What are iMath activities?
iMath is a series of activities designed with the intent to engage students in math by putting a fun twist on their favorite phone apps* - Facebook, iMessage, Instagram, and Tumblr. Each iMath activity covers different skills in a unique way. Students add each activity to their phone/tablet template that can be on display in the classroom. Below is a description of iSTEP, which is meant to model iMessage.
*None of these activities are actual digital apps or affiliated with the app they are modeling.

What is the purpose?
COMMUNICATION! Often students can solve a math equation, but have a difficult time verbally explaining what they are doing. This activity addresses this problem. Each student is to “text” with a friend who needs help with a math concept. Their classmate asks how to solve an equation and the student has to explain each step needed in order to get a solution. Then their classmate “texts” back showing the algebra they did to complete the step. I LOVE how these activities have transformed how students think and discuss math in class!!!

How do I use this in my classroom?
The day before an assessment I set up review stations. Each station has an activity that covers a different concept students will see on the assessment. I use iStep at one station and other stations may include Battle My Math Ship, Name That Function, or an activity from some of my favorite TpT friends: Kacie Travis, All Things Algebra, Mrs E Teaches Math, Free to Discover, Scaffolded Math and Science, or Math Giraffe.
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Which app does this activity model?
iStep’s design is similar to texting in iMessage, WhatsApp, or any other form of texting app. Let’s face it, texting is one of the most popular ways people communicate with each other in this day and age. So let’s have students do it with math too!

How do you do this activity?
Each student will…

Step 1 – Need one iStep sheet. 

Step 2 – Read the question in the first bubble on the left, which is meant to be a text from their classmate.

Step 3 – Use the first text bubble on the right to write in words the first step needed to solve the problem.

Step 4 – Each student then trades sheets with a classmate. The classmate is to follow the student’s written step and use the second text bubble on the left to show their algebra.

Step 5 – Students trade sheets back and forth until the math problem is solved.

Step 6 – The last two text bubbles are for students to write a positive message and a closing.

Step 7 – Add the sheet to the phone/tablet template and hang the activity on the wall or bulletin board.
 
BOOM...students are able to communicate with each other on how to solve math equations! Add more iMath activities to show mathematical growth and use for review at the end of the year.

What’s included in each iStep activity?

• iMath phone/tablet template
• 30 iStep sheets
• Answer key

Want to learn about the other iMath Activities?
You can! I will be blogging about each activity every week for the next few weeks. The next post will be about  Doodlr (Tumblr). Check out the last post on Mathbook.

If you’d like to try an iMath activity for FREE, you can find the following in my Resource Library, so sign up here: 

Click below to go directly to ALL my iMATH activities:

What are iMath activities?
iMath is a series of activities designed with the intent to engage students in math by putting a fun twist on their favorite phone apps* - Facebook, iMessage, Instagram, and Tumblr. Each iMath activity covers different skills in a unique way. Students add each activity to their phone/tablet template that can be on display in the classroom. Below is a description of MATHBOOK, which is meant to model Facebook.
*None of these activities are actual digital apps or affiliated with the app they are modeling.

​What is the purpose?
As teachers we all love when students show mastery of a concept! The Mathbook activities give students a chance to demonstrate this mastery in a fun and collaborative way. Each sheet has an “I can” statement that targets a specific learning objective. For example, a Mathbook sheet might state, “I can solve…two-step equations!”. Each student then solves the equation to show they have mastered this specific concept.

How do I use this in my classroom?
I like to provide students with something to do after they complete a quiz or test, so they don’t just sit there or do something that distracts students that are still completing the assessment. This activity is perfect for them to work on at this time.

​Which app does this activity model?
Mathbook’s design is similar to a Facebook post. Even if a student doesn’t use Facebook, this activity is engaging and fun for everyone! My students really like picking out their icons because it gives the activity a personal touch that most math activities do not offer. Also, receiving feedback from a peer helps create a positive classroom environment.

How do you do this activity?
Each student will…

Step 1 – Need one phone/tablet template, one Mathbook sheet, and two profile picture icons. 

Step 2 – Color and glue one of their icons onto the top of the Mathbook sheet and then write their name and the date.

Step 3 – Read the “I can” statement and color in an Emoji of their choice.

Step 4 – Demonstrate their mastery by solving the equation, identifying parts of the graph, etc. This will depend on the concept that is being targeted.

Step 5 – Switch their sheet with another student. Their partner will then check their work, add their own icon, write their name, and write a positive comment.

Step 6 – Return the activity to their partner so they can add the Mathbook activity to their phone/tablet template.

Voilá!….students now have a cool way to demonstrate their mastery and hang it up for all to see! Add more iMath activities to show mathematical growth and use for review at the end of the year.

What’s included in each Mathbook activity?

• iMath phone/tablet template
• 30 Mathbook sheets (2 per page)
• Answer key
• Profile picture library with 35 icons to choose from (designs by Sarah Pecorino Illustrations)

​Want to learn about the other iMath Activities?
You can! I will be blogging about each activity every week for the next three weeks. The next post will be aboutiStep (iMessage), so stay tuned!

If you’d like to try an iMath activity for FREE, you can find the following in my Resource Library, so sign up here: 

Click below to go directly to ALL my iMath Activities:

​Do you remember playing Battleship when you were a kid? How exciting was it to figure out where your friend’s battleships were and sink them?! Well, I’ve brought that fun and excitement into the math classroom. For those of you who have no idea what the game Battleship is, read below to discover a game that will keep your students asking for more!

WHAT IS
​BATTLE MY MATH SHIP?
Battle My Math Ship is a game for two players who try to guess the location of the ships each player hides on a grid that can't be seen by the opponent. Each player receives a page with two grids and sheets to identify the spaces they choose and show their work. The goal of the game is to sink all of the opponent's ships by correctly guessing their location and solving the problem. 

​Each player secretly marks the battleship grid on the TOP of their sheet with the number of battleships stated. They do this by drawing a ship, marking an X, shading the box, highlighting, etc. in the spaces they choose. The BOTTOM battleship grid is what they use to choose spaces and attack their opponent.

​Each player calls out a letter and number that identifies a column and row from the BOTTOM grid in an attempt to name a space that contains an opponent's ship. Each player then solves the problem and states their answer to their opponent.

​AFTER each player solves the problem, the opponent checks that space and states whether they “hit” or “missed” a battleship. Each player should cross off the spaces the opponent attacked and answered correctly and write HIT for the spaces that contained a ship. If they did not answer correctly, they can try attacking that space again on a different turn.

HOW MUCH TIME DOES IT TAKE TO PLAY?
The game can take anywhere from 30-60 minutes, depending on the math concept. I know class time can be limited for games. No problem! Often, I give my students a time limit to play the game. The winner is then determined by the player that sunk the most battleships in that time frame. Not needing a certain amount of time and the fact that my students LOVE sinking ships, is the reason this activity has become the most popular math practice activity I use in my classes.

HOW DID YOU CREATE THE GAME?
The idea came from the original Battleship board game made by Milton and Bradley. This was my favorite game as a kid, so I had to find a way to create an activity for my students that would bring them the same joy I had growing up and of course tie in some math learning! The Battle My Math Ship games cover many math topics from grades 6-12, so your students can play again and again.

DO STUDENTS REALLY ENJOY THIS ACTIVITY?
YES, it has been the biggest hit in my classroom! But you don’t have to take my word for it. Here are some reviews from other math teachers that have used it in their classroom as well:

Math games make math fun and this is no exception. My students loved playing this and repeatedly ask for it.  – Sarah O.

​Absolutely the most engaging game. My advanced kids were enthralled and asking for more!!  – Colleen A.

This is a very creative way to get kids engaged in practice.  – Katherine G.

​I thought my kids would find this activity confusing, but they LOVED it!  – Jennifer M.

​My students had so much fun with this! Students who had struggled at the beginning of our linear equations unit, worked hard to master finding slopes to play this game.  – Tiara W.

Students had a blast with this activity!  – Amy H.

My students loved this! It was a very engaging way to practice slope, all in a self-checking activity!  – Emily K.

Hoping you will keep creating more activities for more skills in this series -- my students have loved every one we have played so far!  – Diane M.

Love all of the Battleship games and so do my students!!  – Nicole Z.

My kids flipped over this! They LOVED it! They asked me to find more for them to do. – Harrison B.

​Can’t wait to get your hands on a battleship?! Great! I have one waiting for you for FREE, just CLICK HERE.