| Math Silliness and Smarts Terri (2nd grade) was supposed to do 2 pages of Math the other day before - I forget what else - watching a movie or something. She brought me her Math book when she was through (simple addition problems of three or four one-digit numbers) and I saw a page filled with numbers that looked way too big. It almost looked like she had just scribbled some numbers down to make it look like it was done. My mind was all too ready to jump to this conclusion when I happened to notice an interesting pattern Here are a few examples. See if you see what I saw (G)... 2 3 +7 -- 30 2 7 +3 -- 30 7 3 +7 -- 80 8 2 +8 -- 90 5 1 2 +6 -- 518 Once I figured out what she had done, I recognized that her addition was almost flawless (she got one of the big numbers - which she was obviously doing in her head - off by one), she simply didn't understand how the problems were set-up. So for: 2 3 +7 -- she was adding 23 + 7 and for 5 1 2 +6 -- she was adding 512 + 6 I never cease to be amazed (and often inspired) by the way children think. And she did get to watch the movie. :) Mom learned an important lesson and is thinking of handling Math a little differently in the future. |
|
Macaroni Math: My small children really enjoy playing with a few handfuls of dried macaroni noodles. We sit on the floor and each start with the same number of noodles. Then I create little "word problems" by having the children hand a certain amount to a different person and figure out how many are left. You can also have an extra pile in the middle from which the children can take a certain number to add to their pile, etc. (Anonymous) Hundreds Chart with Dice: You can make a simple hundreds chart on a 10x10 graph and number the boxes from one to one hundred. This is a good visual chart (especially around the kindergarten age) when children are beginning to connect the concept of numbers with written numbers. My children have all enjoyed rolling a dice and moving an object along the hundreds chart as a little counting game. (Anonymous) Learning fractions and decimals with real money: Children often enjoy learning about simple fractions (1/2, 1/4 etc.) and decimals by playing with real coins. They can set up piles of different coins that are equal to each other, practice counting by 5s and 10s with nickels and dimes, and lots more. (Anonymous) Math in the Morning: Try doing math while cuddling in bed in the morning - no paper, no blackboard, but just through images in your minds. (Lory from WI) |
How to make "Geoboards": Geoboards are not really expensive to buy, but I've found that the children
are more interested in things that they have had a hand in making. |
