Math Warm-Ups Made Easy: Keep Kids Engaged at the Small Group Table 🍁🐿️
Do you ever find yourself waiting for all your students to be ready for a small group math lesson? Some are still gathering their supplies, some are adjusting to the learning environment (hello, wiggly bodies!), and others might be distracted with questions. Getting everyone settled and ready can take a few minutes, but I’ve found that a simple math warm-up can work wonders to engage the early birds and bring the whole group together.
That’s where this fun Squirrel and Acorn Math Warm-Up comes in. It’s the perfect activity for ordering numbers, and it fits right into the Autumn Play Mats from my Math Kit.
Here's how it works:
- Shuffle a pile of number cards and place them face down on the acorn mat.
- Students who are ready can start flipping the cards and turning over 10 at a time.
- From these 10 cards, students work together to find any sequences in forward counting order—like 4-5-6 or 8-9-10-11-12. Every sequence they find counts as an "acorn" 🐿️, and they earn a counter on the squirrel mat for each one.
- Some sets might not have any sequences (though it’s unlikely!).
- Students repeat, flipping more sets of 10, looking for those number sequences, and scoring acorns along the way.
It’s simple, quick, and keeps everyone engaged as the rest of the group gets ready. The beauty of this warm-up is that it doesn’t require a lot of prep or explanation. Students can jump in as they settle, which makes it a great engagement tool and a smooth transition strategy before the main lesson begins.
This warm-up can be repeated throughout the week. Use the same equipment, but gradually target different skills or increase the challenge. The goal is to get students thinking about ordering numbers while easing into the focused learning of your math lesson.
This warm-up can be repeated throughout the week. Use the same equipment, but gradually target different skills or increase the challenge. The goal is to get students thinking about ordering numbers while easing into the focused learning of your math lesson.
As the weather turns colder, get excited for more math fun with the Winter Play Mats coming soon to the Math Kit! ❄️
Looking for more ways to get your students moving and learning? Grab the Math Kit bundle today and bring math play into your classroom all year long!
Looking for more ways to get your students moving and learning? Grab the Math Kit bundle today and bring math play into your classroom all year long!