Math routines are an essential component to fifth grade math. Let’s face it – students coming into our classrooms are coming from all different levels, backgrounds, situations, mindsets, and the list goes on. When building classroom routines, we are adding structure into our classroom community and ensuring that we are all able to come together as a group to meet a goal. Routines help students know what to expect, establish norms for the the classrooms, and give students that much needed structure so that they can focus less on what they are doing as the routines become habit and more on the academic skills that they are tackling.
Do We REALLY Need Math Routines?
Math routines in fifth grade (really, all grades) are important. And – don’t just take it from me. In fact, a study published by the University of Oregon’s Center for Teaching and Learning found that implementing routines helps students develop a sense of structure and predictability, leading to increased engagement and improved academic performance. Routines provide students with clear expectations and reduce anxiety, allowing them to focus on learning effectively.
Similarly, a study conducted at the University of Virginia found that routines provide a sense of stability and create a supportive learning environment, leading to higher levels of student engagement, which in turn improves learning outcomes.
I don’t know about you – but I am here for alllll of that. Less stress, more learning, and happier students.
Practice Makes Perfect
Just as with any routine in life, practice makes perfect. While most teachers establish their routines at the beginning of the school year, it’s never too late. You can introduce math routines in your classroom at any time. Here are a few of my favorite routines to implement. I have found that these three routines really allow my math students to focus and engage with each lesson.
Getting ready for math: This is one of those routines that we teach at the beginning of the year. And, although it is simple, it is SO important. Students need to know what is expected of them as they begin each math lesson. Providing them with a list of materials that they need for each math class is key. For us, it was always a pencil, math journal, math book, math workbook, and a whiteboard/marker. Now – yes. It is a lot, but they were able to keep their books and workbooks inside their desk, but on top so that they were “ready” without being visible. And, let me tell you – this routine has saved me so much time over the years. Students getting ready quickly is key. After all, we need all the minutes we can get in order to engage our students, teach, and extend our lessons.
The Warm-up: Math warm-ups are another routine that play a big role in my math class. Students knew that once they were ready with their materials, they could start on the warm-up for the day. Now, we know students get ready, learn, and work at different speeds. And that is perfectly fine. Each student would solve, explain, and show their process when answering the warm-up. Then, early finishers knew to go back and show it a different way.
Math Discussions: Now, of course it’s not enough to just give the math-warm up, provide students with the answer and move into the lesson. Math discussions are EVERYTHING. Students need to be given the opportunity to explain their thinking, strategies, hardships, and processes in math. By thinking through the solution in multiple ways, your math classroom will grow in multiple ways.
Math Journals: I’ve tried them all – math binders, notebooks, lap-books, digital notes, no notes, and the list goes on. However, there is one math tool that I love and that is…MATH JOURNALS. Math journals are amazing. They are both fun and engaging, as well as, informative and a wonderful resource for students to use throughout the year. I would always teach students how to set up a page for their math notebook for each lesson. The guide was generic enough that we could use it in many different lessons. This also made it easier for students to learn and implement. So – students in my classroom would complete the warm-up, take their notes, and complete any interactive notebook components right inside their math journals. I have seen a few completed journals over the past couple of years and they are still useful for teachers and students.
Getting Help: This fifth grade math routine is essential for student success. Students need to KNOW that they can get help with ease, but also need to establish some independence as they work toward getting the answers and help that they need. My students always know that they are allowed to ask for help. This is such an important skill for anyone to have, but especially for students. We need them to take responsibility of their learning and seek out the supports that suit them. When a student was having a difficult time, they would know that first they should look through their math journal. Next, they consult their how-to booklet (if there was one for the lesson). Do you want to check out how-to booklets -you can find them here or read more about them here. If the concept/question was not covered in their notes, they would put out a red index card, indicating that they were at a stopping point. This was a super helpful way to keep the classroom management under control, while also letting students express their needs.
Of course there are MANY more fifth grade math routines that we weave into our day and into our math lessons, but these are ones that play such an important role in my math block. Grab your free version of the multiplying decimals how-to booklet here and get started right away!
What are your favorite math routines??
Happy Teaching!
xo, Kristin