Integrating the Arts

Integrating the Arts

www.integratingthearts.yolasite.com

By: Carol Schneider

Title:   Long Division Piggyback Song

Grade Level:  5^th                                                                                      

Subject:  Math

Content Covered:  Long Division

Materials Needed:

·         White board and marker

·         Pencil

·         Paper

Procedure:

1.      Explain to students that a piggyback song is created by borrowing a familiar melody and making up your own words.  Example:  Using the song Row, Row, Row Your Boat, I changed the words in order to teach hand washing. 

Wash, wash, wash your hands

On top and in between

Rinse, rinse, rinse, rinse

Now your hands are clean.

2.      Tell students that they are going to create their own piggyback song using the concept of long division, memorize the lyrics, and sing or say the song to the class or teacher.

3.      Brainstorm song ideas with students.  Example:  Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, Mary Had a Little Lamb, Addams Family, Happy Birthday, Farmer in the Dell, The Wheels on the Bus, The Ants go Marching, Three Blind Mice, Old MacDonald, I’m a Little Teapot, jingle Bells, London Bridges, Bing, etc…. Write these examples on the board for students to view.

4.      Brainstorm with students the 4 steps in long division and demonstrate a problem on the board for students to view.  Have students write down the steps on the top of their paper.

a)      Divide

b)      Multiply

c)      Subtract

d)     Bring down

5.      Have students create their own piggyback song.

Assessment:

Long Division Piggyback Song Rubric

Total Points ________________/6

Comments:

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Extensions:

This lesson can be adapted to fit any content in any subject area.   Examples:  Parts of speech, nouns and verbs, parts of a cell, thirteen colonies, etc….           

Teacher Comments:

            Piggyback songs are great for transitions.  I even let my students come up with their own transition songs.

Resources: 

This lesson is adapted from Lesley University Instructor of Multiple Perspectives through Music professor Dawn Kolakoski.