Math: Doubles Plus Fun Time

If you teach math, or want to enrich your children's understanding of numbers, here is a set of activities that children will enjoy while learning a lot.

You may have heard about Multiple Intelligence Theory. One thing it tells us is that we evolved to have intelligence not only in verbal and mathematical learning, which are the main focuses in our schools, but in a number of different areas. That's why some of us learn better through music, or nature, or art, or bodily movement.

This activity is a kinesthetic (movement-based) way to teach some important number facts. I've found that it increases math fact retention in everyone who plays it. One reason might be because it's more engaging and fun than paper-and-pencil or verbal learning. Who learns well when they're bored?

I made this project because I teach using Singapore Math, which is the best way I've found to teach math. However, the materials don't focus on teaching basic facts; these are left to the teacher and/or supplementary programs. So I use lots of different activities and resources for teaching the facts; this is one of them.

Learning Objectives
After playing these games, students will be able to remember their basic addition doubles facts and squares (powers of two).

For this set of activities, you will need:

• Number mat OR sidewalk chalk
• (We'll go into how to make the number mat in another step.)
• Space
• Number cards (PDF links below)

Step 1: Outdoor Number Grids

If you have access to asphalt, sidewalk chalk, and decent weather, this is a great activity to get your students outdoors and enjoying learning their math facts.

Just draw your chosen number grid according to the layout in the PDF file, and print and cut out the cards. Instructions for playing the games come in step 3.

Comments

[wilgubeast]

This is awesome. Inexpensive, quick, engaging, and now I wanna play too.

[susanrm]

Thank you so much! The children love it too, as you can see.