The Importance of Using Daily Math Spirals

My students had a problem in math.  It seemed that once a unit was over, they mostly “forgot” the things they had learned.  It seemed to be a case of out of sight, out of mind.  To remedy this, I started doing a math spiral many years ago.  Before I had a projector system, I kept everything in a notebook and wrote it on the board each day.  Once I had a projector system and learned how to make my own products, I put the spiral into a more appealing format for my students to use daily.  I tried to incorporate most of the main concepts for 2nd grade.

I wanted to be confident that my students were being exposed to all of the standards throughout the year.

The Standards That Are Covered Each Day

• Operations and Algebraic Thinking
• Numbers and Operations in Base-Ten
• Number and Operations - Fractions (not included in 2nd)
• Measurement and Data
• Geometry

I also wanted it to be easy for me so that I wasn't having to constantly search for worksheets and materials that needed to be copied, prepared, and graded for my students every day.

I knew that having a PowerPoint presentation that could be projected would be the easiest and simplest way to make sure that my students were getting what they needed while keeping things easy breezy for me!

This daily spiral became a HUGE part of our daily math routine and such an important part of our daily learning.  My test scores soared! 

When to Use Daily Math Spirals

I have actually used these spirals at different times in my day based upon the schedule and what worked best for that year.  Some times in your day when you might want to consider using the daily math spiral is:

• morning bell work/arrival time
• math warm-up
• one question each day as a "ticket out-the-door"

Since there are only five questions each day, the time it takes for students to complete them does not take long.

Answer pages are included to go over the work after completing.

Students can complete on a write-wipe board, on paper, or in a spiral notebook. Before the "BIG" test in the spring, the spirals can be sent home to use as a study guide.

Second grade has so many standards to cover that there are enough concepts to include for August through May.

However, third grade and fourth grades are a little different.

All standards have been covered and reviewed a minimum of two times by April, so the third grade version ends with April.

In fourth grade, all standards have been covered and reviewed a minimum of two times by March, so the fourth grade version ends with March.  

Using these paperless and projectable math spirals helped increase scores significantly.  

At the Beginning of the Year

At the beginning of the year, we begin with place value (the second question each day).  I tell the students that all of the others are “previews” of what we will be learning during the year.  We work through the problems together.  

However, we only focus on one standard for each of the five big headings each month.  After several days, the students start getting the hang of what the standard is asking of them.  When we cover that standard in our core later in the year, the students have already been exposed to the vocabulary and the concept.  By “frontloading” it into their brains earlier in the year, teaching it is a breeze!

Would you like to see more?  Check out the previews of the products in my store.  You can purchase either each month individually or the entire year.

Click below to see more.

Second Grade Daily Math Spiral

Third Grade Daily Math Spiral

Fourth Grade Daily Math Spiral