SKIP COUNTING TIPS

Skip counting is a powerful way to prepare children for multiplication. You can make it active and FUN when you sing, clap, snap, hop, or jump with the activities below.

Whisper Skip Count
You can also try this patty cake technique with a partner. Count by two’s by placing your hands on your shoulders as you whisper “one.” Shout “two” as you patty cake in the air. Whisper “three” as you touch your shoulders and then shout “four” as you patty cake…

For counting by three’s place hands on waist and whisper “one.” Hands on shoulders and whisper “two.” Hands patty cake and shout “three.” Whisper “four” with hands on waist. Whisper “five” with hands on shoulders. Shout “six” and patty cake…

Four’s – knees, waist, shoulders, patty cake

Five’s – toes, knees, waist, shoulders, patty cake

Skip Count Books
Make a “High Five” book with children’s fingers. Trace around each child’s hand on a 6” square and let them decorate it. Attach pages with tape to make an accordion book. Number pages 5, 10, 15, 20…etc.
                             
*Make a “Piggie Book” by tracing around children’s feet. Practice counting by ten’s with this book.

*"Eye" Count by Twos can be made by letting children draw their eyes. 

Tunes to Skip Count
Sing and skip count by 2’s to “Twinkle Little Star.”

Practice counting by 3’s to “Are You Sleeping?”

4’s “Row Your Boat”

5’s “The Bear Went over the Mountain”

6’s “London Bridge”

7’s “Ten Little Indians”

8’s “This Old Man”

Counting by Two’s (Melanie Hope)
Have students identify body parts that come in sets of two. Stand and count by two’s as you touch the following body parts:
2 – hands on eyes
4 – hands on ears 
6 – hands on elbows
8 – knees
10 – feet
12 – eyes
14 – ears….
You’ll be able to count to 100 by 2’s before you know it!

Macarena Count to 100 by Tens
Children stand and do the “Macarena” as they count.
1 (Right arm out palm down.)
2 (Left arm out palm down.)
3 (Right palm up.)
4 (Left palm up.)
5 (Right hand on left shoulder.)
6 (Left hand on right shoulder.)
7 (Right hand behind head.)
8 (Left hand behind head.)
9 (Right hand on left hip.)
10 (Left hand on right hip.)
(Clap two times.)
That is one ten. (Hold up one finger.)
11…100

                                     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGKXZVxAffM

Karate Chop Count 
Feet out, knees bent, karate chop with your right hand and then your left as you count by ones.  
*Do leg curls and chops as you count by 5’s to 100 
*Kick front and back as you count by 10’s to 200. 
*Wax on, wax off as you count by 100’s to 1000. 

JOIN THE HUNDREDS CLUB

Children love challenges and the sense of accomplishment when they achieve a goal.  I thought this idea from a teacher was brilliant. 

Note!  You could easily adapt this for younger children by making it a "Tens Club" and giving them a membership card when they can count to ten.

Hundreds Club (Bobbi Cure)
When a child counts to 100 they get their name under “Count to 100 by 1’s.”
When a child counts to 100 by 10’s they get their name under “Count to 100 by 10’s.”
When they count to 100 by 5’s they get their name under “Count to 100 by 5’s.”
When they can write to 100 by 1’s they get their name under “Write to 100 by 1’s.”
When all four are accomplished, they get a crown that says “100’s Club."

Music is such a natural way to help children learn.  You'll be amazed at how quickly they learn to count to 100 with this song.  It's really fun to have them stand in a conga line with hands on each other's shoulders.  Heel up to the right and then heel up to the left as you count.

Zero the Hero Number Stomp
I am Zero the Hero and I’m here to say,
I love to do numbers every 10thday.
When we make sets of ten we’ll stomp the ground.
And when we reach 100, we’ll sit back down!

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 (Stomp!).
Let’s count another ten.
11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 (Stomp!)
Two tens, let’s go some more…
Three tens, you’re catching on...
Four tens, you’re doing fine...
Five tens, you’re half way there...
Six tens, you’re on a roll...
Seven tens, what a cool game...
Eight tens, you’re doing great...
Nine tens, we’re near the end...
Ten tens is 100, now it’s time to sit down!

And here's a new video that my webmaster made. I love that he made "Zero the Hero" a girl.


http://bit.ly/drjeanZeroHero

This might be a good time to discuss what a hero is.  Do they know any heroes?  Can both boys and girls be heroes?  

Here's a book you can download on my website to go with the song:
www.drjean.org/html/monthly_act/act_2006/01_Jan/pg03dd.html

100 DAYS OF SCHOOL!

Some of you are probably days away from the 100th day of school, while some of you won't get there for weeks. One thing for sure is that sooner or later you'll want these ideas to celebrate this special day.

100 Day Book
Fold 5 sheets of paper in half.  Punch holes about 1 1/2" from the top and the bottom on the fold.  String 10 beads on a wooden skewer.  (I bought the thinnest ones I could find and cut them to 8"). Insert a rubber band (long and thin) in one hole and slide one end of the skewer through the loop.  Insert the other end of the rubber band through the other hole and slide the other end of the skewer through that loop as shown.  Children can make a set of ten on each page with markers, stamps, words, etc.

*Use 5 red beads and 5 white beads similar to rekenrek and challenge children to make different combinations of ten in their book.

$100 Book 
Make a copy of $100 bill.  (You can find several to choose from online.)  Cut paper the size of the bill and staple it to make a book. Let children draw pictures or write stories of what they would do if they had $100.

*Children can draw their face or use a real photo for these books.

Cover Up
Make 2 copies of a 100 grid.  (You can download these online.)  Cut up one set and put the numbers in a zip bag.  Children can play this game by themselves or with a partner.  Give them a 3 minute timer and challenge them to cover up as many spaces as they can in the time limit.  Have them record the amount and try to beat their score each time they play.

 

Hint!  Adapt this game for younger children by giving them a grid with 10 or 25 spaces.

*Use the grid to practice writing numbers.  

*Use the grid for graphing or for making patterns.  

*Color even numbers one color and odd numbers another color.

Buzz  
All children stand.  Go around the room and have each child say a number.  When they get to a set of ten they must say “buzz.”  If they don’t say “buzz” they are out of the game and must sit down.  The game continues until there is one person left or you reach 100.

100 Bottles 
Have each child take an empty plastic water bottle and fill it with 100 items.

100 Art 
Cut a “1” and two “0’s” out of construction paper.  Children glue them on a sheet of paper to create a “critter.”  They can decorate it with crayons, markers, or paint.

100 Exercise 
Do ten sets of the following exercises:  toe touches, jumping jacks, arm circles, hops (on one foot), waist twists, squats, scissor jumps, hops (on the other foot), jog (in place), windmills.

100 Snack 
Children count out ten each of each snack food (such as Cheerios, pretzels, Gold Fish, raisins, m&m’s, miniature marshmallows, cheese crackers, wheat squares, Rice Chex, peanuts, etc.) and put them in a zip bag.  Shake and eat.  

*Adapt to the dietary needs of your class.

Math Challenge

How many ways can you think of to make 100?  Children could do this independently or with a partner.

Self Portraits at 100 - Have children draw pictures of what they think they will look like when they are 100. 

*One teacher even had them use the brown paper towels from the restroom.  They wadded them and wrinkled them before drawing on them.  Too funny!