Rockin' the Math Skills!

Hey everyone!  I want to share a great teaching resource with you today, one that I'm currently using with my daughter to help her improve her automaticity with multiplication facts.  She is 9, and she knows her multiplication facts, but she sometimes takes a moment or two to come up with the answer.  I was offered a complimentary copy of Rock n Learn Multiplication Rap DVD to review on my blog, and I jumped at the chance with my daughter in mind.

The first time I put the DVD in my computer, she came running out from her bedroom, drawn by the music and the beat.  She looked over my shoulder, watching the encouraging and upbeat introduction to how the program works, totally engaged by the music, the beat, the characters, the pacing, the colors, and the lyrics. 

After watching the introduction, where they also did a quick explanation of zero property of multiplication -- any number times 0 equals 0, and  of the identity property of multiplication -- any number times one equals itself -- they moved into the twos.  The first time through, they give the problem and the answer together.

But the second time through, there is a pause between the problem and the answer to give the kids time to shout the answer out.  The program goes all the way through the multiplication facts through 12s.

We have been using the DVD every day for a week now, and she loves it.  She is now to the point where she is quickly shouting out the answers before they give the answer.  I think this is really going to make a difference with her automaticity, which is so vital in fourth grade as they go deeper into division.  

There is also a menu, where you can go straight to the multiplication songs, watch the "What is Multiplication" segment, which they recommend you do before you start the multiplication songs to make sure your children understand the concept of multiplication, and a section on skip counting.

I highly recommend this video for second and third grade teachers.  It is a fun, entertaining, and engaging way for children to become fluent in the basic multiplication facts.  It appeals to learners on many levels, musically, visually, through movement, through repetition, and it will help all your children gain confidence in their ability to memorize those basic multiplication facts.  You can even go to Worksheets-For-Math.com to get additional material for math facts practice to go along with your DVD!

From now through July 1st, Educents is running a sale on Math DVD bundles from Rock n Learn.  Bundle 1, for grades 1+, includes Addition and Subtraction Rap, Money and Making Change, and Telling Time.

Bundle 2, for grades 3+, includes Multiplication Rap, Division Rap, and Beginning Fractions and Decimals.

Be sure to check them out!

Have a great week, everyone!