HeliumWaldorf techniques for mastering math facts with body movements that any teacher can use

Kathy's websites:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html
http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html
http://kathystemke.weebly.com

GREAT NEW GAME TO PRACTICE MULTIPLICATION FACTS!

If your child likes games or likes the computer, he/she will love to practice their multiplication facts with this new game. A cute robot mouse takes you into different worlds and over hazards to get to the right multiplication answer.


CLICK ON THIS LINK TO TRY A FREE DEMO!
www.arithmemouse.com?xyz=12

Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html
http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html
http://kathystemke.weebly.com

THE LETTER X

Show the children a real x-ray. Share with them that an x-ray is a picture of human bones. The human skeleton consists of 206 bones. These bones support your body and allow you to move. Bones contain a lot of calcium (an element found in milk, broccoli, and other foods). Bones manufacture blood cells and store important minerals.

The longest bone in our bodies is the femur (thigh bone). The smallest bone is the stirrup bone inside the ear. Each hand has 26 bones in it. Your nose and ears are not made of bone; they are made of cartilage, a flexible substance that is not as hard as bone.

PASTA SKELETON

This pasta skeleton is easily made from a few different types of pasta and dried beans glued to a piece of black construction paper. They can write the word X-ray on the bottom of the "X-ray".

THE X POEM

X is the Roman name for ten,
X is the mark of many men;

X means a crossing, as drivers may note,
X in a square also counts as a vote;

Xmas is Christmas, a season of bliss,
X in a letter is good for one kiss;

X is for xylophone music renowned,
X marks the spot where the treasure is found.

Make a xylophone paper craft!

1. Cut out eight various size color bars for a xylophone.
2. Discus and identify each color bar. Example: Hold a color bar and say: What color is this? Yes, yellow. What other things are yellow. How about the sun or a lemon.
3. Shape - The rectangle. For this activity we can focus on the rectangle shape of each color bar. Discuss that the color panels are rectangles (two long sides and two short sides). Have the children find other things around them that are rectangles - a door, a refrigerator, window, area rug or table.
4. Alphabet Letter X- Each color bar displays two letter X's, discuss and identify the X. Display the Xylophone poster and say that xylophone starts with the letter X.
5. Counting & Sizing: Have the children count and organize the color bar rectangles in size sequence from shortest to longest. Ask which bar is the shortest? Which is the longest?

Make a Water and Rainbow Colors Xylophone

Many of you are probably familiar with the water xylophone in elementary school. This one has one additional element: color mixing

1. You need six to eight glasses or glass jars (I use jam/jelly jars) the same size.
2. Line them up next to each other but not touching. Gradually add water to each jar from a little to the last one close to the rim.
3. Add a bit of tempera paint or food coloring showing children how mixing the primary colors will yield the secondary color - start with red, then mix red and yellow to get orange, the third glass is yellow, and so forth in the same order of the rainbow.
4. To keep the glasses steady make a base with play dough and press the glass on the base.
5. Give children new pencils or regular metal spoons and have them tap the glasses to hear the different sounds that are produced. The glasses with more water will produce a lower pitch sound, and those with less water will produce a higher pitch sound.

X SOUND POEM

By crossing two lines
this letter called X
Can sound like K-S
If it comes at the end of
A word such as flex

Number Writing and Recognition

There are only ten digits that repeat themselves to make all numbers. It's essential for children to learn how to write and identify these digits. Children will enjoy reciting the following poem that explains how to write each digit. You can tape large numbers on the floor, have the children walk on them the way they would write them, as they recite this poem.

NUMBER PRINTING POEM

Number 1 is like a stick
A straight line down
that's very quick!

For number 2
go right around
Then make a line
across the ground!

Go right around
What will it be?
Go round again
to make a 3!

Down and over
and down some more
That's the way
to make a 4!

Go down and around
Then you stop
Finish the 5
with a line on top!

Make a curve
Then a loop
There are no tricks
to making a 6!

Across the sky
and down from heaven
That's the way
to make a 7!

Make a "S"
And then don't wait
Climb up again
to make an 8!

Make a loop
And then a line
That's the way
to make a 9!

Make a 1
and then an "o"
10 are all your fingers
you know!

GOLF TEE NUMBERS
Use golf tees and foam board to practice forming numbers.

NUMBERED MUSICAL CHAIRS
Have the children walk around a line of chairs. Place a number on each chair. When the music stops, everyone sits on a chair and holds their number up. The children take turns identiying the numbers.

PINE CONE NUMBERS
Place poster board pine cones with numbers on the back onto a small Christmas tree. The children take turns grabbing a pine cone and identifying the number. For added fun everyone can jump in place to match the pine cone number. If you want an activity that can be done in their seat, the children can count out a number of objects to match the pine cone number. To take this activity to the next level, have a child pick two pine cone numbers for the class to add together.

HOW WHALES EVOLVED

A whale is not as small as us.
Most whales are bigger than a bus!
Whales are not like fish in the sea.
Whales breathe air like you & me.
Whales can't walk upon the ground.
Whales must swim to get around.
A whale is a mammal just like me.
But its home is in the deep blue sea.

How could a whale have evolved from a mammal that lived and walked in the forest to an animal that lives and swims with its flippers in the sea? When most animals were developing limbs and climbing out of the oceans, the whales were developing fins and walking into the oceans. Whales evolved from warm-blooded, air breathing mammalian ancestors that lived on land, had large brains, and gave birth to their young alive, to an efficient swimming and eating machine that lives in the great oceans of the world.

NATURAL SELECTION
In nature, nothing is more constant than change. Animals adapt by producing anatomical, physiological, and behavioral traits that promote survival and reproduction. Adaptations evolve in response to interactions with other organisms and with the physical environment. Animals that adapt better, survive better, and leave more offspring with a copy of their genes than others in the population.

HOW DID IT HAPPEN?
About 57 million years ago, certain animals lived near the sea and would hunt just off the shoreline for fish. Because the sea was not very deep they could do this easily. As the hunt required further excursion into the deeper waters, the proto-whales who were best at swimming reproduced in greater numbers than those who weren’t. Gradually, their front legs became smaller and were useful as flippers, while the hind feet became larger and helped better propel the animal through the water. Later, the back legs changed into the horizontal extension of the tail, known in the modern whale as the fluke. They further evolved adaptations for diving and hearing under water. The transition from land to sea presented difficulties for which adaptations developed over many generations. Smooth skin and loss of protruding ear parts and hind limbs streamlined whales for swimming. The nostrils moved to the top of the head to facilitate breathing and an insulating layer of blubber replaced hair for warmth. The body, supported by water, was able to reach its enormous size.

ANCIENT FOSSIL PROOF
Whale fossils show the intermediate stages in the evolution of early whales to be of four distinct types. These fossils are evidence that whales evolved from a terrestrial animal.

A 52 million year old fossil found by Dr. Phil Gingrich, consisted of a very primitive whale skull with teeth and ear structures akin to those of terrestrial mammals, yet it had other features, which defined it as a whale. While it fed on fish, it could not dive deeply and probably spent much time on land.

A 50 million year old fossil shows a whale that was adapted to life in water as well as land. This transitional whale had large hind legs like a land dweller, and may have used them for walking as well as swimming. Its spine was long and flexible, with a tail not yet modified for propulsion. The most extraordinary feature of this animal was his enormous hind feet, which must have provided the major propulsive force in swimming.

A 45 million year old fossil shows an animal that had leg bones large enough to support the body on land. It is believed these whales spent most of their time in water, feeding on fish, but reproducing on land.

A 40 million year old fossil, Basilosaurus, burst onto the scientific scene with a bang. It was an advanced form of whale with a long flexible spine, forelegs modified into flippers for steering and stabilization, and a modified tail for propulsion. The hind legs were very tiny, and unable to support the animal’s weight. It was not able to walk on land.

Dr. Castello Banfi found 5 million year old, practically complete, 33-foot long fossil in 2007 in Itlay. We’re all anxious waiting for the exciting findings of his investigations.

REMNANTS FOUND IN TODAY’S WHALE
Inside the fin of a modern whale, you can still find the bones of an arm and hand. Today’s whale is equipped with a pelvis bone, which has long ago lost its function. And unlike fish, modern whales have lungs and nostrils called blowholes, and must surface occasionally to breathe.

When climates change due to geologic processes, animals have to adapt or face extinction. Whales certainly changed in a most unusual way. By reversing the water to land adaptation, and becoming an efficient mammal for ocean life, it is remaining one of the most fascinating evolutions of all time.