Using Math Menus in Your Classroom

By now you probably know all about math menus. If not, head over to this post, The Basics of Math Menus, and then come back when you are ready to learn more! If you are ready to dive in with using math menus in your classroom, then keep reading! This post will take you through some of the most frequently asked questions about using math menus in your classroom.

How many students do you have in your class? How many groups do you have?

My classes currently range from 18 students to 26 students. I have 6 groups per class, and each group ranges from 3 to 5 students.

How often do you see each kid in a small group?

Every day, Monday – Thursday.

How do you monitor their work? Do you have students turn everything in?

They turn all of their Must Do activities in. If it is digital, they just turn it in on Google Classroom. If it is paper, we have bins that they use to turn in their work. I use my prep time to check their work. No work is brought home with me. I am very purposeful about the activities I choose for Must Do activities. I make sure some of them are self-checking, like picture reveals or riddles. Then some are simple to check, like a cut and paste sorting activity. Then some are more in depth, like my Dear Ms. Matherson error analysis activity. The type of activity determines the type of feedback I leave. For Dear Ms. Matherson, they are doing a lot of work, including a writing portion, so that takes more time for me check. For the May Do activities, most of these I do not check. We talk a lot about how this is their own learning. They need to take ownership of it. There are always a few kids that I need to talk to, but overwhelmingly, after setting expectations the first two weeks, and coming back to it when we need to, it works.

Do you grade everything?

No. Their menu work we look at as practice. This is the time to make mistakes, learn from them, learn new ideas from their group, get feedback, and more! On Fridays we have a quiz, and I grade that. That is the one time a week they are required to work independently. I also grade things when they are on the rug with me sometimes.

How do you manage to see every group every day? How long are your classes?

My classes are 55 minutes. When it is time for lesson with Ms. Matherson, groups come to the rug to meet with me. My small groups look like one of the following: 3 table groups at a time (for about 20 minutes) or 2 table groups at a time (for about 12 minutes). This still leaves time at the beginning for us to a number talk, estimation clipboard, identity journal, or something else together. I decide if I want 2 or 3 groups at a time depending on the objective. If I want students to have more practice time, and less hands on, I pull 3 groups. If I want less time but more hands on, I pull 2 groups.

How are students held accountable for the May Do work?

Some things they turn in, some things they don’t. Some things they have a chance to get feedback from peers on. It varies a lot depending on the May Do activity. But overall, setting clear expectations in the beginning of the year and revisiting it often is key. My students are in 5th and 6th grade. We talk a lot about how if they want to be given some freedom, they need to show they can handle it. But the overall classroom culture is key. It helps keep the May Do options available.

How do you pick May Do options?

There are a lot that I keep every week. Then some I switch out. Some are kid suggestions. Math games are games I buy/have. Play is super important in math! Some are challenges I find online. Estimation Station is one that we do every week. Kids love it, and I am strategic about the clues based on skills I want them to practice. I want a variety. I want every kid to be able to find them accessible and find something that interests them. If you are looking for some of my May Do activities that are ready to go, checkout my Ultimate Math Menu Bundle!

Can students do Must Do activities in any order?

Yes! This helps bring more choice into the menus. It may seem like a small level of choice, but any choice students can have makes a big impact!

Do students have assigned parters for May Do activities?

No. They have to complete the Must Do activities with their group. For May Do activities, they can do them alone or with other kids from their group or other groups, as long as the kids they are working with have also completed all of their Must Do activities.

How can you get through a lesson if students are only with you for 20 minutes?

It depends on the lesson objective. Sometimes I take two days for an objective, sometimes I take one. It all depends. But regardless, the beauty of math menus is that they have so many different activities within a week on so many different objectives, that things are constantly spiraled and they are always getting more practice.

Do you do anything whole group?

Yes! We always start class together as a whole group. On Mondays we go over the menu for the week. If there is a new menu item we might practice it together. On Tuesday we do Estimation Clipboard. Wednesday we do our identity journal. Thursday we rotate a few activities, like Which One Doesn’t Belong, Esti-Mystery, Notice and Wonder, Number Talk, and more. Friday we pass back work and play Blooket. I also sometimes introduce the lesson whole group by giving them something to think about, watching a video, or something else. You can download some ideas for how to start class here.

Using math menus in your classroom will have a huge impact. Students are engaged, take ownership of their learning, get to learn from each other, and are constantly working on new skills. If you are looking for templates and activities to help you get started, check out my Ultimate Math Menu Bundle. It contains so many  things you need to get started! Want even more support? Sign up for Math Menus: The Course to get all of the activities you need along with 15 videos of how to implement it in your classroom.