What are Boom Cards?

So you have heard about Boom Learning Cards but you really don't know what Boom Cards are are or why you would want to use them. Would you like to know why they have quickly become one of my favorite tools to use in my classroom? Keep on reading to learn about my favorite features that Boom Cards offer and I think you will see exactly why I just can’t imagine teaching without them.

What Are Boom Cards?

Essentially, Boom Cards are digital, self-checking, interactive activities that you can use on any internet-connected device. They provide students with a “gamified” way to practice a skill that you are teaching or reviewing in class.   Boom Cards are hosted online, on the Boom Learning website. The Boom Learning website allows teachers to purchase and/or create digital activities for students.

 

The Top 7 Reasons Why I Love Using Boom Cards

1. They are Interactive

Boom cards are created using game features that students love.  My students will literally beg for time to use Boom.  They love earning coins and badges which can be used to “buy” new avatars.  Even the simple sound effect features are a hit with my students- they get so excited when they hear the “ding” sound meaning they have gotten the answer correct.

2. They are Self-checking

Students are shown one question at a time.  When students enter their answers, they get instant feedback. Similar to the “ding” sound they hear when they get an answer correct, they will hear a “whoops” sound if they are incorrect.  If a student gets a question wrong, they can try again and submit a new answer.  If they are really stuck, they can  "give up" the card, and they will be prompted to review the answer.

A quick tip:  When you click on the Action button on a deck in your library, you can create "Custom Play Settings."  These settings allow you to choose if you want students to see the correct answer after giving up a card, if you want them to be allowed to play a deck multiple times, and you can also adjust the number of cards from the deck you want them to see per play.  

These are great options to customize a deck to meet your students' needs.  *Students DO need an account for you to access these settings as they will not work with Fast Pins.

Custom Play Settings 

 

                                    3. They Allow for Differentiation

Many of the decks I make for my store are bundled to include several different options of activities for you to assign to your students.  This gives you the option to assign different decks to different students.  With this feature, you can provide a review for the students who need it or you can challenge those who are ready to move on.  

Most of my decks also include an AUDIO feature- students can easily have the text portion of each deck read to them by simply clicking on the audio button. The audio feature has been a real game-changer for many of my students. By having the option to include audio, you are really able to give those students who are struggling with reading or still working on learning English a chance to show their skills.

 

4. They are a Time Saver

Gone are the days of spending your prep time laminating, cutting, and making copies. Since Boom Cards are digital, there is literally zero prep work for you.  Not only are Boom Cards super easy to assign but they are also going to save you time with grading.

5. You get access to Instant Data

Have you ever been guilty of taking student work home to grade, just to bring it back the very next day ungraded? Yep! Me too. As I have mentioned, Boom cards are self-checking.  This means each card is automatically graded for you so you have access to instant data every time your students work on a deck that you have assigned them.  This instant data is INVALUABLE for helping you with planning, creating intervention groups, and assessing your students’ knowledge on a topic.  Please note to access data, you do need to upgrade from the free “starter” membership to the "basic" membership.  With the basic membership, you will get access to student data for up to 50 students for only $15 a year.

 

6. Kids love them

Boom decks are so much more interactive than a worksheet.  Students feel like they are playing a game, they don’t realize they are actually working hard to practice a skill.   I PROMISE, your students will love learning and practicing using Boom Cards! Check out this FREE Multiplication Deck to see for yourself.

7. You can use them in many different ways

Boom decks can be used for review, as a whole class activity, test prep, or assessment.  You have the option of assigning decks to be completed independently, as a whole class, or in small groups.  This flexibility is perfect for distance learning! I like to work on a deck together during a web meeting and then assign the deck for independent practice. Want to see how I use them to incorporate fact fluency? You can read about that here.

 

Are you ready to give Boom Cards a try?

Want to test out a set of Boom Cards? Grab my FREE set of Prime and Composite Numbers.

 

Looking for other math or language arts Boom Cards? You can find a wide range of topics for grades 2-4 here. I hope you will give them a try and see just how much BOTH you and your students can’t live without them!

 

How would you like to use Boom Cards with your students? I would love to share your ideas in the comments! :)

 

Boom Cards Making Fact Fluency Easy!

Multiplication fact fluency is a HUGE part of 3rd-grade math!  This is because math fact fluency is an ESSENTIAL building block to many math tasks. Third graders are usually expected to master all the facts within 100 with FLUENCY by the end of the school year.   If you are like I was, wondering how in the world you are going to have time to teach multiplication fluency in ADDITION to all the other math standards, let me share my favorite way to practice multiplication facts! 

Repetition is Boring!

We know that to get better at a skill, we need to practice.  Practice means repetition and repetition of multiplication facts can be soooo boring. Let's face it- kids lose interest very quickly in activities that bore them.  And this my friends, is the EXACT reason I decided to give Boom Cards a try in my classroom for building math fact fluency. 

Why are Boom Cards perfect for practicing fluency?

Boom Cards are digital, interactive task cards that students play on the Boom Learning website.  Not only are they highly engaging- students LOVE to hear the “ding” sound when they get an answer correct, they are also self-checking, which is perfect for building math fact fluency. The self-checking feature incorporated into Boom Cards is a game-changer! If a student enters an incorrect answer, they will hear a “whoops” sound and they must enter the correct answer before moving on. Students are no longer practicing the wrong answer!

To top it off, you are going to get instant access to your students' scores every time they practice a deck (a set of cards).  This means you are no longer spending your time grading fluency practice AND you can see where students are struggling which enables you to intervene and offer support quickly. This report shows you the accuracy rate, the time spent on each card, and the multiplication fact each student is struggling with. If you would like to read about more reasons why I love using Boom Cards, you can read about them here.

 

Example Report

How can my students get MEANINGFUL fluency done in under 10 minutes?

Let’s talk about how easy it is to incorporate Boom cards for fact fluency into your daily schedule. It truly only takes about 5-10 minutes of practice each day for you to see an increase in fluency.  The first step is determining when you would like to incorporate fact fluency in your math block.  Will it work best in your schedule as a bell ringer activity, after your daily lesson, as an exit ticket, or even as part of your math center time?

Once you have established when you want to incorporate fluency, you will want to make sure you have assigned each student a fact fluency deck to practice.  I always start by assigning the deck that includes the factor of  0.  Students are instantly “hooked” because they are successful with this deck.   

In my class, I challenge my students to finish each deck of 20 math equations in under 2 minutes.  If students need accommodations/modifications, this time limit is flexible.  Once a student has passed a deck with at least 18/20 correct responses (90% accuracy), they move on to the next fact.  If you do not like the idea of timing your students' fluency, no problem! Boom decks are not timed, and students can complete a deck an infinite number of times, at a pace that feels comfortable to them. 

I like to complete two to three rounds of fluency each day. The first round of fluency is like a warm-up for my students.  By the second round, students often complete more facts within the 2-minute time range.  Believe it or not, they BEG for a third round.  Crazy right? 

Once students are logged into their accounts, they find the fact they are working on.  I only assign the next fact fluency deck AFTER the student has mastered the deck that comes before.  For example, once a student shows mastery of the factors of 3, they are assigned the factors of 4.  I like to use an old fashioned sticker chart to help keep track of what fact each student is on.  Once students master a deck, they show me their score, and then go put a sticker on the sticker chart.  This is an additional motivator, students love to add a sticker to the chart.  

That is all there is to it my friends- pretty simple right?  Are you ready to get started?

Are you ready to try Boom Cards in your classroom?

Are you ready to get started? Check out this review deck FREEBIE!

You can find the whole set of fact fluency boom cards here. This set contains 17 decks full of multiplication fact fluency practice. It includes a deck for each multiplication factor 0-12 AND several review decks- which is over 400 boom cards for your students to use as review or practice.

I hope you get the chance to try Boom Cards and help your students build their fact fluency!! I'd love to hear how YOU practice fact fluency in your classroom- tell me about it in the comments! :)

 

9 Easy Strategies to Help Students Understand Multiplication

When it comes to teaching multiplication, the truth is, often times students struggle.   Introducing flash cards for each fact is just not enough to insure that students really understand the concept of multiplication.  Each child that enters our classrooms will have their own unique way of learning which is why it is so important that we are prepared to teach different strategies to solve a multiplication equation.

 Let's look at  some easy strategies (that require no prep for you) to help your students master the concept of multiplication.

TEACH ONE FACT AT A TIME

Where do you start?  Introducing all the facts at one time can make learning them all seem impossible.  Start with the basics- introduce the facts of 2 (2 x 0 through 2 x 12) and give students time to work on the strategies with just these facts.  Students have been skip counting by 2's for years usually by the time they are ready to learn multiplication, and you may be tempted to skip teaching this.  However, by starting with something familiar, you are setting your students up for success.  

REPEATED ADDITION

One of the easiest ways to begin teaching multiplication is to connect it to repeated addition.  Addition is an operation your students will already be familiar with, and it is the basic building block of multiplication.  It is helpful to have your students write out the multiplication fact along with the repeated addition fact it represents.  For example: 2 x 3 is the same as 2 + 2 + 2 or 3 + 3 for the inverse.

ARRAYS

After students practice with repeated addition, move on to teaching arrays.  Using arrays is a good way to model repeated addition as each row can be seen as an equal group of objects.  Using arrays not only provides a visual model of each multiplication fact, but it also builds on the concept of area.  Who doesn't love when you can teach two skills at once?

COMMUTATIVE PROPERTY

Just like addition, multiplication is commutative. This means the order of the factors in an equation doesn't change the answer (products).  Teach your students that if they know for example, the product of 7 x 8 is 56 then the product of 8 x 7 is also 56.

SKIP COUNTING

Skip counting is another way to show the patterns involved in multiplication.  Skip counting is a pretty easy skill to practice, and can be done orally or on a number line. When thinking about number sense, skip counting helps students see patterns within sets of numbers.  The more patterns they know or can make, the easier it is for them to make generalizations about how numbers work.  

PATTERNS ON A 100's CHART

Showing students the patterns made on a hundreds chart is another way to build number sense. When students use a 100's chart and shade in the multiples for each fact, they begin to see patterns within each fact.  For example, students may notice that all the factors of 2 end with a 0, 2, 4, 6 or 8.  Students can also see the relationships between 2 sets of facts.  For example, students might notice that all the factors of 9 are also factors of 3.  You can also tie in skip counting with the 100's chart.  Once students have shaded in the factors for a given number, they can use their chart to practice orally skip counting forward and then backwards.  Added bonus - that backwards skip counting can set the stage for learning about division.  

FACT FAMILIES

Once students have the basic understanding of multiplication (multiplication is repeated addition), they are ready to start digging in to fact families. 

Students have practiced fact families with addition and subtraction, but that doesn't necessarily mean they will see the related facts with multiplication and division.  If students realize that related facts belong together, there will be fewer facts they will need to memorize.

PRACTICE DRILLS

After the all too important foundational "concept learning" of multiplication (building arrays, skip counting, etc.), students will be ready to move on to memorizing the facts.  The goal here is that students will know the products of the basic math facts, and be able to recall them quickly and accurately.  Not all students will move to this next step at the same time.  Some students may never ever reach this step, and that is ok.  If students have a true understanding of multiplication, they can use the strategies they have learned to solve a multiplication equation.  Speed is not always the outcome when learning multiplication, but it sure will help those students ready for it. 

MAKE IT FUN!

I think this may be the most important strategy.  

Just practicing the multiplication facts over and over is boring!  One of my favorite ways to make learning fun is by turning the concept into a game.  When students are playing games, they don't even realize they are learning.  In my book, that's a win for everyone!

Hopefully you have learned some fun ways to help teach multiplication!  All of these of these ideas are included in my Multiplication Worksheet & Game Practice for Facts 2-12 bundle found on TpT.  If you are in need of a digital (a.k.a. NO GRADING) way to practice fact fluency check out my Multiplication Boom Decks.   Use these ideas to reinforce your math lessons and watch your students understanding of multiplication grow.

Final Week of Sun,Sand, & Savings

They say all good things must come to an end...  This holds true for the amazing product discounts and giveaway opportunities Karen and I have been bringing you all month long through our Sun, Sand, & Savings deals.

The good news is, you still have 1 more week to score some amazing discounts!!!

Here is a sneak peak at some of the products you will find on sale next week:

Make a beautiful yet meaningful math bulletin board with these vocabulary posters. 

Math Vocabulary Posters

Multiplication games- perfect for fact practice or early finishers. *Teaching tip- students can play these while you are organizing and dealing with all the craziness back to school brings. 

Multiplication Games

Teachers tell us ALL the time how much value they receive with our Engage New York units.  We know these materials are worth every penny, but, we can't help to bring you some sort of discount during this last week of sales. 

Engage New York

The feedback on our Engage New York math vocabulary posters has been wonderful! So many teachers have reported the hours of saved time. Some teachers report that they don't even use the ENY curriculum but that the posters still serve as a quick, engaging visual intro and review for students and makes for a great focus display wall that even your admin will love. Next week this resource will be available for a buck so you can test the waters (reg. $3.50). SCORE!
Engage NY Math Vocab Posters for Kindergarten, Module 3

Did you know that I (Karen) created homework for Kindergarten for the whole year!? Whew. It was quite the undertaking, let me tell ya!! In fact, I only agreed to make these packs because my dear friend Linda asked me to help her out. Each month includes a full month calendar or half-sheet weekly calendar option, language arts and math mixed pages or language arts only pages, and a poem to send home one week with directions to interact with the poem each day of the week. As a bonus, the calendars are all fully editable as are any of the pages that have sight words. This is normally priced at $30.00 with a value of $43.75 but next week you can snag it for just $20.00. Wait, there's more (oh GEEZ, haha)... you will also have access to any and all future updates!!
Kindergarten Homework for the Whole School Year 

Are you looking for a way to supplement your Engage New York curriculum? Do you need a way to convey to your students' parents what you are working on in the classroom and exactly how you plan to teach the skills or concepts? Do you want to better engage your students AND THEIR FAMILIES? If you're like many of our buyers, you're saying, "YES, YES, YES!!!" Check out our letters and game packs. Kelie calls her packs parent newsletters, just FYI, if you're looking for grades 2-4. :) The feedback on these packs has been AMAZING and I know that our resources are saving teachers time and in some cases even helping new teachers (or new-to-ENY-teachers) to feel more confident in their ability to teach the rigorous Engage New York Math Curriculum.
Engage Your Families for First Grade, Module 5

And believe it or not, that is not all!!! On 7/25-7/27 search Teachers Pay Teachers with the hashtag #christmasinjuly to find additional dollar deals!

 

Wait, there's more!
Haha. Oh man... I'm sorry.... I'm just super excited AND low on sleep. Not the best combo. Haha. (Karen)

Be sure to enter this week's Rafflecopter Giveaways below!!!
FIVE WINNERS in each category.

#1 Rafflecopter giveaway 

#2  Rafflecopter giveaway 

#3 Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!! :)

Week 2 Giveaways and Flamingo Friday

We have teamed up with a TON of other teacher-authors to bring you some dollar deals...Friday, July 14, 2017 only. Search TpT for the hashtag to find all the amazing dollar deals! 

Are you trying to prepare for the upcoming school year? Well, if you missed week 1 and week 2 of deals, have no fear, we are doing another round of awesome deals you won't want to miss next week. Be sure to follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/karenandkelie to keep an eye on next week's deals.

Also, be sure and enter the Week 2 Giveaways by clicking the links below. We have some awesome prizes; enter before midnight EST Monday for a chance to win! Good luck!!

Giveaway #1 - FIVE WINNERS - $25 Vera Bradley Gift Certificate
Rafflecopter giveaway #1

Giveaway #2 - FIVE WINNERS - $25 TpT Gift Certificate
Rafflecopter giveaway #2

Giveaway #3 - FIVE WINNERS - $25 Oriental Trading Company
Rafflecopter giveaway #3

Come back next Friday to enter the Week 3 Giveaways.

 

Sun, Sand, & Savings Summer Sale Week 1

Welcome to Week 1 of Sun, Sand, & Savings! We have teamed up with some pretty awesome teacher authors to bring you some amazing deals! Whether you are teaching summer school or starting to stock up for next year, these discounts are just too good to pass up!

Hopefully you were able to cash in on some of the great products Karen and I discounted for you this week.  We can't wait to bring you another week full of great products! Here is a sneak peak of some of our favorite resources you will find next week during Week 2 of Sun, Sand, & Savings:

Common Core Addition & Subtraction Games

You can find tons of fun activities in this download to help your kiddos practice double & triple digit addition & subtraction strategies.

4th Grade Engage New York Math Vocabulary Posters

These vocabulary posters are written using kid friendly terms.  They are perfect for introducing new terms and make beautiful math bulletin boards. 

Digital Division Assessments

Going digital or already there? These activities are complete time savers and great for your division lessons next year. 

Braggin' Bling Brag Tags

Looking for a fun way to reward your students for positive behavior, good effort, great attendance, etc? Kids LOVE earning and proudly wearing or displaying these.

Engage New York Math Vocabulary Posters Bundled - First Grade Modules 1-6

These posters don't just make for a cute classroom focus board... They are also great way to introduce new math terminology and serve as a reference for students as you work your way through all 6 modules. 

Number 1 Giveaway: FIVE winners, $25 TpT Gift Card

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Number 2 Giveaway: FIVE winners, $25 Amazon Gift Card

 Rafflecopter giveaway

Number 3 Giveaway: FIVE winners, $25 Staples Gift Card

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Don't want to miss out on a deal? Make sure to check our Facebook page daily next week starting Monday.

Find us on Facebook here :)

Spring Activities for Your Classroom

Trees and flowers are blooming and the weather is warming up, which can mean only one thing: spring is officially here.  With summer just around the corner, it is an exciting time of year in the classroom. Karen and I want to share some of our favorite ways to bring a little spring time fun into the classroom.

As we are approaching end of the year testing time in my classroom, we are reviewing all the skills we have learned this year.   One of those skills is addition and subtraction.   These plastic eggs (found at the Dollar Tree) used as dice holders put a fun spin on reviewing this skill.  Students roll the dice and record a 3 digit number.  They roll again and record the second number, then they add.  Here you can download an addition, subtraction, or number bond template to use in your classroom.  Not working on triple digit? That's ok, the templates can be used for larger or smaller number as well. 

Next up are these fun bunny light up sticks found at the Dollar Spot at Target.  My students love playing games with these.  To play, students get in groups of 3.  One student is the "teacher" and the other two players compete against each other.  The "teachers" roll is to give the players the prompt.  For example they may say, "Find the square that has parallel lines or lines that never cross". The other two players will race to bop the parallel line square with their light up bunny stick.  The first one to hit the correct square wins and keeps the prompt card.  The player to collect the most cards is the winner.  If you don't have these light up sticks, players can take turns flipping over a prompt card and covering the space with a game marker of some sort.  Geometry game can be found here.

Last up, is this fun activity to play with students learning to blend CVC words.  The head of the caterpillar can be made using half a pipe cleaner laced through half an Easter egg (the eggs already have two holes in them) and then use a sharpie or glue on some googly eyes. Last, add the letters you want to use to additional halved eggs.  Students can move the eggs around to make their own blends, or you can arrange the eggs for them. *I recommend using a single color such as purple for the vowel sounds.  This will make it easier when arranging the eggs to make words.

Click the picture to find additional CVC practice as shown below: