Part 4 – New Esti-Mysteries and Number Sense Resources Every Day for the Rest of the School Year

Part 4 Featured Pic

To support fellow educators during this extremely challenging year, I’m posting a brand new, downloadable math resource every day through the end of the school year.  The purpose is to provide encouragement, to share a brand new classroom resource every day, and to promote joy in the math classroom.

 

In the midst of the exhaustion, my hope has always been that this will be a bright spot in your year.  I also hope that the joy you hear from your students while you are using these resources will be a beacon of hope in a difficult year.  I encourage you to lean in and listen to the math talk, be amazed by your students’ insights, celebrate when you hear the cheering, and feel the wonder and the joy.

 

I started this effort on November 1, posting a new resource every school day – here is Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 – and I originally planned to continue until May 1.  I was committed to posting something new each day for that entire span of 6 months.  However, I’ve decided to extend this effort through May 28.  Each day, you’ll continue to find a brand new resource that you can download and use in your classroom.

 

I’m sticking with you until the end of the school year!

Wishing you many moments of mathematical joy!

 

All my best,

Steve

 

Mondays – New Estimation Clipboards (All Grade Levels)

Tuesdays – 2 New Esti-Mysteries (1 for kindergarten, and 1 for grades 1-2)

Wednesdays – New Esti-Mystery (grades 1-3)

Thursdays – New Esti-Mystery (grades 3-8)

Fridays – New Mystery Resource   –    It’s always a surprise, and is always focused on number sense, math talk, and math joy!

 

 

 


Quick Access to This Week’s Resources

 

I’m posting a new resource every school day – all the way through May 28!

 

Monday, May 24

Estimation Clipboard 69  (All Grade Levels)

EC69

 

Tuesday, May 25

Kindergarten:  Kindergarten Esti-Mystery 28  –  “A Magnetic Esti-Mystery”

Slide1

 

Grades 1-2:  Esti-Mystery 145  –  “Stuck Together”

Slide2

 

Wednesday, May 26

Grades 1-3:  Esti-Mystery 239  –  “Many, Many Magnets”

EM239

 

Thursday, May 27

Grades 3-8:  Esti-Mystery 344  –  “Magnets on the Wire”

EM344

 

Friday, May 28

The Rare Red Splat  –  Part 6  (All Grade Levels)

5 Challenge Levels.  Choose the level(s) that you want to use.

For more information, watch The Rare, Red Splat YouTube video here.

Slide4

 

 


 

Monday, April 19

Estimation Clipboard 64  (All Grade Levels)

EC64

 

Tuesday, April 20

Kindergarten:  Kindergarten Esti-Mystery 23  –  “Wow!”

EMK20

Grades 1-2:  Esti-Mystery 140  –  “Four Dice Colors”

EM140

 

Wednesday, April 21

Grades 1-3:  Esti-Mystery 236  –  “The Shy Yellow Die”

EM236

 

Thursday, April 22

Grades 3-8: Esti-Mystery 339  –  “A Clue That is Not on a Die”

EM339

 

Friday, April 23

The Rare Red Splat  –  Part 4  (All Grade Levels)  5 Challenge Levels.  Choose the level(s) that you want to use.

For more information, watch The Rare, Red Splat YouTube video here.

RRSpart4

 

 

 

Monday, April 26

Estimation Clipboard 65  (All Grade Levels)

EC65

 

Tuesday, April 27

Kindergarten:  Kindergarten Esti-Mystery 24  –  “I Can See Through the Dice!”

Slide1

Grades 1-2:  Esti-Mystery 141  –  “Where is the 6?”

Slide2

 

Wednesday, April 28

Grades 1-3:  Esti-Mystery 237  –  “A Shy Green Die with a 2 and a 4”

EM237

 

Thursday, April 29

Grades 3-8:  Esti-Mystery 340  –  “A Transparent Challenge”

EM340

 

Friday, April 30

How Many Cubes are in Step 5?  –  Part 7  (All Grade Levels)

HCS5part7

 

Monday, May 3

Estimation Clipboard 66  (All Grade Levels)

Slide1 1

 

Tuesday, May 4

Kindergarten:  Kindergarten Esti-Mystery 25  –  “Some Gold Dice”

Slide2 1

 

Grades 1-2:  Esti-Mystery 142  –  “A Few Gold Dice”

Slide3

 

Wednesday, May 5

Grades 1-3:  Esti-Mystery 236  –  “Four or Five Gold Dice, Maybe Six”

Slide4

 

Thursday, May 6

Grades 3-8:  Esti-Mystery 341  –  “The Blue Dice are the Key”

Slide5

 

Friday, May 7

The Rare Red Splat  –  Part 5

Slide6

 

 

Monday, May 10

Estimation Clipboard 67   (All Grade Levels)

Slide1 2

 

Tuesday, May 11

Kindergarten:  Kindergarten Esti-Mystery 26  –  “Flying High”

Slide2 2

 

Grades 1-2:  Esti-Mystery 143  –  “Four Flying Clues”

Slide3 1

 

 

Wednesday, May 12

Grades 1-3:  Esti-Mystery 237  –  “Flying Patterns” 

Slide4 1

 

Thursday, May 13

Grades 3-8:  Esti-Mystery 342  –  Altitude 

Slide5 1

 

Friday, May 14

Splat Medley #4  (All Grade Levels)

Slide6 1

 

Monday, May 17

Estimation Clipboard 68  (All Grade Levels)

EC68

 

Tuesday, May 18

Kindergarten:  Kindergarten Esti-Mystery 27  –  “Earplugs”

Slide1

 

Grades 1-2:  Esti-Mystery 144  –  “Thunderclap”

Slide2

 

 

Wednesday, May 19

Grades 1-3:  Esti-Mystery 238  –  “Sonic Boom”

EM238

 

Thursday, May 20

Grades 3-8:  Esti-Mystery 343  –  “Thunderclap”

EM343

 

Friday, May 21

All Grade Levels:  10 Subitizing Sets and 1 Challenge Pattern – Part 3

subchallenge3

 

 

 

Monday, May 24

Estimation Clipboard 69  (All Grade Levels)

EC69

 

Tuesday, May 25

Kindergarten:  Kindergarten Esti-Mystery 28  –  “A Magnetic Esti-Mystery”

Slide1

Grades 1-2:  Esti-Mystery 145  –  “Stuck Together”

Slide2

 

Wednesday, May 26

Grades 1-3:  Esti-Mystery 239  –  “Many, Many Magnets”

EM239

 

Thursday, May 27

Grades 3-8:  Esti-Mystery 344  –  “Magnets on the Wire”

EM344

 

Friday, May 28

The Rare Red Splat  –  Part 6  (All Grade Levels)

5 Challenge Levels.  Choose the level(s) that you want to use.

For more information, watch The Rare, Red Splat YouTube video here.

Slide4

 

 

 

 

 

Part 4 Featured Pic

22 Comments

  1. Louise Landles on March 8, 2022 at 12:40 pm

    How do you download these awesome activities?
    I can’t find a place to click that isn’t an ad.

    • Steve Wyborney on March 9, 2022 at 6:31 am

      Hi, Louise. Thanks for the question. To find the download links, look for the blue text that has titles such as “Estimation Clipboard 69” or “Kindergarten Esti-Mystery 28” Typically, it’s just under a date. I hope that helps.

  2. Jenny Montgomery on May 26, 2021 at 6:24 am

    I could not have made it through this year or remote teaching and simultaneous teaching without your esti-mysteries! My students learned so much about math computation, problem solving, estimation, and math vocabulary. Thank you for saving my sanity and reducing my stress!

    • Steve Wyborney on May 26, 2021 at 7:22 am

      Hi, Jenny. Thank you for sharing this with me. I’m glad that your students learned so much and that they were helpful.

  3. Kate Sircom on May 23, 2021 at 2:38 pm

    Thank-you so much for these resources, Steve. I have used them all year with my Grade 3/4 class, and I’m now using them in our online lessons. The students ask for them – it is something that they can all engage with.

    P.S. I made my own using money, with the added challenge of finding the value of all the coins.

    • Steve Wyborney on May 24, 2021 at 7:03 am

      Hi, Kate. You are certainly welcome. I am so glad that they are helpful, and I love the adaptation you have made!

  4. Cathy from Ontario on May 21, 2021 at 6:04 am

    Thank you for making this available for free. I have been teaching online since October and when I discovered your puzzles it was a game changer. I should be saying this every week so please know that my class thinks of you often. The love the puzzles.

    • Steve Wyborney on May 22, 2021 at 10:26 pm

      I really appreciate this, Cathy!

  5. Patricia on May 21, 2021 at 4:37 am

    Thank you so much for providing these amazing resources all year! My students have loved these activities (in person & remotely), and it is wonderful to see them so engaged.

    • Steve Wyborney on May 22, 2021 at 10:27 pm

      Hi, Patricia. I’m so happy that they have helped to support student engagement! Thank you for the comment.

  6. Peggy O'Grady on May 18, 2021 at 8:08 am

    I am a Title 1 math teacher and have regularly used both Splat and Esti-mysteries. The students in grades 2-5 who I work with LOVE them; they always ask me for the estimating game. I know that the consistent use of these resources has deepened number sense. Thank you so much for sharing. I appreciate it!

    • Steve Wyborney on May 19, 2021 at 7:16 am

      Hi, Peggy. I’m so happy to hear this! Thank you for sharing this with me.

  7. Jamie Brown on May 17, 2021 at 7:10 am

    My school eliminated all microsoft products for teachers. Is there anyway to get these in google slides?

    • Steve Wyborney on May 18, 2021 at 7:17 am

      Hi, Jamie. Yes, it is very easy to use these in google slides. Simply download the PowerPoint file you want to use. Then save it into your google drive. I often just drag the PPT file into my google drive to do that. Then open it with google slides. To do that, I usually right click it – but I know there are other ways to do it. Then click present. I hope that helps!

  8. Anita Barber on April 28, 2021 at 9:33 am

    I just wanted to say thank you!!! These are awesome! I’m a supply teacher and the teacher had left this for them today, and WOW for being virtual almost ALL of the students participated. Saved them all for future use, they will be fun for time fillers or math talk in the classroom as well as online. THANK YOU for all your hard work!

    • Steve Wyborney on May 2, 2021 at 8:16 am

      Hi, Anita. You are certainly welcome. I love hearing about how useful these are and how they promote participation even in a virtual class.

  9. Mary Ann on April 28, 2021 at 4:48 am

    My students are loving these! Thank you so much for sharing!

    • Steve Wyborney on May 2, 2021 at 8:17 am

      Mary Ann, you are certainly welcome.

  10. Carrie Wood on April 23, 2021 at 8:04 am

    Hi Steve,
    My fifth grade class loves your esti-mysteries and they are getting very good at them! We love using them for our math talks. We have even had some students create their own that we have used in class. We have one suggestion that we hope you might consider. Sometimes the amount in the container shocks us. We would love to see one more slide that shows the objects laid out so we can better picture the amount. Thank you so much for making these. We look forward to doing more before our school year ends.
    Sincerely,
    Mrs. Wood’s 5th Grade Class

    • Steve Wyborney on May 2, 2021 at 8:22 am

      Hi, Carrie. I love the suggestion. Thank you for sharing it. Typically when students are surprised by the total, it’s because it’s much more than they expected, rather than much less than they expected. You are doing exactly the right thing by having your students create their own Esti-Mysteries. They will learn so much about the numbers by doing this. Nice going!

  11. Raeann Emme on April 21, 2021 at 7:15 am

    I was just wondering if the K-2 Esti-Mysteries had more than 1 answer left after following the 5 clues?

    I used the one that you shared yesterday and we were left with 3 numbers. 10, 40, & 100

    • Steve Wyborney on April 26, 2021 at 7:00 am

      Esti-Mysteries always have just 1 answers. However, after the final clue there should always be 2 or 3 reasonable choices to discuss. That preserves the opportunity to estimate and the sense of mystery. The final answer is under the red reveal box at the end. When you play through the PowerPoint (or google slide if you save it in google drive and open it that way) the reveal box is on the last slide. If you can’t get the box to disappear, then just slide it out of the way to see the answer underneath it.

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