Adding the Doubles to 20

 

I have always found songs to be a great strategy for teaching math or ANY subject!  Learning songs work! I have used them in 1^st through 4^th grades!  They get stuck in the kiddos’ heads (and mine!)  and the more times they sing that song in their heads, the more practice they have mastering the topic.

 

Twenty years ago, I wrote a song for my first graders as they were learning to add their doubles.  This is a particularly fun math song using the familiar tune, ‘The Ants Go Marching’.  My first graders ADORED doing the actions that go with the song – particularly the serious face and refrain, “Doubles – No troubles!”

 

Let me demo the song and the actions for you with this short video.  The first part is the song. 

 The second part is an extension idea that really ramps up the learning.  The song is not sung in 1,2,3 order anymore but in random order of your mixed-up flashcards. This idea, with the mixed-up flashcards, can be a wonderful time filler for those 3-5 minutes you have to fill before lunch or before going home.

 

Feel free to use this doubles song and extension idea with your students!  I hope they love it as much as mine did!  Have them go home and teach it to their families!

 

If you like this fun math song and would like to have more materials to extend the learning, I have a product  in TPT with super cute, colorful ants to help you teach the song.  The first half of the download is a PowerPoint that helps you teach the song with colorful visuals.  For example, “1 + 1 is 2 you know, Hurrah! Hurrah!”

 

 The second half of the PowerPoint is a duplicate EXCEPT the sums have been omitted.  You still sing it the same way with your kiddos, just pause at the missing sum and they continue to sing and fill in the sum. For example,

“1 + 1 is  ___  you know, Hurrah! Hurrah!”

 

 Now available in Google Slides as well:

 

The file in TPT also includes a printable song lyrics sheet.

 

 

 

 

 A mini book featuring the adorable ants is also in the TPT file that the students can color, cut, and assemble.

 

 I also include the doubles flashcards.  I am sure you already have flashcards, but sometimes it's nice not to have to sort through your stack to find the right ones.  And, as was often my case, I was missing the 2 + 2 or the 9 + 9 card when I really needed them!

 

Also, if you are a member of Boom Learning, I have a set of Boom Cards that use the same cute and colorful ants to help students practice their double facts.  If you aren’t familiar with Boom Learning and Boom Cards, I recommend you check them out.  There are so many fun ways for kiddos to practice their learning with games! You can preview the ‘Adding the Doubles’ deck here:

 

 

 

Please leave me feedback with any questions about this activity or to tell me how it went!