Mathematical properties are actually quite useful when it comes to making sense of math. For example, the commutative property of addition helps make adding numbers a little easier. If we know that the order the numbers are added does not matter, then in the problem 2 + 9, adding the 2 onto the 9 is easier and more efficient than adding the 9 onto the 2. The Common Core State Standards in Mathematics requires all third grade students to know…
Cookies in math class? Absolutely! This fun and engaging hands-on activity will get your students excited about doing math. Students will be designing their perfect cookie within the limits of a budget. They will be filling out order forms for cookies, candy and frosting then designing and drawing their final product. This fun activity seamlessly ties in important concepts in math, specifically, addition, subtraction, multiplication and division with money, and attributes of geometric shapes. This lesson is divided into grades…
Making sense of and understanding mathematics is the foundation of the new Common Core State Standards in Mathematics. It is not enough that kids can compute with numbers – they must understand why those computations work. Enter Number Theory, the part of math that explores numbers and how they relate to each other. At the heart of Number Theory are the properties of number. One of the first ones students will encounter is the Commutative Property of Addition. It states…
What a treat it was for me to work with two second graders yesterday in Mrs. Durbin’s class. Mrs. Durbin created a fun project for these two high math students to provide them with extra challenge. I’m there to help facilitate them while she teaches the rest of the class. When I arrived for my first session with them last week, they had already collected their data. Their chosen topic was sports equipment in the primary grades. They wanted to…
How do we get our young children comfortable with numbers? We count things with them. Lots and lots of things. We count the number of forks on the table, the number of grapes on the plate, the number of pennies in our pocket. Counting just becomes something we do. Here’s a fun, hands-on project that turns counting into a game. You’ll need: -1-2 empty “cube” tissue boxes (the boxes are not exactly cubes, but close enough) -colored construction paper -glue…