Math Field Trips at School VII

It is worthwhile to take your students outside for just ten or fifteen minutes during a math lesson, and other times it's worth spending the entire math block outdoors. Here are a couple of ways to actively practice multiplication facts*.

Fluency Flight
Needed:

• Sidewalk chalk or laminated answer cards with clothespins
• Small baskets, one for each answer
• Multiplication fact cards without the answers
  

Students line up on one side of a court or field. In each student's hands is one card with a multiplication question. On the other side, you have put a series of answers to multiplication questions, either written on the pavement with sidewalk chalk, or hung on a fence with clothes pin, or place there in some other way.  

At your signal, students run to the other side of the court or field in order to find the correct answer to their question.  They lay their card in the basket or under a rock by the right answer. Then they run back to get another card from you. 

 Times Table Treasure

Needed:

• Natural loose parts: twigs, pine cones, acorns, rocks, etc. 
• Logs, shelves or other surfaces that can function as counters 
• Play money, preferably, but not necessarily, 1-dollar bills or coins 
• Sidewalk chalk (optional)
  

Talk about learning through play! Divide your class in groups of three to five children.  Tell them to gather materials to set up a store.  That simply looks like laying treasures on a surface.  All treasures will cost the same amount of dollars, namely the number of the times table that you want to practice, for example 6.  

Give students a limited amount of tie to set up their store. When they have completed their store, give each student their play money. Now they can go shopping at their own store and those of the other groups.  They will soon realize that they will have to multiply by (for example) 6 if they decide to buy more than one treasure.  Trading treasure is not allowed, because the point is gaining multiplication fluency. Besides that rule, you and the student can enhance and embellish their play as much as they like.

*lessons found at IVN Natuureducatie