Hundred Charts - Not Just for Kindergarten!

As a parent or teacher (or both!) you may have a hundred chart poster laying around your classroom or house... and if you're not currently using it, I'd encourage you to hang it up and start including it in your lessons! Go ahead and print a couple out (you can find some here, here, and here) to use for games, too!

Here are five easy ideas to get you started:

1) Review skip counting by coloring in the numbers you hit when you count by 2's, 5's, 10's, etc. Discuss the patterns. Then, try coloring in the numbers that you hit when you count by 9's. Ask: "How are the patterns the same? How are they different?"

2) Practice those tricky math facts (and following directions) by making designs. You will need a hundred chart for yourself and for your child. Begin by shading in a simple design (such as a heart or smiley face) on your chart. Then, direct your child to create the same design by giving them clues. (For example, if you said, "please find 12x2," they would shade in 24. Or, you could call "fill in 25+10," and they would need to shade in 35.)

3) Teach your child to read a table and follow directions. Ask your student to place their finger on a given number (i.e. 45), then give them directions to follow a specific "path" (i.e. up 1, left 3, and down 4). Do they end up on the correct answer? When you're done, reverse roles!

4) Get used to counting coins. Round up a bag of pocket change, and allow your student to reach in and pull out a few coins. Show them how to add the coins together, and shade in the total on their chart. (For added fun, you could take turns using different colors for shading and play "BINGO." The first person to get five in a row wins!)

5) Take the sting out of word problems. Make up or find some goofy word problems, and help your child solve them using the hundred chart. (Demonstrate how to "count up" for addition, and "count down" for subtraction.)

Still looking for more ideas? Check out this fun freebie I found at The Classroom Game Nook.

Have fun learning!

P.S. You can find all of the other posts in this series by clicking HERE!