Math-ercise Videos

Interactive videos can be a great way to engage children in virtual learning spaces, or can be used in the physical classroom as warm ups to lessons, during transition times, or even during lunch times when children are finished eating (especially during Covid when only half the children can be eating at once and the other half of the class requires something to work on).

I have created some simple math-ercise videos that educators and families can use to help engage children in exploring math concepts. These ask children to look at a math equation and complete the exercise that corresponds to the answer they feel is correct. Children complete the exercise for 20 seconds and then get 5 seconds of rest as the correct answer is displayed. I feel that the physical nature of the videos will be engaging for children and add a kinesthetic feature to math learning. Videos can be paused and mini number talks can occur if educators wish.

The first video explores adding to 10.

 Math-ercise Workout - Adding up to 10

The second video explores adding to 20.

 Math-ercise Workout - Adding up to 20

 

The third video explores subtracting from 10.

 Math-ercise Workout - Subtracting from 10

 

The third video explores subtracting from 20.

Math-ercise Workout - Subtracting from 20

 

I will continue to create videos and add them to this blog post over time. I am hoping to explore subtraction, multiplication and division facts.

Educators may wish to create their own videos/presentations to explore other math concepts (e.g., number patterns, doubles). 

Get a copy of the files here to use at your own pace in your physical or virtual classroom. This gives you the option to pause the power point and explore each slide or personalize it to best meet the needs of your students. Music and transition times are embedded within the presentation so all educators need to do is change the equations and answers on each slide. Playing the presentation should run it without the need to manually forward each slide. 

This version is not animated: PDF Math-ercise File

Get a copy of the Power Point file here: PPTX Math-ercise File.

Get a copy of the Google Slides file here: Google Slides Math-ercise File 

Feel free to share with others! Feedback in the comments always appreciated!

Rolling Rolling

Rollers are such a fun, big movement way to paint because the nature of the tool encourages children to reach back and forth and stretch with their art making. Many of our children were eager to use these tools because they had observed adults in their lives using them to paint walls around the house. We offered complimentary colours of paint so that way the art would look lovely no matter how many times the paper was rolled.

 

 

Foot Painting

It was a beautiful sunny day around here - the perfect weather for doing some very messy painting outside! We had a large piece of cardboard that I was eager to recycle and it was an ideal canvas for outdoor painting. With the gentle breeze blowing outside I knew the cardboard wouldn't lift off the ground or require paper weights to hold it down like traditional painting paper would.

I set out four trays of paint that were large enough for the kids to dip their feet into - one on each side of the canvas. The kids were invited to step into the paint and cover the area with their feet!

What a fun experience! Because we did this outside there was no fear of getting paint on anything and although the kids slipped a few times and fell into the paint, it was washable so I didn't need to worry about their clothing becoming stained.

 
They were able to observe the colours mixing as they walked, jumped, and danced all over the canvas!

 
Clean up was easy! I just gave them the hose and they sprayed their legs off. Then I had them take a quick shower to get the remaining paint off their legs and arms.



What a stunning piece of giant artwork!

Salad Spinner Painting

We thought it would be fun to engage the children in a way of painting using movement - especially considering how interested they have been in helping to make things move in our classroom (e.g., marble runs, water runs, ramps and balls). 

Children were encouraged to drop paint onto a piece of paper that was in the bottom of a salad spinner. We decided to use up the left over paint from the easel since we were cleaning it for the weekend.

Children could choose whatever colour and amount of paint they wanted.

Once the paint was selected, the top was placed tightly on the spinner and the child was encouraged to spin it as fast as he or she could!

Once finished, the lid was lifted and voila! Instant spin artwork! Beautiful!

The children were intrigued with how different each child's art was, even when the same colours of paint were used. They were impressed that the paint moved and swirled together, even when no brush was used.