Fitting it all in -- Algebraic Table Points

My wonderful teaching partner, Mrs. Simon, had this amazing idea in her classroom that I have stolen borrowed to use in my own class.  Algebraic table points!!

It was such a simple, yet brilliant idea, that I just HAD to use it in my class.  So, for the past three years or so, it has become a staple for me.  The basic idea is that instead of earning tallies for points (as I had done in the years past) the students earned either x's or + points.  The points area was set up like this:

The x is assigned a value each week.  Sometimes, it is high.  Others weeks, it is low (as shown in the picture, it was only worth 2).

The students then either can earn x's (they can have 2x or 3x or 5x or 9x by the end of the week)  or +'s.  Right now, it has a +0.  If they earn +2, the equation on the board would be x + 2.

X's are earned for whole group, spectacular behavior.  If the table was very quiet when no other table was, they earn an x.  If the table cleaned up really well, they can earn an x.


+ points are earned for a few kids at the table being noticeably good, or for smaller things that the students do each day.

At the end of the week, the equations are solved by the entire class and we discover who won that week.  In my class, they earn money in our classroom economy.

It is just one, small way to get math in on a daily basis.