Math is Fun!!

There are lots of creative ways to make math fun for your class.In fact,humor can serve as a motivation that leads to retention of material.Here are some ideas that I have used with my students during the first term.

1-Quadrilaterals:To summarize a lesson about quadrilaterals,I hold the shoebox in front of the class and say:"If you bend a rectangle, what quadrilateral do you get?"(Parallelogram). And so on to demonstrate square and rhombus.

2-Geometric Tools: Students made their own geometric tools (compass, protractor, setsquare,ruler) using clay.Then,they used sticks to show the relationship between lines (parallel, perpendicular, intersecting).Also,they used straws to form acute,obtuse and right angles.

3-The Decimal Dance:When teaching students to multiply decimals,I often find that they forget to place the decimal point.To help them remember to mark the decimal point,I use the decimal dance.I simply exaggerate the motion of counting decimal places.I make a large white arc under each digit until I have accounted for the correct number of decimal places.By calling this The Decimal Dance,students remember to account for decimal place value after multiplying decimals.

4-The class work wave: I motivate students to do their class work with the Class work Wave.If every student has completed his assignment,they take out their assignment sheets and wave them.Students enjoy this activity.

5-Memorizing the multiplication table: Students memorized the multiplication table by listening to multiplication songs. http://www.songsforteaching.com/math/twotimestable.htm

6-Hats for angles: When teaching students to name angles, I found that they forget to place the symbol for angles ^,so I told students that angles can't exist without wearing hats!!