Hi there, I'm Mr. Sheff. I have been a math teacher for almost 20 years and right now work with students from grades 6,7, and 8. Believe it or not there was a time where I became a little bored with how math rules were taught. One day I sat down and wrote a math poem; then I wrote another; then I wrote a song! Before I knew it I had a neat little collection of songs, stories, and poems all about math and some of its rules. So here they are, all on this page! I hope you find them useful! Remember, with the proper attitude, YOU can make anything interesting!
For teachers there are 2 project links at the end of the page that you may wish to use.
Remember........
Let's get started!
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How about singing "Mary Had A Little Lamb" to learn some number properties!
Math has number properties,
addition, multiply;
math has number properties,
that are always true_____.
Addition Identity:
add zero to number.
Multiply Identity:
multiply by one______.
There is the Associative:
change grouping, of numbers.
Then there is Commutative:
numbers change order____.
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
The divisibility rules always seem to be forgotten. Well, I wrote a song to help kids remember....every knows the tune of "Frère Jacques"
2 is even 2 is even,
3 is sum...then divide.
4 is last two digits, just divide the last two,
5 ends "5" and zero.
6 is even, 6 is even,
AND the sum...of digits.
6 is both 2 and 3, 6 is both 2 and 3,
must be both, must be both.
8 is like 4, 8 is like 4,
but you use...3 di-gits.
9 is sum of numbers, you just add the digits,
then divide...just like 3.
10 is zero, ends in zero,
always does, always does.
Just remember this song, you will do division, and be right, you'll be right!
//X//X//X//X//X//X//X//X//X//X//X//X//X//X//X//X//X//X//X//X//X//X//
A poem for ORDER OF OPERATIONS
Do the right order and have confidence, first do parentheses, then exponents!
Then we look to multiply and divide, going left to right, doing them in stride.
Lastly we look to "minus" and "plus," just go left to right and don't make a fuss!
( )ex*/-+( )ex*/-+( )ex*/-+( )ex*/-+( )ex*/-+( )ex*/-+( )ex*/-+( )ex*/-+( )ex*/-+( )ex*/-+( )ex*/-+
The rule for fraction division,
once everything is in fraction form,
keep the first fraction, switch division to multiplication, and then "flip" the second fraction (reciprocal).
How about a song? This is how you do fraction division...sing it like "Row Your Boat!"
"Stay, stay switch and flip
for fractions to divide.
keep the first, and flip the last
and change to multiply."
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Mean, median, mode, and range are sometimes difficult to keep straight as to what their definitions are. Here is a little story about what each one "means." When I have the kids write the story or give them a copy I make sure the color coding is done as it is below.
Mr. Means ORDERLY Life
Mr. Mean was an average guy. His job was to paint the median stripes in the middle of roads.
His mode of transportation was most common.
He drove a RANGEr from the beginning to end of each job;
to find out how far apart the beginning and end were he subtracted his lowest from his highest mileage numbers.
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The decimal addition and subtraction Poem:
For decimal minus and decimal add,
just remember one thing, that isn't so bad.
Your decimal points you put in a straight line,
then treat them like whole numbers and you will be fine.
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Decimal point on a whole number (sing like "pop Goes the Weasel")
If there is no decimal point....
....then we can all just pre-tend,
We can put our own decimal on...
......right at the end.
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Ratio defined and how to write them
("Bingo" song)
We use a ratio to compare
a number to another:
R-A-T-I-O
R-A-T-I-O
R-A-T-I-O
and "ratio" is its name-o.
Fraction, colon, the word "to"
three ways to write it out:
One way is fract-ion,
One way is col-on,
One way is word "to,"
three ways to write it out!
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Proportion: finding the missing # (I usually read this like a Dr. Seuss story)
To solve a proportion two things you must do;
multiply the diagonal numbers of which there are two.
Then take the un-used number and into your product divide;
there is your answer, from you it can't hide.
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How about a little "Darlin' Clementine" to change a fraction to a decimal? It is also a good review of some basic terms. The song can be used in conjunction with taking a fraction and setting up the long division problem....and then going through the division process itself.
Numerator, numerator, numera______tor dividend;
denominator is divisor, on the outside dividing in.
Multiply first, multiply first, then subtract and bring one down;
add a decimal and some zeroes and your answer will be found.
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Integer Subtraction: A Poem
(a pre-requisite is knowing how to add integers)
Integer subtraction can make your brain itch,
but you just must remember to do the double switch!
Change minus to add and the next number's sign,
then do the addition and the answer you'll find.
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
A way to solve all percent problems
when given any two out of 3 pieces of information
To find a percent a box we do make,
"is" over "of" on one side we place;
and percent over 100,
each get their very own space.
|
is
|
% |
|
of
|
100 |
Place in your numbers in the appropriate spot,
100 is always the bottom right slot.
The 2 diagonal numbers you then multiply,
that answer is the dividend for you to divide!
With the unused number that answer divide;
There is the answer it can no longer hide!
Example: 3 is what percent of 4?
|
3 (is)
|
% |
|
(of) 4
|
100 |
The diagonal #s in this case are 3 and 100, 3 x 100 = 300
The unused number so far is 4; so divide 300 by 4 or 4 into 300.
the answer is...............................75.
3 is 75% of 4
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
You may also set up the proportion (see poem above)...
is %
___ = ___
of 100
....and use the same steps or solve algebraically.
Example: 3 is what percent of 4?
|
3 (is)
|
% |
|
(of) 4
|
100 |
3 n
____ = ____
4 100
Using algebra you would get (3)(100) = 4n
300 = 4n
300/4 = 4n/4
75 = n or n = 75%
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PERIMETER vs. AREA
Perimeter's the outside that does the surround,
You just add up the side lengths that go all around!
Area is different, it is the inside ground,
it is little squares inside...NOT the outside around!
Perimeter measurement is what you normally would do,
Your area answer needs to be "squared," with an exponent of "2."
+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+**+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
FREQUENCY TABLES
A tally mark is simply a slash, it looks just like a "standing up" dash.
We draw a fifth one across through each group of four, making 5 per group...no less and no more.
Frequency's the number of all tally slashes, add them all up and write the number of "dashes."
Label an info column in front of the tallies...of that you are able.
That's all there is to a frequency table!
0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
New Project...WEATHER: http://sheffx.googlepages.com/ezmath2
The RAGBRAI Bicycle Ride Project: http://sheffx.googlepages.com/ezmath3
Mr. X's Vacation Adventure; a whacky (but true) tale: http://sheffx.googlepages.com/ezmath4
Design your own game for the B.K. Gammon Co., inc: http://sheffx.googlepages.com/ezmath5~b.k.gammoncompany
Character Ed: http://sheffx.googlepages.com/character
A unit about tobacco products and their dangers: http://sheffx.googlepages.com/buttout%21