Activities and Exercises Part 4: Working with the Base Ten Rounds. One of the tools that has shown to be effective for students of all ages. I have created a round using a wood piece cut from a log. This fascinates my urban population in particular, but I like it in general as a feeling of a connection to nature.
We also use wool yarn and dye it ourselves in the classroom using Kool-aid. I like this activity for those students with some sensory issues as it gives them more connection to the project. A single package of grape Kool-aid can give us separate colors due to the rates of binding of the red versus blue dye. Typically, I combine it with a chromatography activity.
With the younger students I simply have them practice the multiples in order from 1-9. For older students I encourage practicing one of the numbers of their choice.
Below you see Azaria practicing her twos.
Usually the student will challenge themselves, because this work is fun and not forced.
There is a perfect challenge level for each student. This is the level where they will best extend their ability and build their skill and understanding. Vygotsky called it the Zone of Proximal development. A student will move toward that challenge zone if he or she feels comfortable and safe. Since the 1970s we have known that there is pleasure derived for children when engaging in challenging tasks. Susan Harter and others have done extensive work looking at the influence of external pressures and rewards (including grades) on students’ willingness to accept a challenge. It has been shown that when external rewards or especially potential punishments (such as a bad grade) students will take an easier challenge where they have already achieved mastery. What we want is for the children to go outside what they know into the areas they are just discovering.
Below is a picture of Za'Kea practicing her nines.
She chose to work with the nines after we had moved the sequence. She was a wiz at getting through the multiples from 1-12 and only came to realize when doing the task that beyond the 9X12 she was lost. Using the round she went around easily half a dozen times and was fully engaged. She asked me to take the round home to practice when she left.
Besides just practicing the multiples, it is possible for the students to see how the commutative property of multiplication works.
Here are Davion and his brother Demarion showing how 8X3, is the same as 3X8.
They both reached the 4, with the final number as 24.
I recommend that when using the round you allow the students to make their own. This helps to create a personal connection with their tools.
You may start with having them examine the paper protractor, calculate the degrees they will make each hole. You may drill holes and then have the student glue in the wooden dowel pieces. There are many ways to create the round. You can make a simple round using paper plates.