LET’S TALLY MAN – POWERFUL IDEAS FOR TALLY MARK INSTRUCTION

Well, hello!!!  It has been what seems like ages since I have been on this page of mine.  So glad to FINALLY be sittin’ down for a little cyber time this evening.

I wanted to take a moment to share something that has been working in our class as of late.  So, here are a few tricks that we learned this past week when it comes to introducing tally marks.  

Let’s be honest.  Tally marks can be super abstract for some babes (when to add that dang line can get confusing), but they are a powerful introduction to organizing data, counting on, and skip counting by 5s.  I guess they aren’t noted as a specific common core standard, but I think tallies fit or play into a handful of different standards.  They are oh so valid to teach!

With this said, I pulled a new idea out of my bum this week that proved to be super powerful.  It all sparked from a lonely orange pool noodle that I spied hiding in the clearance bin at my local grocery store.  The notion of “HUMAN TALLY MARKS” immediately popped into my noggin.  I envisioned a knockout of a lesson that not only had the kiddos engaged and learning, but also giggling their way through our LONG afternoon math block.  Well, guess what?  It was even better than I expected!  You have to try this my friends.