Yo ho! Who’s ready for some Talk Like a Pirate Day math fun? This crazy “walk the plank. me matey” day is on September 19th this year, so let’s get ready!
Keep it simple by starting out with classroom games that you already use. Since these are games your students already know, or that you’ll definitely want to teach them for use throughout the year, you’ll be saving yourself some time in the long run. Here are a few examples for easy ways to switch up your old favorites.
* If you play an ordinary game of Top It while you’re wearing an eyepatch, it’s suddenly a pirate game! This works like a charm with anything. Review flashcards with a partner? Yes, please! Read the Room with subtraction facts? Your little pirates will be begging for more!
* Number fact bingo is a hit with kids any way you play it, but on Talk Like a Pirate Day, let the little winning matey call out something fun like “Yo Ho!” or “Walk the Plank!”
* Are you practicing skip counting by fives? Try having all of your students stand in a circle and count aloud by ones, one at a time around the circle. Here’s the Pirate Twist: whenever the number is a multiple of five, that child says “Aaaargh!” instead of the number.
Are you starting off your year in math with teaching place value? Here’s a Talk Like a Pirate math fun freebie for you! This I Have, Who Have game focuses on ten more and ten less. With 25 cards, it will work for larger classes. (If you have more than 25 first graders … and sadly, I know that some of you do… I’m sending you good thoughts and wishing you nights of sound and well-deserved sleep!) Click here to see it!
Whatever variety of Talk Like a Pirate Day math fun you choose to use, a high interest “holiday” like this one is great for grabbing and holding your students’ interest. Have fun, and…
Happy Teaching!
Linda
Portions of this post originally appeared on Primary Inspiration.
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