Skills:
K-2: number recognition, counting, pattern, addition, geometry
3-5: addition, even numbers, geometry
The idea to do something with a target came to me when I was watching the World Curling Championships. Although the sport of curling doesn’t use number values for each of the rings, it reminded me of archery targets which do have number values, although not necessarily indicated on the target itself.
Skills:
K-2: counting, number recognition, comparing, addition/subtraction, logic/reasoning skills, geometric shapes
3-5: logic/reasoning skills, addition/subtraction, beginning algebra
This scale weight problem is a fun way to introduce algebraic thinking. Although for the young students, simply recognizing numbers and counting the animals is good enough. They can even describe the geometric shapes used to make the scales.
Skills:
K-2: counting, skip counting, patterns, even/odd numbers
3-5: even/odd numbers, patterns, multiples, factors, multiplication, common multiples, prime/composite numbers
When students learn to skip count* they are reciting the multiples of the number they started with. It’s a great early introduction to multiplication. This poster is a horizontal representation of some of the multiples for numbers 1 – 23 which are represented by different colors. For example, multiples of 1 are magenta; multiples of 2 are yellow; 3 are green, etc.
Factors are the numbers multiplied together to arrive at another number. For example, 2 and 3 are the factors that, when multiplied, result in the product 6. This poster shows the factors of each number vertically. The factors of 6 are: 1 (magenta), 2 (yellow), 3, (green), and 6 (blue).
1 x 6 = 6 and 2 x 3 = 6
Everyone loves to play games. They’re engaging, motivating, and fun. And from an educational perspective, they can be a powerful learning tool. Here’s what games can do:
But one of the best things about games is that they offer meaningful practice in a way where kids actually want to do math. That’s because games, by their very nature, are fun. It’s not too hard to entice a child to play a game. And because of that, games offer important practice in a way that worksheets can’t.
I was talking to my youngest son over the winter break about the college courses he had signed up for this next quarter. What he answered surprised me. “I signed up for US Constitutional Issues. I’m SO excited to take this class. The professor is amazing! I took his American History Pre-1865 class last quarter and loved it. He’s so passionate about the material and makes it exciting because he tells it as a story. Plus, he relates it to…