Rocket Math

Technology is a wonderful addition to the classroom. iPads have been integrated into classrooms and finding the appropriate application is very important. One app that I have found to be very helpful is the Rocket Math App. This version of the app is free.

To start students build a rocket. In order to create a great rocket students have to build on by earning money through different missions.  Students launch rockets off the pad and fly into space. Flying can be done by tilting the device to steer the rocket and moving the slider to control the thrust. Once in space, kids will encounter multiple math missions.

Each math mission has touchable objects floating in space, including stars, coins, clocks, 3D shapes and even pizzas! Complete that mission and students can earn a bronze, silver or gold medal.  Missions range in difficulty from even/odd numbers all the way to square roots. Each time students get an answer right, they receive money. Once the round is finished, they go back to the rocket and improve it. Kids will keep on adding parts, thus perfecting their math skills.

Here is a screen shot of creating a rocket after earning a certain amount of money.



For any additional information please feel free to check out my Rocket Math Popplet

Manipulatives

Manipulatives are crucial to a math class. They can be as simple as unifix cubes or even play money. The manipulatives are able to be a visual representation and hands on equipment for students. This is extremely important to students especially in primary grades that are having a difficult time with a particular concept in math.

This great article to help with suggestions about different types of manipulatives and how to use them in the classroom. It is an older article however, it is still very relevant to today's teaching ideas in regards to manipulatives.

Touch Math

Students in primary grades have counted their fingers when doing simple addition facts. However, when it comes to more difficult problems there is another strategy that will help students improve their addition facts. This strategy is called Touch Math.

"The secret to TouchMath is simple. In fact, it can be summed up in one word: TouchPoints.

Each numeral from 1 through 9 has TouchPoints corresponding to the digit's value.

• Numerals 1 through 5 have single TouchPoints
• Numerals 6 through 9 have double TouchPoints
• As students count the TouchPoints, they associate numerals with real values. They learn that a numeral (3, for instance) is not just a squiggle on a page. It represents a quantity such as three apples, three ladybugs, three buttons or three TouchPoints."  (https://www.touchmath.com/index.cfm)

For more information on Touch Math you can check out the Touch Math Official Site and watch the Touch Math Youtube Clip

Welcome!

Welcome to Miss Lazzaro's Blog! This blog is meant to help provide resources for first grade students with math. Math is a very abstract subject therefore for students to excel it is much easier to make concepts more concrete. Look around and enjoy!