We've been in school for two weeks. My kids are precious, we're already deep into the curriculum, and if I had to guess, I'd say this year is going to STRAIGHT UP ROCK. Oh, and I'm exhausted. Thank you God for the LABOR DAY HOLIDAY! This teacher needs some SLEEP!! And some time to catch up on lesson planning, grading papers, setting up centers..... Does it ever end??
As with most curriculums, math starts with place value. One of my favorite tools to use during this unit is the song "Place Value" by Matt Garwood (link to entire album here).
The same things happen every year when I play (jam out) to this song during class:
- Day 1: Most students look at me like I'm CRAZY as I dance around the room singing along... A few brave souls dare to dance with me. They immediately become my faves (kidding... kinda... lol)
- Day 2: The majority of the class starts singing along
- Day 3: I give my students a pointer and as we hit the chorus "you got your ones, tens, hundreds, thousands........" and so on, they point to each position on the journal entry I have displayed on my overhead. THAT my friends, is when the table turns...
- Day 4 - 180: Students BEG me to play the song and the place value positions are STUCK in their heads!!
I usually play the song a few more days to make sure the strategies stick. The kids EAT. IT. UP.
Our fourth grade state standards have students learning place value positions up to the billions, and this song stops at the millions. There's a little lull after ol' Matt belts out "millions" so we quickly rap, "ten millions, hundred millions, BILLIONS!" It fits in perfectly!
I hope you try this song out in your class - I'm telling y'all. It helps. And it's FUN, FUN, FUN!
Until next time!
No comments:
Post a Comment