymore. This year I made printable addition and subtraction flashcards for my students to practice their math facts with. They have the dots on them in case they need them, but their goal is to work towards knowing their facts without having to use them. I give each one of my students their own set of flashcards after we learn the + or – fact. I run each + or – fact on a different color paper. The students continue to add to their flashcards as we learn more + or - facts. The flashcards are a perfect activity for the students to do when they finish their work early and/or have some free time during class. The flashcards even have the answers on the back, so the students can check their answer quickly as they are practicing. As the students practice their flashcards they can separate their cards into two piles: “Facts I Know” and “Facts I Need to Learn.” I also send a copy of the flashcards home with my students as homework. I have a letter that I send home with the flashcards explaining to parents what math fact fluency is, why it’s important, and how they can help their child at home. Not only do I send home the flashcards, but I also provide a handout with other ideas on how they can help their child practice at home. During math center time my students also practice their fact fluency. One out of my eight math centers always has an activity that practices fact fluency. One of the activities I place at this center is of course flashcards! My students love to make up games and challenges using the flashcards. Their favorite is to race to see who can solve the problem first. The person who solves the problem the fastest gets the card. They love seeing how many cards they can get. I also like to change up the flashcards. I have a set with the math problem written vertically and a set with the math problem written horizontally. Click HERE to download my Addition Flashcards with Touch Points from my TpT Store! Click HERE to download my Subtraction Flashcards with Touch Points from my TpT Store! *********************************************** For a whole-group activity I have "digital" flashcards we go through that I pull up in PowerPoint and display on my Smartboard. This is a great student-led activity! Need to get something done real quick in your classroom or talk to another teacher? This activity keeps your students busy and learning during that time! Simply pick a student helper to click through each slide while the class answers each problem! You can use these digital flashcards many ways in your classroom! Use as part of your math lesson, as whole group practice, at a math center, during computer lab time, etc. Here is a look at what the slides look like... Each math problem is written vertically and horizontally. When you click "Enter" in PowerPoint the answers appear in red so the students can easily check their answers! Not only do I have the digital flashcards in addition, but subtraction too! To shuffle your flashcards, simply just move the slides around in PowerPoint! Click HERE to download my Digital Addition Flashcards with Touch Points from my TpT Store! Click HERE to download my Digital Subtraction Flashcards with Touch Points from my TpT Store!
