We were very fortunate to receive some sample products from Dowling Magnets. Our wheels are already turning and we’ve come up with some great uses for these resources in our classrooms in upcoming school year.
Kids LOVE the Make a Face Magnet Set pictured above. This 47 piece set is great for creative play, free time, and cooperative play. I’ve been using this during summer tutoring as a break time choice between lesson activities. I also plan to bring it along on our road trip to Utah and Colorado next week!
I’m super excited about the following magnetic math resources that I’ll get to use in the fall:
This Magnetic Demonstration Number Line will be a perfect fit for use with our math strategy animal Hailey the Hopping Hare. Number lines are perfect for students to use place value, number sense and skip counting to add or subtract numbers. Students first start with the bigger number in the problem; this number is the starting point for hopping. Then they decompose or break apart the second number by place value (into 10’s and 1’s). Depending on the problem, students will either add or subtract, hopping first by 10’s and then by 1’s. I plan to print out and laminate a small Hailey the Hopping Hare hands-on tool so students can use her to hop along the number line and keep their place.
Using the Ten Frames Magnet Set will be perfect for students in my math intervention group to master counting, addition basic facts, place value, odd and even numbers within the context of ten. What I like the most about these is the hands-on component. The magnets are perfect for concrete learners and I love that they will stay in place rather than falling all over the desks and ground. Our math strategy animal Max the Modeling Mouse, will helping introduce this tool as he helps students use manipulatives, counters or drawings to model, or represent the mathematics of the story problem.
Another great resource is the Magnetic Coins. I anticipate that these will be very motivating for students to use along with the Magnetic Dry-Erase Boards. Many students in the primary grades struggle to master money concepts. I love using realistic coins rather than boring old worksheets to help students practice this critical life skill.
For more information and other great magnetic resources, visit Dowling Magnets!