WHAT'S A MATH TUB?
Math Tubs are a technique I picked up from a workshop called Games Galore.  Essentially, they are two-player games that reinforce math skills, especially basic fact practice and logical thinking.   They are separate from center time because centers are independent activities (in my classroom) and Math Tubs are multi-player and encourage discussion and collaborative problem-solving.

WHY USE THEM?

I don't know about you, but I'm tired of kids coming to me and leaving me without knowing their math facts.  Upper grade teachers complain that they can't teach multiple digit multiplication and division because the kids don't know their multiplication facts.  Third grade teachers complain they can't teach multiplication because the kids haven't memorized addition and subtraction.  Second grade teachers say the kids can't add and subtract quickly because they didn't get the foundation in first grade.  First grade teachers say the kids came out of kindergarten barely reading numbers.  And kindergarten teachers say that parents haven't done enough at home to prepare their kids for school and make sure they're ready to learn.

Let's face it, most kids are not going to sit down and memorize math facts at home like we used to when we were in school.  It's got to be fun and relevant for them, and it has to be on a regular basis.  So, I'm going to spend an hour on math concepts and problem solving each day and 20 minutes with the tubs to practice math facts.

HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO HAVE TIME FOR THIS?
There are many ways to incorporate Math Tubs into your schedule.  I used to do them each Friday afternoon for about forty-five minutes.   In other years, students used them daily for ten to twenty minutes. 

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WHAT SHOULD THEY LOOK LIKE?
If you have a real bathtub or can turn a container into a tub-looking thing, it would look a whole lot better than mine does!  The creator of the idea uses tubs (like I use to hold my centers), so the name fits a little better.  My first year using them, I simply had a milk crate full of plastic baggies.   Inside each baggie was a 5x8 laminated index card with typed directions on it, and a few simple materials for playing the game. 

HOW DO I STORE AND ORGANIZE THEM?

Throughout my various classrooms, I have used a large crate as a math tub (all games were inside large baggies which I distributed to students), the type of tubs you see to the left in this picture, and a hanging shoe organizer like the one to the right in this picture.  The type of organization system you choose should be based upon what materials you have and the size/type of your math tubs.  If you have lots of board games and larger materials, the shoe organizer won't work (or could only be a part of your math tub area), but if you use only the games I have available to print on this site, you should be able to fit every inside small pockets with no problems.

HOW DO MATH TUBS WORK?
Pairs of students rotate through a tub of math activities.   They may only do one per session or they can do two per session (I'll be doing one per session this year- 20 minutes).  Students need lots of time to master the rules of the game so they can focus on the math skills, determine patterns and strategies, and engage in higher-level thinking discussions.  This is a much less rushed time than centers.

HOW ARE KIDS PAIRED UP? 
Math Tub partners are selected by the teacher and are kept the same throughout the year (or quarter, or semester).  Students are generally paired by ability (more advanced with less advanced as a balance, or the highest kids paired together for additional enrichment and challenge) and, in my classroom, according to personality.  I don't like to pair kids who know each other too well because they'll play around, but if they don't like each other or are both very shy or competitive, there can be problems as well.  

WHAT'S THE POINT?  I ALREADY DO CENTERS!
When your kids are in centers, you're teaching a reading group.  You have no idea whether they're actually learning anything at that moment or have mastered the art of looking busy.  During Math Tubs, you are not responsible for instruction, so you are free to facilitate their work and engage students in meaningful conversations about what they're learning.  It's a great time to:

-take anecdotal notes;

-work on-on-one with students who are struggling (academically or socially, because you'll have the time to help solve disputes and model social problem solving skills);

-challenge high-achievers who are easily bored; 

-model logistical thinking and encourage discussion (connecting words and math is difficult for many students);

-assess children individually in a meaningful scenarios;

-provide regular math fact practice in a fun way kids will look forward to.

CAN I USE GAMES I ALREADY HAVE FOR MATH TUBS?

Yes!  I have used lots of board games and pre-made materials that I had from my childhood or yardsales. This is where I stored the math tub activities I was not currently using (in my DC classroom).  The green box holds games in plastic bags.  The round plastic container (which used to hold kettle korn from the beach) contains miniature playing card sets from the dollar store that the students use to play whole class games of Battle.  The Math Review box (which used to hold pasta in Walmart- I took it and covered it in white paper) holds math bingo games and flashcards.  Underneath are board games that were either designed to reinforce math skills, or contain altered rules I created to make them educational and appropriate for young children.  (I also use Scrabble, Scrabble Junior, Go For Broke, a version I made of Risk, and sometimes Monopoly.  You can see Rack-O in the picture- that's a cheap and wonderful game that provides number order/greater than/less than practice).  On the bottom shelf is a big blue mat divided into squares- I'm not sure where it came from, but I use it as a Jeopardy board with clues written on sticky note.  Misc. manipulatives are kept on the bottom, including dice, which are often used for whole class games, as well.

WHERE CAN I FIND MORE MATH TUB IDEAS?

-Try the Broken Hill School (New Wales) website for printable math card games.

-Here are some great tips for differentiating math instruction through small groups and math games.

-There are lots of printable math games for grades 1-2 at The School Bell. It's a tremendous resource for free flashcards, dominoes, gameboards, playing cards, and creative and unusual math games.  Some of what I made this summer using the resources from this site are in the photo below (please check out The School Bell for close-ups, downloads, and instructions- these weren't my ideas!)  You will be astounded at how much work this teacher has put into making these materials and putting them on the 'net FOR FREE!!  Enjoy!  Number Family Tubs Printables from The School Bell.

HOW DO I GET THE KIDS STARTED? 

Many Math Tub activities require only dice or playing cards.  If you get enough sets from the dollar store, you can play them as whole-class activities.  This is a great way to introduce the games to the class and make sure the know how to play before beginning Math Tub rotations.  All students should be familiar with the games BEFORE allowed to play them independently during math tub time.  This will probably take several weeks. 

Introduce the games one at a time to your class.  Model how to play using volunteers, then guide them through some practice plays, then let them go with their partners and monitor.  If you see a lot of kids making the same mistakes in play, stop the whole class and model again.  For younger students I would spend two days on each game, older kids should be okay with one day.  After you have introduced 5 or 6 games, let the class practice playing different games at the same time.  (Most math tubs require few materials, such as dice, so you can make multiple sets of each game).   Be sure to have easy-to-understand written directions, and to tell students what they should do if they don't know what to do next- should they raise their hands, figure it out with their partner, ask 'three before me', etc.?  Once they are able to play a variety of games independently, you can begin rotating math tubs using your permanent partners and time frame.  Introduce one more new game per week, perhaps a game that is relevant to the skill you are currently teaching, until the class knows how to play each game.   

Even if you don't use Math Tubs, you can still use the activities below as centers!!

Click here for printable directions simplified for 2nd graders and below-grade-level 3rd graders, plus over a dozen new games!

Click on any picture for how to play/ directions!!

Division Memory

Facto: Basic Math Fact Practice

Pass Out (Multiplication Practice)

Click here for MORE Math Tub/ center ideas from me as well as

math tub sites with printables for other grade levels!