Math Enrichment Ideas Grades K-5

  1. Refer to suggestions in the Unit Organizer on the Meeting Individual Needs page.
  2. Use the suggestions that are provided in each lesson labeled Adjusting the Activity and Enrichment. Use the modifications and enrichments suggested in The Teacher’s Guide to Games for grade level games.
  3. Use variations of games to make the concepts studied more complex. Incorporate the use of Games “Back-Packs”: create envelopes for sign-out over-night (“Back-Packs”), containing the game directions, materials, and copies of consumable game mats. You may also provide a letter to parents, asking them to sign-off, verifying that the game was played...
  4. Teacher-as-a-station on “Games-Day”: During a scheduled “Games-Day,” or during the normal “Part 2” of any lesson, have students rotate through several stations (a series of math games, explorations, computer software practice...), with the teacher as one of the stations. In this way, you can work with everyone in small groups, providing more time for extension and enrichment
  5. Ask students to write detailed reflections stressing representations
  6. Add more difficult/complex problems to the Math Boxes
  7. Provide blank math box and template routines for them to devise their own and exchange with other children.
  8. Ask more open-ended questions
  9. Allow students to explain their own thinking (possibly in writing)
  10. Ask students to defend their answers both orally and in writing
  11. Consider grouping by ability for some tasks
  12. Connect mathematics to other disciplines through the use of projects
  13. Develop additional projects that apply mathematical skills
  14. Adult “volunteer” program: Some retired adults in your community are eager to be useful/helpful...
  15. Encourage students to write an ABC book of math terminology that they illustrate or another math book on a topic modeled after the M&M Book or the Domino Book or the Jerry PaHotta books
  16. Use the computer and Internet to log onto challenging math sites and or research math concepts.
  17. Consider e mail pen pals with another school or district doing EM, let these kids exchange number stories or problems for one another to solve.
  18. Have children write math number stories as challenges for one another with lift the flap answers. Combine to make a class book.
  19. Use “Today’s Target Number” activity on the appropriate level.