In Pre-K we do the majority of our learning through play, movement and songs. When it is time to really focus on subtraction, I want to get my kids engaged in learning with their whole bodies as well. Be sure to download the Free Subtraction Through Nursery Rhymes Printable here!
When teaching subtraction, I like to integrate it during our morning meeting. Every week we learn a different song or nursery rhyme that ties into our weekly themes. When learning subtraction through songs or nursery rhymes, my students use their gross or fine motor skills, which helps them retain what they are learning. When we are doing our rhymes, we pull out the Ten Frame Aisle Runner Set and pick five kids to put on the Dinosaur Masks, Ducky Baseball Caps, or Plush Frog Eye Headbands and get to work.
Five Green Speckled Frogs
The week we teach about frogs, the kiddos' favorite song is "Five Green and Speckled Frogs". We will get out the Plush Frog Eye Headbands and the Ten Frame Aisle Runner Set. As we say the nursery rhyme we act it out as well. We have five students stand on the aisle runner with the headbands on their head. I also have the rhyme printed out and posted in the room. It goes like this:
"Five green and speckled frogs
sat on a speckled log,
eating the most delicious bugs."
Then as the rhyme continues, the student on the far left squats down.
"Then one jumped into the pool
where it was nice and cool
now there are four green speckled frogs."
Although we have five students engaged on the Ten Frame Aisle Runner, we like to have all our students activly engaged with the nursery rhyme. The rest of the kids who are sitting on the floor around the mat get to use Frog Finger Puppets on their fingers! Each student gets five puppets. As we say the poem together, and the student squats down. The rest of the students either remove a puppet, or put a finger down so they only show how many frogs are "left".
Five Little Ducks
When we are acting out the Five Little Ducks nursery rhyme, we have five students stand on the aisle runner.
"Five little ducks went out to play,
over the hill and far away."
As we sing the rhyme the students sit down as the ducks go away.
"Momma duck said,
'Quack quack quack.'
and four little ducks came waddling back"
Then there are just four students standing while only one student is sitting. We then start the poem again but say the phrase "Four little ducks went out to play." at the beginning instead.
After using the big ten-frame runner to act out nursery rhymes I like to bring my students into small groups. Those at my table get out the Ten Frame Center Set and Easter Finger Puppets. We will say the poem together. As each little duck "goes over the river and far away", we move one of the ducks off the Ten Frame Center Set. Then on a dry-erase board, we write the subtraction sentence together.
Five Green Dinosaurs
This year, my students are really interested in dinosaurs! So when I found the song "Five Green Dinosaurs" I just knew we were going to have to use it during our subtraction unit! They loved using the Dinosaur Puffy Finger Puppets and Dinosaur Masks.
Just as we did with Five Little Ducks and Five Green and Speckled Frogs we have a student sit down or put their finger puppets down.
"Five green dinosaurs looking for their lunch,
five green dinosaurs looking for their lunch.
And if one green dinosaur
finds something good to munch
there will be four green dinosaurs
looking for their lunch."
I find it helpful to hang the nursery rhymes up around the room so students can also work on reading left to right and top to bottom. Although it is a math unit, we can throw in some literacy skills! I find these nursery rhymes and activities keep students active, engaged, and wanting to learn more about Math! Download the Free Subtraction Through Nursery Rhymes Printables here!
