Jack O’Lantern Addition/Subtraction Sorting

I bought these darling little jack o’lanterns at Wal-Mart YEARS ago when I first started teaching Kindergarten.  I used to have the kids do a little one-to-one correspondence activity with them.  Since my 1st graders are knee deep in addition & subtraction right now, I knew these little guys would come in handy for the perfect sorting activity!

I wrote a different number on each jack o’lantern {6-18}.  Then I took popsicle sticks and wrote a different math fact on each….about 6 facts for each number…4 addition problems and 2 subtraction problems {subtraction is still pretty new to us}. 

The kids sort the math facts into the corresponding jack o’lanterns and when they’re finished, they can record their sorts onto a little pumpkin!  I die cut several little pumpkins and set these out in their math tub as well…they write a number on the stem and all the corresponding math facts in inside! 

 

I also gave the kids some seasonal counters to use to help them solve the trickier addition/subtraction problems.  We’re really working hard to remember to “count on”, so they’re mostly using the counters for the subtraction facts. {I got the little counters from the Dollar Tree!!}

If you have any other ideas for these little jack o’lanterns, let me know!!!