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.

Games for Learning

I wrote earlier about the dreaded multiplication tables. I have found some games to

make 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!

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

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

Dice can be used for lots of math activities.

Depending on grade level, the difficulty will vary.

Using two dice for ones and tens works. Have your child roll the dice and look at the numbers.

You can tell them the number to make. If they rolled a 4 and 2, you can ask them to put them in the correct place to create 42....2 in ones place, and 4 in tens place. Or they can choose the number they want to make.

You may want to make a chart, and this could consist of just lines. The number of lines will depend of level of difficulty.

You can also ask that they create the largest number and the smallest number they can given the numbers on the dice.

Six dice will take you through hundred-thousands place, just add more and go to infinity! Dollar stores have colored dice and big dice. Learning doesn't have to be expensive. Teachers love dollar store and the like.

If you rather have your child use numbers instead of the dot, cover them with tape or a sticky dot, and then write the numbers 1-6 on the dice. Wooden cubes can be used also.

Remind them that place value go in order opposite than reading. Exposing them to the words for the place values won't hurt either.

Younger students think it's special to have a placemat or a piece of brightly colored felt to roll their numbers on!

Those dreaded multiplication facts

Yes, it's necessary to know multiplication facts. Some children memorize them immediately, but then others struggle and never really master them. This
hurts them multiplying with one or more factors, and
makes division extremely difficult.
Some children can learn to count by 2,3,4,etc. quickly.

Then they can use fingers as they count just enough to get
them to the number they need. I am not talking about trying to count 5 x 6 on your fingers. Some do this and get confused and frustrated and are wrong most of the time. For example, 3 x 3, they would use 3 fingers and say 3,6,9 and have their answer.

Explore the multiplication chart with them. Have them color the odd numbers one color and the even another. This is good practice in odd and even numbers.

Then study the chart. The rules for multiplication will pop out and it becomes exciting. When you multiply even numbers x even numbers, the answer is even. Even x odd will give an even number. Odd x odd will give an odd number. This information helped some of my students to know they were wrong if the answer should be odd and was not, etc.

In SC we start multiplication in the third grade. I don't know about other states. Before the grade you child starts, work with them counting by each number. Get a good rhythm going with each number set for fun.

You can get a copy of the above chart and others at About.com:Homeschooling.
www.gtcocalcomp.com/erc/interwritebackgrounds... Another chart through 12.

Good math site

The internet provides numerous sites for parents and children. Below is the description of Cool math 4 kids. Visit, enjoy, learn!

Parents & Teachers: Cool math 4 kids is a math site specially designed for what kids like and how they learn! Math really CAN be fun and really CAN be easy to learn. One "thank-you" email I received from a parent said, "No more tears at homework time!" That's what it's all about! I've got lots of lessons and games on the site(s) to make math fun... So, look around... Play together and learn! HAVE FUN!Math opens doors to the future! -------- Coolmath Karen http://www.coolmath4kids.com/