Monday, September 16, 2013

Karate Math Facts Practice: A Fun and Effective Learning Method

Do your students struggle with math facts? Discover how my karate math program - Kicking It Math can be the key to mastering math facts effortlessly!

Ever since my days of teaching 7th grade, I have wanted to help my students develop their math facts fluency.  So many of my students did not know their basic math facts, which made learning more advanced math concepts challenging!


Karate Math Facts Practice


That's why I turned to the powerful technique of karate to create an engaging and effective method of mastering math facts. Read on to discover how karate math facts can transform your students' learning experience."



Kicking It Karate Math Fact Fluency Program


This post contains affiliate links. I earn a small commission each time someone makes a purchase using one of my links, which helps to support the blog.  All opinions are my own and I only promote brands and products that I have used myself and truly love.


I would struggle to teach a student how to multiply 3/4 X 2/8 because they didn't know what 4X8 was.  So... when I started teaching elementary I vowed that my kiddos would not leave me without knowing their math facts.  But... how to do that?  A lot of people say, "They just have to memorize them." Well, true, but what if they don't WANT to memorize them?  What if there are too many facts to memorize and they just CAN'T do it? What then?

I started developing this math facts program with a karate twist!


Kicking It Math Facts Fluency Program



Kicking It Karate Math Fact Fluency Program

The program works with key elements of brain research:

* Students can hold only 2-3 new pieces of information in their working memory at one time.  That is why each new practice session only includes 2 to 3 new facts and their opposites.


* Students learn best when they involve two or more senses in learning.  This program incorporates both oral and written practice.  Learners learn 90% of what they SAY and DO (Bloom, 1987).


* Students can remember things more easily when they connect new information with something they already know (Woolfolk, 1998).  All new math facts practice sheets include previously learned facts along with the new facts.  This isn't simply learning their 1s, then their 2s, etc. because that doesn't work.



Kicking It Karate Math Fact Fluency Program Folder and Timed Tests


* In this program, some of the harder math facts (such as 9X6 are taught in the middle rather than the end so the student really has more time to work on it).


Kicking It Karate  Math Fact Fluency Timed Tests


* Another way to increase student memory is through verbal rehearsal.  When a student practices (at home or at school with a partner) and makes a mistake, they repeat the correct problem and answer three times to cement it in their brain.  They are presented the same problem three tries later to work through it again.

* Memory increases when dopamine is involved - basically if it is fun, kids will remember more!




So enough of the research and on to the fun!

Kids Wearing Kicking It Karate Math Facts Belts

Happy students wearing the "belts" they have won!

Student Wearing Kicking It Math Facts Karate Belts




Karate Math Facts Practice



Kicking It Math Karate Belts

Yes, belts, as in karate belts.  The program involves a karate theme and the students pass levels to earn different belts.  They LOVE this!


We start by practicing our math facts orally.  Each student has their own key ring with "belts" that have the math facts on them - problems only on one side and problems and answers on the other.  One student says all of the problems and answers while the other student coaches, then they switch.  This takes about 2-3 minutes.

Kicking It Math Fact Practice Belts


Here is a close-up of the cards.

Kicking It Math Facts Karate Belts

Then we complete a timed math facts test.  The students have folders with their current level in a sheet protector.  They answer using a dry erase marker.  I only make copies at the beginning of the year!  Yay!

Kicking It Math Fact Fluency Timed Tests
If they finish before the time is up, they raise their folder above their head, I collect them, grade them, and change the sheet out if they are all correct.

Kicking It Math Facts Timed Tests


Kicking It Math Fact Timed Tests


Kicking It Math Fact Fluency Timed Tests



I have also included additional sets with less problems.
Kicking It Math Facts Fluency Timed Tests



Kicking It Math Facts Fluency Timed Tests Extra Space




Their name is also changed on our level board.


Kicking It Math Fact Fluency Level Tracking





I absolutely love the way that one of my teaching pals, Barbara, made her board.  You could make the belts on the sides using bulletin board paper cut in strips and folded. She even put her kiddos' pics on the karate kids to make pieces to move. LOVE!  I will definitely be doing this next year!



Since this picture I have also added my son, Luke and his buddy.  They have been working each day after school and are proud to be among the higher kids in my class.  The belts have become a hot commodity on the playground and many of the kids want them.



Here are some more pictures from other teachers who have used the program:



 and Beth Ann from Taming my Flock of Firsties used my addition version with her class. She took some photos of a few of the games in action.





Jennifer from Elementary School Garden has added an active component to the program in her classroom.

Students practicing math facts karate style

 

And she really knows how to celebrate those Black Belts!



I have been blown away by some of the feedback that I have received!









Have you implemented Kicking It Math in your classroom? I'd love to hear about it in the comments below or tag me on Twitter or Instagram.


I also now have digital versions of this program!


(Division and Subtraction coming soon!)

 



You can buy these products at my Teachers Pay Teachers Store.


or you can save a little money and get the bundles:



(Includes Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division, and Factors)



I have had requests to make additional versions including mixed addition and subtraction and mixed multiplication and division math facts.  If you would like to be notified when these are released (and save 50% of for the first 48 hours) please fill out this form.







  



Before you go, head on over to our giveaway page to enter our current giveaway!  Every week one lucky winner gets a $25 Teachers pay Teachers gift card!

 I would love to hear from you! ❤️

Have a question? Idea for a resource you might find helpful?




Be so kind and leave a comment below.

Friday, September 13, 2013

5 For Friday!

Well, Friday is almost over, but I couldn't let it end without linking up for 5 for Friday from Doodle Bugs Teaching!

fiveforfriday2
Five random things from this week:

1. I spent a good chunk of this week finishing up the final touches on a new product, Kicking It Math! It is a program that I have been using with my students to master their math facts.


My kids have been BEGGING to work on their math facts so they can earn new belts.  Literally begging!  I have one student who stays after school each day to get an extra round of practice.  I practically have to kick him out the door each day! LOL!  Even my 7 year old has gotten in the act and is working on his own belts in multiplication.  He just started second grade, and is already ahead of most of my class because he practices so much!

 
He has also got his buddy (another teacher's child) to come in with him each afternoon to try as well.  So, now after school I have a mini math facts club! I will be posting later on this week about all of the ins and outs of the program and how I use it, but you can also find it on Teachers Pay Teachers here.
 
2. Another happy teacher moment is that Daily 5 is well on its way and we are developing more and more stamina each day.  Our record is 21 minutes, but I would be thrilled if we could go for 20 minutes a round. A few shots of Read to Self:
 
 
 
We are hard at work at using text for evidence to answer questions!
 
3. We also worked hard solving some math puzzlers for place value.
 
 
4. We are also loving our read aloud Wonder - And I am loving their persuasive writing to let me know why THEY should sit at the summer table with Auggie and Summer.  If you have not read this book yet - you HAVE to!
 
 
5. And on a non-school related matter look at this!
 
Let me just preface this with the fact that I am NOT a runner - it is probably one of my least favorite things to do.  But... I am working on taking better care of myself, so I got a treadmill for Christmas.  When I first started using it, I could make it a mile in about 23 minutes with a combination of running and walking - but mostly walking.  This morning I finished a  mile in 14:35 and that included my 2 minute warm up at a slow pace - yeah me!  I know to all of you REAL runners out there this is nothing, but... it's all about the growth right?
 
Last but not least, I have a winner for my TpT gift card giveaway!  If you would like to win next month, simply follow my TpT store for your chance!
 
 
 
 
 


Friday, September 6, 2013

Win a $25 Teachers Pay Teachers Gift Certificate


Friday!  It has been a very short week, but it still all seems like Friday is so very far in the distance all week long!  I am linking up with the always fabulous Five for Friday from Doodle Bugs Teaching.
Thank you KB Connected for the Chalkboard numbers!

We started the week off with a visit from our nephew, Noah.  He has never spent the night away from his mom and dad, and we gave his parents a much deserved night off.  We also spoiled him rotten of course!  We took him out to ice-cream.  He said, "Look at all the colors!"

We let him get a sundae with whipped cream and a cherry on top! I love being an aunt!



I finished up my Read and Respond Journals for the year.  I have been using the first set with my kiddos so far, and I am loving the results!  Lots of great thinking and writing about their at home reading!

 


Child mishap # 1 - Remember that snake I told you about last week? 


Yeah, the one that my son won.  Well, the snake is an escape artist and has wandered out of his tank and is wandering around my home somewhere right now as I speak.  We have been on the hunt for a day and a half now, but can't find him - ARGGGHHH! Can you say sleepless night?


Child mishap #2 - Well, if I'm not going to get any sleep anyway, it seems perfectly reasonable that my youngest child should stumble into my room puking at 3:30 in the morning.  So, I got out of bed to wash sheets and scramble to make sub plans, because of course I haven't done that thinking I wouldn't need a sub this early on in the year.  But, on the bright side, I got an extra day off this week.  Too bad it was spent trying to avoid find a snake.



And last but not least, it is time for my monthly TpT gift certificate giveaway! Do you see the tab at the top of my blog that says $25 TpT Gift Certificate Monthly Giveaway?  I giveaway a gift certificate each month to a lucky TpT follower.  All you have to do is follow me on TpT to be eligible!



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Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Teaching Subjects and Predicates With Mr. Morton - FREEBIE



‘Mr Morton is the subject of the sentence, and what the predicate says he does.’
That song is ingrained in my brain after I used the Grammar Rock anthem to teach some of my kiddos about subjects and predicates.  Several of them were having difficulty with  writing complete sentences, and most of them were thrown into a tizzy when we were working on some of Jivey's amazing grammar lessons when they were asked to identify the subject and predicate in her mentor sentences.
So... a mini-lesson was in order.
First we watched the video:
Then we practiced identifying the subject and the predicate in the sentences from the video. They really got it after I modeled a few of the sentences.
I also found this picture from Doxie House that I will definitely incorporate next year or if I have a few strugglers.


I made a free worksheet for you to use with your students if you would like.  You can download it here. 



While you are there, be sure to follow me on Teachers Pay Teachers for the chance to win a $25 TpT gift certificate :D

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Whole Brain Teaching - The Scoreboard



The Scoreboard is THE classroom management tool piece of Whole Brain Teaching. Teachers who implement the Whole Brain Teaching method use tally marks for when the class is good and tally marks for when the class is not so good.  They are explicit about the good and not so good behavior and they have kids working for the teeniest little reward - and the kids love it!

Last year I just used a little whiteboard that I drew a line down each day with smileys on one side and frownies on the other.  But... this year I decided to go fancy dancy with this adorable Scoreboard made by Nicole from Teaching With Style.




 You can download this freebie from Teaching With Style. Not only does it have the Scoreboard above, but it also has a variety of other styles and some teaching notes to help you out if this is your first time using Whole Brain Teaching. I just printed it out and laminated it so that I could use it over and over again.



Using the scoreboard is a whole class behavior system.  The class works together to earn the reward.  If I spot a kiddo displaying negative behavior, I don't call them out specifically, I just add a tally mark under the frownie side and say, "Someone was blurting out, frownie." or "Waiting for someone to sit at the carpet, frownie."  Whenever I give a frownie, I try really hard to find someone modeling the correct behavior.  "I love the way (Child's name) is sitting on the carpet, Smilie.  If you are not sitting that way, please fix yourself so you can earn more Smilies for the class."

One trick of the trade is to use the Scoreboard A LOT!  Way more than you think you need to.  I always keep in mind that just like math and reading, students need to be taught the type of behavior that is expected of them.  The more you remind them, the more they learn.

Here is my scoreboard for just half the day:


What do the students get if they win? In my class they earn 5 minutes extra recess or free time (You Tube videos are a huge hit in our classroom - even the educational ones!). If they lose, we spend 5 minutes practicing correct behavior or procedures.

Prizes should be small and easy to implement - if you can get away with it let the prize be bragging rights!  My kiddos are a tougher crowd, but it worked last year for the first few weeks.

My other tip - USE THE SCOREBOARD!  Sorry to yell, but it is that important.  I have noticed my students' behavior goes downhill when I don't use it as often, and is AMAZING when I  am consistent with it.







You can watch Chris Bifle's video about The Scoreboard here:

Do you use the Scoreboard in your classroom?  Do you have any tips or suggestions?

This post contains affiliate links. I earn a small commission each time someone makes a purchase using one of my links, which helps to support the blog.  All opinions are my own and I only promote brands and products that I have used myself and truly love.  

Monday, September 2, 2013

September Currently

My poor neglected blog!  The past two weeks have been so busy with back to school craziness that I have not had time or energy to blog at all!  Luckily, it is September, and Farley has come to the rescue with her Currently!  They are so easy to do - even the most energy zapped among us can do it!



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