Most teachers, unfortunately, have heard their students complaining all too often that mathematics is not fun, that they find it too difficult to understand the subject in the classroom. Some even argue that they cannot apply mathematics in real life. This is why we will share some ways you can make maths fun for your students. This will naturally assist them in boosting their performance in the subject and creating a more engaging class. All you need to do is to think outside the box to discover non-traditional ways for fun math activities for grade 1 students to make it more exciting for them to learn. Read this article to find out two such tips for math activities.
Although the content taught to kids is vital, the way they are being taught is just as crucial. Look into the following tips for developing fun, memorable and engaging math lessons for children.
1. Creating hands-on experiences
Most people learn maths only through worksheets and lectures. But as the days progress, we come across diverse options in terms of fun math activities. Children do not particularly enjoy long and monotonous learning sessions from their desks. Have them get up, move, play math games and use manipulatives. You have to remember that the first-grade students are children. Therefore, they are more likely to remember and take interest in a lesson in which they are asked to divide or count candies or other manipulatives. Although flashcards and worksheets are a significant part of practicing mathematics, you can get your students excited about new skills and units by introducing new concepts through hands-on lessons.
2. Diversifying the math lessons
As you already know, more students dread mathematics than loving it. A lot of them do not feel confident during a math lesson to raise their hands. However, extroverted students tend to learn best in a group setting, for they get the opportunity to talk through their problems. So, it can make a lot of difference if you provide multiple lesson plans to your class, specifically in a difficult subject like mathematics because each kid learns differently. Make sure to include hands-on experiences, flashcards, worksheets, small groups, and discussions while teaching math to first-graders. And whenever possible, try to provide options to test their math skills. Some students are prone to solving math problems correctly when you show them on an online quiz or flashcards one at a time, whereas, a full page of them can quickly overwhelm them. You can attempt to build confidence through games, flashcards, and other fun math activities for grade 1 when standardized tests no longer cater to the learning style.
Make your classes more engaging by making them meaningful. You can include math in discussions about history, science, and even language arts. Start by extending mathematics past your math classes. Make it personal to your students by incorporating their interests into your equations and problems. And more importantly, encourage questions and pay your undivided attention to your students while you are teaching.
