Benefits of Using PowerPoint in the Kindergarten classroom

Let’s face it, in today’s society computers are here to stay. I believe exposing children at a

young age to computers, and instilling in them that computers are a great learning tool, and

not just something to play on can have a positive and life-long effect.

Of course, it’s still important to monitor how often and for how long children are on the

computer. Just as it’s advised to monitor how long they play their video games and which

one’s they are playing.

Benefits continued…One way to introduce children to the positive

aspects of computers and learning is in the classroom. For example, in Kindergarten

children are introduced to the basic fundamentals of math.

By putting those teaching tools into a PowerPoint presentation you can make the learning more fun, exciting, and interactive.

It also promotes a feeling of acceptance and camaraderie among the students because

they are doing the activity together in a group setting.

More Benefits…It can also help children who may not

understand the material, and are too afraid to ask for help.

Keep in mind that using PowerPoint for math in higher grades may not be as beneficial.

Especially if the students are doing formulas. This would be an instance where students

seeing all the steps written out would probably be more beneficial.

However, what you could do is do a slide with the beginning formula and a slide with the

final step and have the students complete the steps in between.

Using PowerPoint for Math in Kindergarten

Learning math is progressive

In the slide that follows you would ask the students to say the number that is missing.

What Belongs Between?

1 3

7 9

Patterns are an important component of learning

In the next two slides students are asked to complete the patterns

Patterns

Number Patterns

1 2 3 4 1 2 3 41 2 3 4 1 2 3 41 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

Understanding Which numbers are larger

In the next slide students learn which group has more and fewer

Write M for more and F for fewer5 M3 F

Learning 5-group

This concept is teaching students to see numbers 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 as having a 5 and

some more. This visual pattern helps students add and subtract and understand numbers. It also helps students with the

concept of (greater) numbers.It’s also helpful while doing this exercise for the

students to use objects to form their 5-group and (more). Such as pennies or pieces of

candy.

6 7 8 9 10

A group of 5 is already in place and students add more circles to get to the above number. This also helps students to count in their head from 5 instead of 1.