Weather Wiz Kids is a fantastic site for weather information. It provides charts for tracking hurricanes and up to date information on Hurricane Hanna.
Browsing the site, you will find pictures, weather instrument definitions, weather history, and even math problems.
Every future scientist will need good math skill! Check out the site with your children. It's a great site. Let me know what you think.
http://www.weatherwizkids.com/index.htm
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Recognizing coins
As a new school year is approaching, I am thinking about my great-niece starting first grade. I know she will
be working with money, and has never learned about coins. I've suggested that within the next couple of weeks, that her mom and dad help her learn to recognize and know names of coins to give her a head start.
Learning the value is hard, too. They should work with this some also.
Time is an issue with them, as they both work full-time and odd hours. My three month old great-nephew is also in the mix and requires his amount of attention. I know it's hard.
Just take a few minutes and talk about coins. When you find one laying around, ask what it is. Keep an eye out for any event that can lead to a little learning, even as simple as cutting an apple for your child's snack and counting the pieces with him.
Life is full of teachable moments with your children, and the best are not planned or very structured. Keep an eye out for the many that occur each day.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Frugal math basket suggestions
Parents, there is no need to go and buy expensive items to help your children in math. Some pre-made games are good, but imagination and inexpensive items may lead you into teachable moments that expand the quest for knowledge in a specific math skill
Suggestions:
Ziplock baggies are a must. Lots of small items can become a burden. Place each set of items in a baggie for neat keeping.
Basket or tub-having all of the items you use with your children can be placed in the basket or tub for easy, out of the way storage.
Assorted buttons will give you many ideas for math skills...sorting, patterns, adding, subtracting, making arrays which will help in multiplying, counting skills.
Dice, you may want to call them number cubes, are a must. I have talked about the uses of dice several times in my math blog.
Felt mats provide a surface that gives more control over the items being used. If dice are being rolled or poured out of a cup, it absorbs sound and keeps them from rolling off the table or desk.
Popsicle sticks are always fun. Beans or buttons can be glued to the sticks for basic counting skills. Also, if prepared specifically for place value, they would be great for building numbers. Ah, another blog with pictures...I just used a teachable moment for myself. Like I've said, the possibilities are endless, and I surely don't know all of them. I keep adding to my list as I write and ideas appear.
Sticky-notes for place value and dozens of other skills.
Small smiley-face stickers can be used for making arrays. An array shows x number of rows containing x number of columns or items in each row. Good for multiplying.
*******
******* Two rows of seven equal 14. Place on small index card, turn card, and use 7 rows of 2 equal 14. Hmm, sounds like another post.
Index cards are a must whether creating arrays, counting, or writing correct math terms for children to recognize. Please remember to use the proper terminology for the math words.
I know I will think of 1001 more things, but these give a strong base to provide working with a wide range of skills in math. Remember, enjoy and have fun learning with your children.
Suggestions:
Ziplock baggies are a must. Lots of small items can become a burden. Place each set of items in a baggie for neat keeping.
Basket or tub-having all of the items you use with your children can be placed in the basket or tub for easy, out of the way storage.
Assorted buttons will give you many ideas for math skills...sorting, patterns, adding, subtracting, making arrays which will help in multiplying, counting skills.
Dice, you may want to call them number cubes, are a must. I have talked about the uses of dice several times in my math blog.
Felt mats provide a surface that gives more control over the items being used. If dice are being rolled or poured out of a cup, it absorbs sound and keeps them from rolling off the table or desk.
Popsicle sticks are always fun. Beans or buttons can be glued to the sticks for basic counting skills. Also, if prepared specifically for place value, they would be great for building numbers. Ah, another blog with pictures...I just used a teachable moment for myself. Like I've said, the possibilities are endless, and I surely don't know all of them. I keep adding to my list as I write and ideas appear.
Sticky-notes for place value and dozens of other skills.
Small smiley-face stickers can be used for making arrays. An array shows x number of rows containing x number of columns or items in each row. Good for multiplying.
*******
******* Two rows of seven equal 14. Place on small index card, turn card, and use 7 rows of 2 equal 14. Hmm, sounds like another post.
Index cards are a must whether creating arrays, counting, or writing correct math terms for children to recognize. Please remember to use the proper terminology for the math words.
I know I will think of 1001 more things, but these give a strong base to provide working with a wide range of skills in math. Remember, enjoy and have fun learning with your children.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Games for Learning
I wrote earlier about the dreaded multiplication tables. I have found some games tomake it fun to work with the facts.
Remember, use the correct math terminology: the answer is the product,
the numbers you multiply are factors.
The first game is Multiplication Madness. It works with facts, words, and problems solving. Once found, children can play by themselves. Click on the red line to get started. Have fun learning!Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Hey, parents, click the red flower............
Math Cats is a fun math site for kids.
It's a marvelous, award-winning site that is worth the time to explore! Wendi Petti has created a really cooooooooooooool
site. Hurry, run fast, visit Math Cats!!!!!!!!!!!!
CLICK THE RED FLOWER AND ENJOY
It's a marvelous, award-winning site that is worth the time to explore! Wendi Petti has created a really cooooooooooooool
site. Hurry, run fast, visit Math Cats!!!!!!!!!!!!
CLICK THE RED FLOWER AND ENJOY
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Place value, value of and stickies
Place value and the value of a number are two different things.
Place -value: ten-thousands, thousands, hundreds, tens, ones
The place a numeral is in a number.
Value (of the number): 3,524 The 3 is in thousands place, therefore its value is 3,000. The 5 is 500, the 2 is 20, and the 4 ones is 4.
Write a single number on a given number of sticky notes. Sticky notes are fun and easy to rearrange. Give your child a number to create by putting the sticky notes in the correct order.
As numbers are made, review the place-value vocabulary. Using the correct math terminology is always important.
Children can also put the sticky notes in order of the values you give them, thus creating a number.
Terms: 1,234 is a number. 1,2,3,4 are each a numeral or a digit.
Place -value: ten-thousands, thousands, hundreds, tens, ones
The place a numeral is in a number.
Value (of the number): 3,524 The 3 is in thousands place, therefore its value is 3,000. The 5 is 500, the 2 is 20, and the 4 ones is 4.
Write a single number on a given number of sticky notes. Sticky notes are fun and easy to rearrange. Give your child a number to create by putting the sticky notes in the correct order.
As numbers are made, review the place-value vocabulary. Using the correct math terminology is always important.
Children can also put the sticky notes in order of the values you give them, thus creating a number.
Terms: 1,234 is a number. 1,2,3,4 are each a numeral or a digit.
Adding and Subtracting
Popsicle sticks have hundreds of uses from crafts to math.
The colored ones just make it more interesting, and the ones shown from http://pionusparrot.com happen to be smaller than usual.
Choose the appropriate number of sticks and count with your child to get a total, and practice counting.
Discuss the meaning of subtracting, or taking away items or numbers. The word difference should also be used, since it is the answer in subtracting. This just gives them practice with using correct math terminology, which is important in the classroom. Being able to read the words is important also, but again depends on age and grade.
Given a known amount of popsicle sticks, ask the child to take away a certain number. Count how many are left.
The same procedure can be used for adding. While putting more sticks into the amount, use words like adding, add, how many altogether, sum (the answer in addition). Covering math terminology is important. Children learn it without knowing it!
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