The word spiderling conjures up cuteness but an actual spider- not so much! I spent about 20 years living in various old farmhouses. I still remember being surprised by wolf spiders in the bathtub and seemingly around every corner. I’m happy to have lived the last quarter-century in a newer home with fewer, smaller spiders!
Nonetheless, spiders are a great classroom theme this time of year. They are fascinating creatures to learn about even if you’d prefer to avoid face to face encounters.
Here’s a free spider-themed number forms and place value activity to help bolster your instruction in first and second grade.
Spider-rific Numbers
Use this engaging activity to provide practice with the standard, word, expanded, and place value forms of two-digit numbers. Try it with a small group (2 to 4 students) or adapt it for use with a large group.
How to Prepare Spider-rific Numbers
You will need:
- one coloring sheet for each participant
- two crayons for each participant
- one set of activity cards for each small or large group
There are four different coloring sheets. Each sheet has 16 numbers. There are a total of 24 unique numbers.
With a group of four or fewer students, each should have a different sheet. For larger groups, some students will have the same one. Print one on paper for each participant.
There are six pages of activity cards with base ten, number word, and expanded form for the 24 numbers. Use one, two, or all three sets.
A complete set of the base ten cards is in place value order (i.e. tens and ones). A second partial set has the order mixed (i.e. ones and tens). Use the complete ordered set or substitute the mixed set. Either way, use only one, not both, cards for each number.
Print the activity cards on one side or two-sided with a spider back. Directions for printing two-sided will vary, depending on your printer.
Print them on cardstock and laminate for durability. Cut out the cards.
How to Use Spider-rific Numbers
Place the cards face down in a stack or a messy pile. You can also put them in a decorative, seasonal container.
Take turns to pick a card.
Find the corresponding standard form of the number on your coloring sheet. Color the space with the number. If you find the number is already marked or not on your sheet, you lose your turn. Stick with one color crayon to color the numbered spaces.
Create a discard pile. Shuffle and reuse the cards, as needed.
Who can be the first to color all the numbered spaces?
To complete your sheet, color the background with a second color crayon after all your spider spaces are colored.
To adapt this activity for use with a large group, project random cards, or have individual students pick a card and read it aloud to everyone. Multiple students will finish at the same time.
Click the highlighted words to download your free copy of Spider-rific Numbers.
Looking For More Resources…
Sugar- Crazed Spiders
If you’re looking for another spider-themed resource, I recently added Tens & Ones With Sugar-Crazed Spiders to my TpT store. Even though these spiders have been busy indulging, your students can complete this activity without any candy!
This place value activity, for use with Google Slides™, is the perfect supplement to your first and second-grade math instruction.
It reinforces representing two-digit numbers in different forms; base ten, standard form, expanded form, and number word. It also provides practice with rounding to the nearest ten and ten less/ ten more than a number.
This resource includes five sets of ten slides. The numbers in each set are different. Choose one set for all your students or choose different sets for individual students. Use as a one-time assignment or multiple assignments across time.
In the first set, students drag and drop base ten blocks to build a given number. In the other sets, students are shown the base ten blocks and type their responses to the given prompts.
To learn more about Tens & Ones with Sugar-Crazed Spiders, click the highlighted words.
Blog Posts
Check out this sampling of blog posts with place value or October themes.
- Are You Absolutely Batty About Number Forms?
- Warm Up With a Free Hot Cocoa Number Activity
- Perfect Ways to Celebrate National Pumpkin Day
- One Free and Refreshing Place Value Activity
In My TpT Store
Skitter on over and start perusing.
- Batty Tens and Ones
- Little Ghosties Even and Odd Numbers (Freebie)
- Five Little Pumpkins Ordering Numbers 0-120
- Fall Theme Treasure Reports (Freebie)
Spider Treats
My 26-year-old oven burned out in stages over the summer. I’ve discovered you don’t want to replace your appliances during a pandemic! (I am also grateful that what I’m dealing with is just a temporary inconvenience.) I have ordered a new range but of course, it is back-ordered. So, I dream about ooey-gooey chocolate baked goods! A few spider goodies caught my attention. Thankfully, Pinterest decided I also needed to view some healthier choices in my feed.
- Brownies (Premeditated Leftovers)
- Cookies (hazel fisher creations)
- Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches (Crafty Morning)
- Ritz Crackers (one little project)
- Chocolate Covered Apple Slices (The Keeper of the Cheerios)
- Spiders on a Log (Super Healthy Kids)
- Apple and Peanut Butter Sandwich (Mrs. Plemons’ Kindergarten)
Let me know about your favorite spider-themed activities or treats in the comments below.
Photo Credits:
Lifemorning
Ekaterina_Markelova
Layer-Lab
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