Spring Into Math with MLC Math Apps

Kim Markworth, Director of Content Development

It’s spring! The sun is shining, plants are growing, and frogs and bugs abound. At The Math Learning Center, we’ve created some fun activities with springtime themes to help get your math blooming!

Like February’s popular Share the Math Love celebration, each of the following activities includes the Share Your Work feature. You can send students a link or code to access the activity, and students can generate their own code or link to share their work with you.

Let’s Get Hopping! (Grades 1–2 version)

Prompt 2: Let’s Get Hopping! (Grades 1–2 version)

For example, you might share the code for the Same & Different Geoboard Flowers (Prompt 1) with your class. After students explore how the two images are the same and how they’re different, invite them to design a third flower with the Geoboard app. When done, students can share a code for their flower design with a partner. Pairs can take turns explaining how their partner’s new flower is the same as and different from the original flowers.

Same & Different Geoboard Flowers (Grades PreK–5)

Prompt 1: Same & Different Geoboard Flowers (Grades PreK–5)

The Ladybugs! prompt invites students to think about possible combinations of red and yellow ladybugs. After students have found some solutions with the Number Frames app, ask them to generate a code to share their work with you. Select and sequence some of the student work for your discussion. As students talk about the displayed examples, you can use the app’s writing or drawing tools to highlight and reinforce their thinking.

Ladybugs! (Grades 1–2 version)

Prompt 7: Ladybugs! (Grades 1–2 version)

Are you wondering how we got the frog into the Number Line app or the leaves into the Number Frames app? They’re emojis. On many devices, you can add emojis to MLC apps. First, use the Writing Tool to open a text box. Then, right-click (Control-click on a Mac) in the text box and choose Emoji and Symbols from the menu. Click the emoji you want, and select Done. Use the big A or the small A at the top of the text box to adjust the size. You can also add emojis with the Math Text Tool by following the same steps. (Note that different platforms and devices may not support this feature or display emojis in the same way.)

We hope these activities bring you some spring rejuvenation. Let's get hopping and spring into math!

PROMPT 1: SAME & DIFFERENT GEOBOARD FLOWERS

PROMPT 2: LET’S GET HOPPING!

PROMPT 3: JILLIAN’S BUGS 

PROMPT 4: FROG RACES

PROMPT 5: WHICH BUTTERFLY FRAME DOESN’T BELONG?

PROMPT 6: GROWING, GROWING, GROWING!

PROMPT 7: LADYBUGS!