“If you never did, you should. These things are fun and fun is good.” - Dr. Seuss
This year I learned something scary from my friend and co-worker, Mr. Fenlon-MacDonald:
The number of students walking to school every day has drastically reduced, resulting in the average number of steps taken per day being significantly lower than ever before.
So this year, my team partner and I have been consciously incorporating movement into as many everyday activities as possible. Enter numeracy, agility ladders, bean bags, hula hoops AND a hallway full of strategically placed, colorful floor tiles!
By keeping specific outcomes, diverse student backgrounds, flexibility to “go with the learning flow” and learning styles in mind, our student engagement and understanding across math strands is enhanced daily. Completing activities such as skip-counting while doing two-foot jumps, using different strategies to count the blue tiles and creating routines with an increasing pattern rule, students are solving problems without even realizing they are using math.
Measuring the width of the hallway, comparing lengths of the different strips of colored tiles, estimating how many patterns could fit down the hall, designing their own hallway patterns… these are just some of the ideas being “thrown around” by our staff.
Now we’re just waiting for our students to have their say. We know there will be lots of questions, ideas, explorations and opinions, just waiting to be had!
Sara Laslo (@saralaslo) teaches grade 3, is passionate about engaging students in meaningful, authentic learning experiences, would do anything for coffee and loves teaching her dog, Optimus Prime, new tricks!