TAP & TALLY™ LESSONS
Once elementary school students know the tap points on the Tap & Tally™ numerals, they are ready to learn how to count on the numerals to figure out all 390 number facts. For the addition facts, students must know how to count to 18. For the subtraction facts, they must know how to count backward from 18. For the multiplication and division facts, they must be able to count by 2s to 20 (2-4-6- ... -20), 3s to 30 (3-6-9- ... -30), 4s to 40 (4-8-12- ... -40), ..., 10s to 100 (10-20-30- ... -100), called skip counting because the counting skips numbers.
The lessons that follow explain how to count on the Tap & Tally™ numerals for each operation. They also present a method for teaching the meaning of the four fundamental math operations by relating them to familiar activities performed by four math characters: Motley Crab Adder, Tractor Subtracter, Sir Crab Multiplier, and Collider Divider. Use the lessons to introduce the instructional pages for each operation. For example, the first lesson below, Figuring Out the Addition Facts (Counting All), should be used with pages 72-73. The pacing charts on pages 60-67 show when to use all the lessons.
Figuring Out the Addition Facts (Counting All)
Prerequisites: The Tap & Tally™ numerals and knowing how to count to 18. Most kindergartners can already count somewhat when they first enter school. Most of them can learn to count to 18 within a few weeks from the games, activities, songs, rhymes, and children’s books listed on pages 211-213.
Procedure: Count all the tap points, always beginning with the top number in a vertical format or the first number in a horizontal format. The answer is the last number said and is written without tap points. The reason for always beginning with the top or first number is explained in the next lesson on page 42.
Tap & Tally™ Lessons 41-48
Mad Minute Primer
For 3 + 5, count 1-2-3, 4-5-6-7-8, with 8 being the answer.
For 4 + 7, count 1-2-3-4; 5-6, 7-8, 9-10, 11, with 11 being the answer.