Walk the line with numbers!

My kiddos were struggling with our Math Expressions curriculum.
Math talkin’ just was not cutting it for all of my kiddos.
They need some hands-on activities to get the skills to stick!
The skill a few days ago many weren’t grasping was using a number line to add or subtract.
The goal is to be able to start at the biggest number without counting and 
then count on or count back for subtraction.
Many kiddos wanted to count from 1 on.
Changing up the method they are using to 
add or subtract every other day is driving this teacher crazy.
I finally get my low babies to grasp it one way 
and then the curriculum wants me to switch it up on them.
Those poor little hearts can’t always connect the skill
 they learned a few days ago to the new method.
Enter the simple game I like to call “Walk the Line.”
You can “Walk the Line” in any subject, for many skills.
Throw some painters tape on the floor and go!
Kiddos came back from specials to see tape all over our room and sticky tabs on tables.
I asked them to think about the tape and what we had been learning in math.
What could we possibly make with the blue lines?
I had a few outer-space answers and then the light bulbs starting going off!
They then were put to work creating a number line from tip to tip:)
Using addition sentence flash cards, students had to “Walk the Line” to solve the problem.
As I was observing, I was checking to see if they were staring on the correct number 
and adding up or counting down.
They key was that they were a team and had to all agree on their answer.
If someone didn’t agree, they had to teach/model it to them and check each others answers.
After we did this game for awhile, I had everyone sit on the floor near their line.
I gave a great big bubbly speech about how they learn more
 from each other than by having me talk.
I then had 1 kiddo from each group do a problem independently.
The group members on the floor “checked” the kiddos work and if they did it wrong,
the group would politely explain/model to the kiddo.
This was great as a final assessment to see 
who had grasped the concept and who was still struggling.
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4 Comments

  1. Alisha,
    I LOVE this idea! (…and I am a Johnny Cash fan so will be singing "…because you're mine I walk the line" as we do this in class.)

    I also use Expressions and agree that there are too many strategies presented for our kiddos. I asked about that at a training and was told that this way all of our students could find a strategy that works for them. Well, yes, maybe, if they can remember any of the strategies. SIgh.

    Keep up the GREAT work!
    Camille
    An Open Door

  2. Alisha this is simply fabulous! I have a million ideas running through my head on what we can do with this. Showing them how to "physically" move up and down on the number line is genius! We've always just hopped with our fingers or used a manipulative. Love the idea of blowing it up BIG and have them use their bodies. Thank youuuuuu!

    ~Christy & Tammy
    Fluttering Through First Grade

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