Have you tried teaching with math task cards? If you haven’t, consider giving them a try. Both students and teachers love them because they’re fun and versatile. Read on to find out why and how to use them. For more information on task cards, see my earlier post.
Why you should use math task cards
Many students lack confidence in their math skills. They struggle to understand the concepts and complete the work. So when they’re handed a math worksheet to do, the task can often seem overwhelming causing them to not even be able to start.
With task cards, students are only working on one problem at a time. It seems much easier to do ONE problem. Then they can do another one, and then another. This helps reduce the overwhelm and lets kids focus better. They don’t have to worry about all the other problems left to do because they just have one on their task card.
You can easily incorporate movement into your students’ day with task cards. Set them up as stations around the room and let your students move from station to station.
Or place a set of math task cards at a specific spot in your room and let students come up to get them one at a time. They can check each card with an answer key as they finish it. If it’s correct they can pick another card, but if it’s incorrect they go back to their seat and try again.
From a teacher’s standpoint, task cards are easy to use and plan with. If you laminate the individual cards you can use them for several years in a row since they’ll stand up better to normal wear and tear. Students are showing their work and writing their answers on a separate paper so the cards can last quite a while.
ideas for using task cards
- Use them as bell ringers or warm ups. Have students pick up one or two cards when they come into the room and complete those problems. This is a very quick and easy way to get your students settled and working right away.
- Project cards one at a time on your white board. Students can work individually or in pairs to solve them. This allows you to discover any areas that need reteaching.
- Give students individual white boards. Project one card at a time. Students solve it on their white board and hold them up so you can see their answers.
- Tape task cards around the room on walls and desks. Students can move from card to card. Or have groups of students work together at each station.
- You can use cards focusing on just one topic to review for an assessment. Or you can mix up several decks together to use as end of year review.
- Use them as sub plans. Have a few sets of cards and answer recording sheets out in a place where students know they can just go get them. They can work on them individually or in groups when you need a sub unexpectedly.
If you don’t have time to make your own math task cards, I have a set in my store.
These write-on/wipe-off addition and subtraction {with QR codes} task cards will provide your students with extra practice in addition and subtraction skills. They can practice both skills using double and triple digits, as well as grouping and regrouping.
Laminate the cards for durability and place them in a Math Center. Students can write on the laminate using a dry-wipe marker. They (or a buddy) can check their answers on a mobile device using the QR Codes – makes it more engaging for your students! They’ll love checking their answers!
How do you use task cards with your students?
