Snow Globe Addition and Subtraction Mats
Grab these free snow globe addition and subtraction mats for fun, hands-on practice with important math skills! They are perfect for winter math centers.
Snow Globe Addition & Subtraction Mats
The easiest way to help students with their addition and subtraction skills is to provide them with multiple practice methods. The same worksheet over and over won’t do it; they need hands-on activities to keep them engaged. When they are having fun, they are learning.
These snow globe addition and subtraction mats are the perfect way to engage the kids in hands-on practice with addition and subtraction this winter.
These mats are simple to use! Students roll dice, use manipulatives to model the problem, add or subtract the numbers and write a number sentence to match. They’re perfect in write and wipe pockets or laminated. All teachers love a good no-prep activity!
Add the addition and subtraction mats to your small-group intervention activities, centers, or whole-group lessons. Students can practice with partners or use the mats independently.
Easy Prep Addition and Subtraction Mats
These fun winter addition and subtraction mats couldn’t be any easier to prep. All you have to do is print them and laminate them or slide them into a write-and-wipe pocket for added durability.
You can prep several mats at once and be set for the whole winter!
Students will enjoy the mats and you’ll see their confidence growing as they work on simple math problems. Model how to use manipulatives or drawings before writing their equations. They will master number sense, one-to-one correspondence, and problem-solving skills.
Supplies Needed:
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- Snow Globe Addition and Subtraction Mats (button to access the resource is at the bottom of this post)
- Dice or foam cubes
- Small manipulatives or mini erasers like a snowman or snowflakes
- Dry-erase markers
- Write and wipe pockets or laminating materials
Instructions:
- Print the mats.
- Slide the mats into write and wipe pockets OR laminate them.
- Gather dice, manipulatives, and dry-erase markers.
- Store the entire activity in a colorful tray or large zipper baggie.
Using the Snow Globe Math Activity
These mats are extremely versatile in the classroom! Make learning fun when working on addition or subtraction by trying some of these ideas!
How to Use the Snow Globe Mats for Addition
Students will roll two dice and place them in the top spots on the mat.
Next, they’ll place the corresponding number of manipulatives (plastic counting cubes, buttons, pom poms, mini erasers, etc.) inside of the snow globe. They can use two different colored manipulatives to show each addend or they can place the manipulatives in groups on each side of the globe.
Lastly, they’ll use their dry-erase marker to write the equation at the bottom of the mat.
Example: The student rolls a 2 and a 3. They’ll place the dice in the boxes at the top of the mat. Then they’ll put 2 blue mini erasers on the globe and then add 3 pink mini erasers to it. They’ll add up all the erasers and write the equation at the bottom.
How to Use the Winter Mats for Subtraction
Students will roll two dice and place the biggest number in the first spot at the top of the mat and the smaller number in the second spot.
Next, they’ll put manipulatives on the mat to represent the larger number rolled.
Students will remove the manipulatives on the mat to represent the smaller number rolled.
Lastly, they’ll use their dry-erase marker to write the equation at the bottom of the mat.
Example: The student rolls a 6 and a 3. They’ll place the 6 in the first box and the 3 in the second one. They’ll put 6 counters on the snow globe and remove 3 of them. How many are left? They’ll solve and write the equation at the bottom of the mat.
So Many Ways to Differentiate
The great thing about these snow globe addition and subtraction mats are the ease with which you can differentiate them. Meet each student where they are academically to help them progress forward!
For students who are working on mixed numbers, give them both mats and ask them to alternate solving the addition and subtraction problems. They will have to choose which mat to use each time they roll.
If you want numbers greater than 6, try making your own dice using foam cubes and a marker. You can also fold some out of paper. Amazon offers many larger dice with more number options as well. This will make it easier to work on addition and subtraction within 10 and 20 for more advanced students.
If you would rather students not use manipulatives, let them draw circles or objects on the globe to show their work.
Offer a recording sheet so students can practice writing their equations more than once and look back at the problems solved.
These snow globe addition and subtraction mats are sure to be a hit in the classroom this winter! Add them to your centers or provide them during classroom celebrations for some extra fun.
Click the button below to grab your free copy of the Snow Globe Addition and Subtraction Mats!
Here are some more activities with a snow theme!
Snowman 100 and 120 Chart Find and Cover Mats
Snow Globe CVC Clip Cards
Editable Snowman Four in a Row Game
Snow Globe Find and Cover the Letter Mats
Snow Globe Roll and Cover the Number Mats