SPRINKLING MATH CONTENT EARLY
A Wonderful Step between a Warm Up and the
Main Lesson
Learning math for many students is like learning another language. It is important
to teach critical math vocabulary as if it were a language. REACH AHEAD for the
words or formulas representing upcoming topics and start teaching the language in
advance.
For example, if the acronym FOIL is coming up in the next unit, start by making or
purchasing a poster representing FOIL to display on the classroom wall.
Several days before your FOIL lesson is scheduled, start gradually teaching the word
“FOIL” and then fold in the concept. For example, if you were planning to launch
into using FOIL to multiply binomials on Monday, then the following scenario
would sprinkle the content early.

On Wednesday of the week before, show the students the word FOIL
on the poster. Tell them that the lessons about FOIL for multiplying
binomials will be on Monday. (This is assuming that the students have
already mastered the concept of binomials.) With the goal of having
everyone in the class gain a beginning awareness of the word (acronym)
FOIL, simply point to the word and have students chorally say the word
“FOIL” several times with you. This entire process should only take 2-3
minutes before moving on to the next part of the lesson.

Thursday, start your lesson by “sprinkling” FOIL a few more drops worth.”
Return to standing near the FOIL poster to actually visually point to the
word “FOIL” as you ask the students to say it with you 3 or 4 times. This
usually takes patience and maybe even a little theatrics.

Now tell the students that FOIL is actually an acronym for First, Outside,
Inside, Last the terms in a binomial multiplication problem. (Point to
the terms and have the students say “First, Outside, Inside, Last” with
you several times. Now have the students say aloud with you in a choral
response way, “FOIL … First, Outside, Inside, Last.” Have them repeat this
with you 2 or 3 times. Some students will resist at first and maybe forever.
Encourage the students with things like, “Oh come on, please, one more
time only louder” Say it with them each time.

Friday, repeat the same process one more time. This time, take the sprinkle
a bit further, and have them write in their notes by copying, “FOIL means
the product of the First terms plus the product of the Outside terms plus
the product of the Inside terms plus the product of the Last terms. Have
them say this with you a few times.
Have fun with it. Joke with it. Mix it up. But, get the students familiar with
the math vocabulary, which stands for concepts or procedures, before
teaching them how to use it.
Chapter 4 - Classroom Curriculum Alignment
27
SPRINKLING MATH CONTENT EARLY
Brooke Schwartz uses these posters as a pre-instruction “cloud”. She also makes sure to follow the critical attributes of
content posters while creating and hanging these highly effective tools.
Brooke Schwartz
Seminole Middle School
Seminole, FL
28
Teaching for Excellence: Mathematics
SPRINKLING MATH CONTENT EARLY
Clouds for Vocabulary & Formulas
Two weeks before important vocabulary and formulas will be taught, create a
content poster or transparency with upcoming important vocabulary words
or formulas and put it in the front of the room where students will be able
to see it.
QuadraticFormula
2
x
b r b 4 ac
2a
for
2
ax + bx + c = 0
N Step Sprinkling
Next
AAbout a week before you
sstart the unit, lead the
sstudents in Choral Repetition
wwith the upcoming vocabulary
oor the name of the formula –
uuse three repetitions. Repeat
tthis each day.
“
“Wetter”
Sprinkling.
Lead the students in Choral
Repetition with a meaning
making phrase or the
fformula. Make sure to do it 3
ttimes. Repeat this for several
days, and if possible, put it to
rhythm or song.
Shower
For about a day or two before the actual lesson on using the quadratic
formula, lead the students in Choral Repetition with the whole thing.
Then give a quadratic equation, model identifying a, b, and c, and have the
students identify what the a, b, and c are from the given equation.
Sherita Wilson
Spring ISD
Spring, TX
Chapter 4 - Classroom Curriculum Alignment
29