I love the idea of having at least one What do you notice? posters at our Family Math Night events. I started it last year when I did an event at an IB school and the two teachers I was working with wanted to tie in some of the IB inquiry philosophy. It was really fun to watch the kids standing in front of the posters trying to ‘notice’ things. Besides, they got an extra Estimation Jar slip for…
Mathematics has been described as the science of pattern. That’s because pattern is the foundation of all work done in math and is the thread that binds all parts of mathematics together. Through recognizing, describing, extending, and generalizing patterns in quantities, numbers, shapes, and space, we learn that there is a sense of order and predictability to math. We come to realize that the rules and procedures that we are so used to using actually evolved as efficient ways to…
Halloween candy seems like an unusual place to find math. But, it turns out, there are some great skill-building activities that can be done with these yummy treats….all in the context of something kids love – candy! Here are four fun and educational post-trick-or-treating activities: ~ CANDY SORT ~ Have your child place all their candy in a pile. Ask her to sort the candy into groups. As she is sorting, ask her why she chose the groups she did….
Games are a great way to reinforce math skills because kids are getting practice within the context of something fun. And when kids get to be a part of making the game, well, it’s even more fun. Here’s an easy game to make with your child that will help develop skills such as: numeral recognition counting beginning addition facts concentration Materials Needed: 20 4 x 5 blank index cards or cardstock stickers and/or rubber stamps 10-frames (optional) Directions: Help your…
We often spend a lot of time teaching fractions as pieces of a pie. And that’s one way to represent fractions. But they should also be represented on a number line and as parts of a set. This fun and easy fraction flip book is a great way for students to show these multiple representations of fractions. There is also a flap where students write the definition of a fraction including the denominator and numerator. In addition, they can show…