Acknowledgments
This book was made possible with help from the following
people: Phil Demartini, Headmaster, St. Francis School, Goshen,
Kentucky;, Janet G. Gillespie, Teacher, Woodlawn Elementary
School, Portland, Oregon; David Kanter; Sharon Nelson,
Principal, Lower School, Isidore Newman School, New Orleans,
Louisiana; Kathy Rabin, Teacher, Isidore Newman School; and
Annette Raphel, Curriculum Coordinator, Milton Academy, Milton,
Massachusetts.
Others who reviewed early drafts or provided information
and guidance include: Iris Carl, Past President, National
Council of Teachers of Mathematics; Mary Connolly, Marketing
Manager, Elementary Mathematics, DC Heath; Julie Fisher,
Visiting Mathematics Educator, National Council of Teachers of
Mathematics; Vera M. White, Principal, Jefferson Junior High
School, Washington, D.C.; and many people in the U.S.
Department of Education.
Special thanks go to Leo and Diane Dillon for their advice
on how to work with illustrators and to Alison Goldstein and
Emily Dorfman, two Maryland third graders who marked the
manuscript for color overlays. Appreciation is also expressed
to Nathan and Julie Kanter for testing many of the activities
contained in this book.
Patsy E. Kanter is Assistant Principal/Curriculum
Coordinator at the Isidore Newman Lower School in New Orleans,
Louisiana. She is also an instructor of family math and a
consultant for the Louisiana Children's Museum. She has been an
elementary school mathematics teacher, and she founded the
Newman Math Institute at Newman School. She is the author, with
Janet Gillespie, of Every Day Counts and Math Every Day and has
written articles on mathematics for professional magazines. She
has a B.A. from Newcomb College, and, in listing her academic
credentials, she credits her mother, Louise Hirsch Friedler, as
being her first teacher, "who always tried to make learning
interesting for me."
Jerry Guillot is the art teacher for Isidore Newman Lower
School in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he has taught for the
past 24 years. He has a B.A. from Lousiana State University and
received his teaching certification from Tulane University. He
has taught classes and workshops on elementary art for both
college students and private organizations. He is also a
graphic artist for a New Orleans company.
Brian A. Griffin (pages 10, 11, 30, 35, 45, 46) is a
designer for the San Jose Mercury News, San Jose, California.
He was formerly the Art Director of Kids Today, a weekly
children's newspaper published by Gannett Co., Inc. He has won
awards from the Society of Newspaper Design, PRINT Regional
Design Annual, and the Art Director's Club of Metropolitan
Washington.
What We Can Do
To Help Our Children Learn:
Listen to them and pay attention to their problems.
Read with them.
Tell family stories.
Limit their television watching.
Have books and other reading materials in the house.
Look up words in the dictionary with them.
Encourage them to use an encyclopedia.
Share favorite poems and songs with them.
Take them to the library--get them their own library cards.
Take them to museums and historical sites, when possible.
Discuss the daily news with them.
Go exploring with them and learn about plants, animals, and
local geography.
Find a quiet place for them to study.
Review their homework.
Meet with their teachers.
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Parents and the Schools
Parents and the Schools
Here are a few ideas that might help you support a
positive math environment in your child's school:
1. Visit the school and see if the children:
* Are actively engaged in math;
* Are talking about mathematics;
* Are working together to solve math problems;
* Have their math work on display;
* Use manipulatives (objects that children can touch and
move) in the classroom.
2. Explore the math program with your child's teacher,
curriculum coordinator, or principal. Here are some
questions you might ask:
* Are there manipulatives in the classroom?
* Are you familiar with the National Council of Teachers of
Mathematics standards (see next page)?
* How are the standards being used in this school?
* What can I do to help foster a strong math program where
children can explore math concepts before giving the right
answer?
3. If you would like to help out, here are some suggestions
for parent groups:
* Make games for teachers;
* Help seek out sponsors who believe in a strong math
program for the school and who might provide materials and
resources;
* Support math classes for families at your school.
4. Keep a positive attitude even if you don't like what you
see. Work to improve the math curriculum by doing some of
the things mentioned throughout this book.
5. Share this book with your child's teacher.
What Should I Expect from a Math Program?
The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) has
recently endorsed standards by which math should be taught in
the elementary and middle grade years. The powerful nature of
these standards is that they not only have the endorsement of
the academic community, but they are also heavily endorsed by
corporations. These endorsements, together with the
technological advances of our society and the lack of math
confidence in our work force, have combined to produce
tremendous support for the standards.
These standards make some assumptions about the way math
should be taught and what parents might see when visiting the
classroom. Here are some examples:
1. Children will be engaged in discovering mathematics, not
just doing many problems in a book.
2. Children will have the opportunity to explore,
investigate, estimate, question, predict, and test their
ideas about math.
3. Children will explore and develop understanding for math
concepts using materials they can touch and feel, either
natural or manufactured.
4. The teacher will guide the students' learning, not dictate
how it must be done.
5. Children will have many opportunities to look at math in
terms of daily life and to see the connections among math
topics such as between geometry and numbers.
6. Children will be actively involved in using technology
(calculators and computers) to solve math problems.
The complete list of standards is available from NCTM,
1906 Association Drive, Reston, Virginia 22091-1593
(1-800-235-7566).
Resources
1. Math for parents:
Burns, Marilyn. Math for Smarty Pants. Little, Brown and
Company.
Burns, Marilyn. The I Hate Mathematics Book. Little, Brown and
Company.
Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics.
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Reston, Virginia
Help Your Child Learn Number Skills. Usborne Parents' Guides,
EDC Publishing, 10302 East 55th Place, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74146.
The Learning With Series. Cuisenaire Company, P.O. Box 5026,
White Plains, New York 106025026, 1-800-237-3142.
Parker, Tom, (1984). In One Day. Houghton Mifflin Company.
Reys, Barbara. Elementary School Mathematics: What Parents
Should Know about Estimation. National Council of Teachers of
Mathematics. Reston, Virginia. 10 for $7.50.
Reys, Barbara. Elementary School Mathematics: What Parents
Should Know About Problem Solving. National Council of Teachers
of Mathematics. Reston, Virginia. 10 for $7.50.
Room, Adrian. The Guiness Book of Numbers. Sterling Publishing
Company, Inc., 387 Park Avenue South, New York, New York
10016-8810.
Stenmark, Virginia Thompson and Ruth Cossey. Family Math.
Lawrence Hall of Science, University of California at Berkeley,
Berkeley California 94720.
Thomas, David A., (1988). The Math-Computer Connection.
Franklin Watts.
Thomas, David A., (1988). Math Projects for Young Scientists.
Franklin Watts.
Math Matters. National PTA and Exxon Foundation. Video tape and
pamphlet useful for parent meetings.
The following pamphlets are available from the National Council
of Teachers of Mathematics, 1906 Association Drive, Reston,
Virginia 22091-1593 (1-800-235-7566). All are priced 20 for $5,
100 for $15.
"Family Math Awareness Activities"
"Help Your Child Learn Math"
"Using Calculators to Improve Your Child's Math Skills"
2. Books for children:
Almost every book you read with your child will offer the
opportunity to talk about math, because math is everywhere.
Some books lend themselves more to in-depth and specific math
discussion. Only a fraction of these books could be listed
here.
Anno, Mitsumasa. Anno's Counting Book. Thomas Y. Crowell.
Anno, Mitsumasa. Anno's Counting House. Philomel Books.
Anno, Mitsumasa. Anno's Hat Trick. Philomel Books.
Anno, Mitsumasa. Anno's Math Games. Philomel Books.
Anno, Mitsumasa. Anno's Mysterious Multiplying Jar. Philomel
Books.
Carle, Eric. The Grouchy Ladybug. Philomel Books.
Carle, Eric. 1,2,3 to the Zoo. Philomel Books.
Carle, Eric. The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Philomel Books.
Carter, David. How Many Bugs in a Box? Simon and Schuster.
Cobb, Vicki and Kathy Darling. Bet You Can. Avon.
Cobb, Vicki and Kathy Darling. Bet You Can't. Avon.
Conran, Sebastian. My First 123 Book. Aladdin Books.
Daly, Eileen. 1 Is Red. Western.
Dee, Ruby. Two Ways to Count to Ten. Holt.
Demi. Demi's Count the Animals 123. Grosset and Dunlap.
Feelings, Muriel. Moja Means One: Swahili Counting Book. Dial.
Grayson, Marion. Let's Count. Robert B. Luce, Inc.
Grayson, Marion. Count Out. Robert B. Luce, Inc.
Hoban, Tana. Circles, Triangles, and Squares. MacMillan
Publishing Company, Inc.
Hoban, Tana. Count and See. Macmillan Publishing Company, Inc.
Hoban, Tana. Is It Rough, Is It Smooth, Is It Bumpy? Macmillan
Publishing Company, Inc.
Hudson, Cheryl. Afro-Bets 123 Book. Just Us Productions.
Hutchins, Pat. The Doorbell Rang. Greenwillow Books.
Hutchins, Pat. One Hunter. Greenwillow Books.
Jones, Carol. This Old Man. Houghton Mifflin Company.
Keats, Ezra Jack. Over in the Meadow. Scholastic. Kitchen,
Bert. Animal Numbers. Dial.
Kredenser, Gaff. One Dancing Drum. Phillips.
Lionni, Leo. Numbers To Talk About. Pantheon Books.
Marley, Deborah. Animals One to Ten. Raintree.
McMillan, Bruce. Counting Wildflowers. Lothrop, Lee & Shepard
Books, Inc.
McMillan, Bruce. One, Two, One Pair. Scholastic. Nolan, Dennis.
Monster Bubbles. Prentice Hall.
Pluckrose, Henry. Know about Counting. Franklin Watts.
Pomerantz, Charlotte. The Half-Birthday Party. Clarion Books.
Ross, H.L. Not Counting Monsters. Platt and Munk.
Schwartz, David M. How Much Is a Million? Lothrop, Lee &
Shepard Books, Inc.
Schwartz, David M. If You Made a Million. Lothrop, Lee &
Shepard Books, Inc.
Tafuri, Nancy. Who's Counting? William Morrow & Co.
Testa, Fulvio. If You Take a Pencil. Dial.
Viorst, Judith. Alexander Who Used To Be Rich Last Sunday.
Atheneum.
Vogel, Ilse-Margret. 1 Is No Fun, But 20 Is Plenty.t Atheneum.
Ziefert, Harriet. A Dozen Dizzy Dogs. Random House.
3. Magazines and periodicals:
Dynamath. Scholastic. Available from the school division.
Filled with many different activities that involve all strands
of math. Children in grade 5 particularly like this. Nine
publications are sent each school year. $5.00 for the
subscription.
Games Magazine, P.O. Box 10147, Des Moines, Iowa 50347.
The adult version of Games Junior (see below). Older children
may prefer this to Games Junior.
Games Junior, P.O. Box 10147, Des Moines, Iowa 50347. A
challenging but fun magazine of all different kinds of games
that give children hours of "brain workouts." Appropriate for
ages 7 and up.
Math Power. Scholastic. Available from the school
division. Exciting and inviting, this magazine is filled with
many activities that involve all types of math. Good for grades
3 and 4. Nine publications are sent each school year for $5.00.
Puzzlemania. Highlights, P.O. Box 18201, Columbus, Ohio
43218-0201. Includes puzzles involving words, logical thinking,
hidden pictures, spatial reasoning, etc. The cost is about
$7.50 per month.
Zillions. Consumer Reports, P.O. Box 54861, Boulder,
Colorado 80322. Children's version of Consumer Reports. Shows
math in the real world and offers children the opportunity to
see how gathering data and information can lead to good
decision-making. The cost is approximately $2.75 per issue.
Here are a few ideas that might help you support a
positive math environment in your child's school:
1. Visit the school and see if the children:
* Are actively engaged in math;
* Are talking about mathematics;
* Are working together to solve math problems;
* Have their math work on display;
* Use manipulatives (objects that children can touch and
move) in the classroom.
2. Explore the math program with your child's teacher,
curriculum coordinator, or principal. Here are some
questions you might ask:
* Are there manipulatives in the classroom?
* Are you familiar with the National Council of Teachers of
Mathematics standards (see next page)?
* How are the standards being used in this school?
* What can I do to help foster a strong math program where
children can explore math concepts before giving the right
answer?
3. If you would like to help out, here are some suggestions
for parent groups:
* Make games for teachers;
* Help seek out sponsors who believe in a strong math
program for the school and who might provide materials and
resources;
* Support math classes for families at your school.
4. Keep a positive attitude even if you don't like what you
see. Work to improve the math curriculum by doing some of
the things mentioned throughout this book.
5. Share this book with your child's teacher.
What Should I Expect from a Math Program?
The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) has
recently endorsed standards by which math should be taught in
the elementary and middle grade years. The powerful nature of
these standards is that they not only have the endorsement of
the academic community, but they are also heavily endorsed by
corporations. These endorsements, together with the
technological advances of our society and the lack of math
confidence in our work force, have combined to produce
tremendous support for the standards.
These standards make some assumptions about the way math
should be taught and what parents might see when visiting the
classroom. Here are some examples:
1. Children will be engaged in discovering mathematics, not
just doing many problems in a book.
2. Children will have the opportunity to explore,
investigate, estimate, question, predict, and test their
ideas about math.
3. Children will explore and develop understanding for math
concepts using materials they can touch and feel, either
natural or manufactured.
4. The teacher will guide the students' learning, not dictate
how it must be done.
5. Children will have many opportunities to look at math in
terms of daily life and to see the connections among math
topics such as between geometry and numbers.
6. Children will be actively involved in using technology
(calculators and computers) to solve math problems.
The complete list of standards is available from NCTM,
1906 Association Drive, Reston, Virginia 22091-1593
(1-800-235-7566).
Resources
1. Math for parents:
Burns, Marilyn. Math for Smarty Pants. Little, Brown and
Company.
Burns, Marilyn. The I Hate Mathematics Book. Little, Brown and
Company.
Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics.
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Reston, Virginia
Help Your Child Learn Number Skills. Usborne Parents' Guides,
EDC Publishing, 10302 East 55th Place, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74146.
The Learning With Series. Cuisenaire Company, P.O. Box 5026,
White Plains, New York 106025026, 1-800-237-3142.
Parker, Tom, (1984). In One Day. Houghton Mifflin Company.
Reys, Barbara. Elementary School Mathematics: What Parents
Should Know about Estimation. National Council of Teachers of
Mathematics. Reston, Virginia. 10 for $7.50.
Reys, Barbara. Elementary School Mathematics: What Parents
Should Know About Problem Solving. National Council of Teachers
of Mathematics. Reston, Virginia. 10 for $7.50.
Room, Adrian. The Guiness Book of Numbers. Sterling Publishing
Company, Inc., 387 Park Avenue South, New York, New York
10016-8810.
Stenmark, Virginia Thompson and Ruth Cossey. Family Math.
Lawrence Hall of Science, University of California at Berkeley,
Berkeley California 94720.
Thomas, David A., (1988). The Math-Computer Connection.
Franklin Watts.
Thomas, David A., (1988). Math Projects for Young Scientists.
Franklin Watts.
Math Matters. National PTA and Exxon Foundation. Video tape and
pamphlet useful for parent meetings.
The following pamphlets are available from the National Council
of Teachers of Mathematics, 1906 Association Drive, Reston,
Virginia 22091-1593 (1-800-235-7566). All are priced 20 for $5,
100 for $15.
"Family Math Awareness Activities"
"Help Your Child Learn Math"
"Using Calculators to Improve Your Child's Math Skills"
2. Books for children:
Almost every book you read with your child will offer the
opportunity to talk about math, because math is everywhere.
Some books lend themselves more to in-depth and specific math
discussion. Only a fraction of these books could be listed
here.
Anno, Mitsumasa. Anno's Counting Book. Thomas Y. Crowell.
Anno, Mitsumasa. Anno's Counting House. Philomel Books.
Anno, Mitsumasa. Anno's Hat Trick. Philomel Books.
Anno, Mitsumasa. Anno's Math Games. Philomel Books.
Anno, Mitsumasa. Anno's Mysterious Multiplying Jar. Philomel
Books.
Carle, Eric. The Grouchy Ladybug. Philomel Books.
Carle, Eric. 1,2,3 to the Zoo. Philomel Books.
Carle, Eric. The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Philomel Books.
Carter, David. How Many Bugs in a Box? Simon and Schuster.
Cobb, Vicki and Kathy Darling. Bet You Can. Avon.
Cobb, Vicki and Kathy Darling. Bet You Can't. Avon.
Conran, Sebastian. My First 123 Book. Aladdin Books.
Daly, Eileen. 1 Is Red. Western.
Dee, Ruby. Two Ways to Count to Ten. Holt.
Demi. Demi's Count the Animals 123. Grosset and Dunlap.
Feelings, Muriel. Moja Means One: Swahili Counting Book. Dial.
Grayson, Marion. Let's Count. Robert B. Luce, Inc.
Grayson, Marion. Count Out. Robert B. Luce, Inc.
Hoban, Tana. Circles, Triangles, and Squares. MacMillan
Publishing Company, Inc.
Hoban, Tana. Count and See. Macmillan Publishing Company, Inc.
Hoban, Tana. Is It Rough, Is It Smooth, Is It Bumpy? Macmillan
Publishing Company, Inc.
Hudson, Cheryl. Afro-Bets 123 Book. Just Us Productions.
Hutchins, Pat. The Doorbell Rang. Greenwillow Books.
Hutchins, Pat. One Hunter. Greenwillow Books.
Jones, Carol. This Old Man. Houghton Mifflin Company.
Keats, Ezra Jack. Over in the Meadow. Scholastic. Kitchen,
Bert. Animal Numbers. Dial.
Kredenser, Gaff. One Dancing Drum. Phillips.
Lionni, Leo. Numbers To Talk About. Pantheon Books.
Marley, Deborah. Animals One to Ten. Raintree.
McMillan, Bruce. Counting Wildflowers. Lothrop, Lee & Shepard
Books, Inc.
McMillan, Bruce. One, Two, One Pair. Scholastic. Nolan, Dennis.
Monster Bubbles. Prentice Hall.
Pluckrose, Henry. Know about Counting. Franklin Watts.
Pomerantz, Charlotte. The Half-Birthday Party. Clarion Books.
Ross, H.L. Not Counting Monsters. Platt and Munk.
Schwartz, David M. How Much Is a Million? Lothrop, Lee &
Shepard Books, Inc.
Schwartz, David M. If You Made a Million. Lothrop, Lee &
Shepard Books, Inc.
Tafuri, Nancy. Who's Counting? William Morrow & Co.
Testa, Fulvio. If You Take a Pencil. Dial.
Viorst, Judith. Alexander Who Used To Be Rich Last Sunday.
Atheneum.
Vogel, Ilse-Margret. 1 Is No Fun, But 20 Is Plenty.t Atheneum.
Ziefert, Harriet. A Dozen Dizzy Dogs. Random House.
3. Magazines and periodicals:
Dynamath. Scholastic. Available from the school division.
Filled with many different activities that involve all strands
of math. Children in grade 5 particularly like this. Nine
publications are sent each school year. $5.00 for the
subscription.
Games Magazine, P.O. Box 10147, Des Moines, Iowa 50347.
The adult version of Games Junior (see below). Older children
may prefer this to Games Junior.
Games Junior, P.O. Box 10147, Des Moines, Iowa 50347. A
challenging but fun magazine of all different kinds of games
that give children hours of "brain workouts." Appropriate for
ages 7 and up.
Math Power. Scholastic. Available from the school
division. Exciting and inviting, this magazine is filled with
many activities that involve all types of math. Good for grades
3 and 4. Nine publications are sent each school year for $5.00.
Puzzlemania. Highlights, P.O. Box 18201, Columbus, Ohio
43218-0201. Includes puzzles involving words, logical thinking,
hidden pictures, spatial reasoning, etc. The cost is about
$7.50 per month.
Zillions. Consumer Reports, P.O. Box 54861, Boulder,
Colorado 80322. Children's version of Consumer Reports. Shows
math in the real world and offers children the opportunity to
see how gathering data and information can lead to good
decision-making. The cost is approximately $2.75 per issue.
Number Search
Number Search
The object is to look for numbers around you: on cars,
buses, subways, and on foot.
What you'll need
Some type of transportation or
A place from which to observe
Paper
Pencil
Ruler
What to do
1. Create a chart that lists the numbers from 1-50.
2. Write down each number as family members locate that
number on a car, a sign, a building.
3. Write down words that have numbers in them such as
"one-stop shopping," "two-day service," or "Highway 20."
This is a great challenge for family members of all age,
because even young children can learn to recognize numbers.
License Plates
License plates have numbers and are fun to use to play
games while on the go.
What you'll need
License plates
Paper
Pencil
What to do
1. Copy down a license plate. Read it as a number (excluding
the letters). For example, if the license is 663M218, the
number would be six hundred sixty-three thousand, two
hundred eighteen.
2. Find other license plates and read their numbers. Is the
number less than, greater than, or equal to yours?
3. Estimate the difference between your number and another
license plate. Is it 10, 100, 1,000, or 10,000?
4. Record the names of the states of as many different
license plates as you see. From which state do you see the
most? Which has the fewest? Prepare a chart or graph to
show your findings.
These activities encourage reading, recognizing numbers,
noticing symbols, writing, counting, and graphing.
Total It
This is a good game for practicing quick mental
computation.
What you'll need
License plates
What to do
1. Call out the numbers on the license plate.
2. See who can add the numbers up correctly. What strategies
were used? (Were the numbers added by 10's like 2+8; were
doubles like 6+6 used?)
3. Try different problems using the numbers in a license
plate.
For example, if you use the plate number 663M218, ask,
"Using the numbers on the plate, can you:
make a 1 using two numbers? Yes, 3-2=1.
make a 1 using three numbers? Yes, 6-(3+2)=1
make a 1 using four numbers? Yes, (6+6)-8-3-1
make a 1 using five numbers? Yes, 3-[(6+6)-8-2]=1
make a 1 using six numbers? Yes, 8x2-(6+6)-3=1
make a 2 using 1 number? Yes, the 2.
The problem solving and computation going on in your
child's head is very important. It helps your child be creative
with numbers.
How Long? How Far?
Many times when you are on the go, you are headed
somewhere that requires you be there by a certain time.
What you'll need
Information about how far you're traveling and how long
it will take
What to do
1. Ask your children how far they think you are traveling.
Yards? Blocks? Miles?
2. Talk about how long it takes to get there. If it is 3:15
now, and it takes 45 minutes to get there, will we make it
for a 4:15 appointment? How much extra time will we have?
Will we be late?
These types of questions help children see the usefulness
of understanding distance and time.
Guess If You Can
When children practice asking questions about numbers,
they can develop an understanding of the characteristics and
meanings of numbers.
What you'll need
Questions about numbers
What to do
1. Let your child think of a number between a stated range of
numbers while you try to guess the number by asking
questions. Here is a sample conversation.
Child: I am thinking of a number between 1 and 100.
Parent: Is it more than 50?
Child: No.
Parent: Is it an even number?
Child: No.
Parent: Is it more than 20 but less than 40?
Child: Yes.
Parent: Can you divide this number up into 3 equal parts?
And so on ...
2. After you have guessed your child's number, let your child
guess a number from you by asking similar questions.
The questions asked demonstrate many different levels of
math. They can serve as learning tools for explaining concepts.
For example, you can take the opportunity to explain what an
even number is if your child does not know.
The object is to look for numbers around you: on cars,
buses, subways, and on foot.
What you'll need
Some type of transportation or
A place from which to observe
Paper
Pencil
Ruler
What to do
1. Create a chart that lists the numbers from 1-50.
2. Write down each number as family members locate that
number on a car, a sign, a building.
3. Write down words that have numbers in them such as
"one-stop shopping," "two-day service," or "Highway 20."
This is a great challenge for family members of all age,
because even young children can learn to recognize numbers.
License Plates
License plates have numbers and are fun to use to play
games while on the go.
What you'll need
License plates
Paper
Pencil
What to do
1. Copy down a license plate. Read it as a number (excluding
the letters). For example, if the license is 663M218, the
number would be six hundred sixty-three thousand, two
hundred eighteen.
2. Find other license plates and read their numbers. Is the
number less than, greater than, or equal to yours?
3. Estimate the difference between your number and another
license plate. Is it 10, 100, 1,000, or 10,000?
4. Record the names of the states of as many different
license plates as you see. From which state do you see the
most? Which has the fewest? Prepare a chart or graph to
show your findings.
These activities encourage reading, recognizing numbers,
noticing symbols, writing, counting, and graphing.
Total It
This is a good game for practicing quick mental
computation.
What you'll need
License plates
What to do
1. Call out the numbers on the license plate.
2. See who can add the numbers up correctly. What strategies
were used? (Were the numbers added by 10's like 2+8; were
doubles like 6+6 used?)
3. Try different problems using the numbers in a license
plate.
For example, if you use the plate number 663M218, ask,
"Using the numbers on the plate, can you:
make a 1 using two numbers? Yes, 3-2=1.
make a 1 using three numbers? Yes, 6-(3+2)=1
make a 1 using four numbers? Yes, (6+6)-8-3-1
make a 1 using five numbers? Yes, 3-[(6+6)-8-2]=1
make a 1 using six numbers? Yes, 8x2-(6+6)-3=1
make a 2 using 1 number? Yes, the 2.
The problem solving and computation going on in your
child's head is very important. It helps your child be creative
with numbers.
How Long? How Far?
Many times when you are on the go, you are headed
somewhere that requires you be there by a certain time.
What you'll need
Information about how far you're traveling and how long
it will take
What to do
1. Ask your children how far they think you are traveling.
Yards? Blocks? Miles?
2. Talk about how long it takes to get there. If it is 3:15
now, and it takes 45 minutes to get there, will we make it
for a 4:15 appointment? How much extra time will we have?
Will we be late?
These types of questions help children see the usefulness
of understanding distance and time.
Guess If You Can
When children practice asking questions about numbers,
they can develop an understanding of the characteristics and
meanings of numbers.
What you'll need
Questions about numbers
What to do
1. Let your child think of a number between a stated range of
numbers while you try to guess the number by asking
questions. Here is a sample conversation.
Child: I am thinking of a number between 1 and 100.
Parent: Is it more than 50?
Child: No.
Parent: Is it an even number?
Child: No.
Parent: Is it more than 20 but less than 40?
Child: Yes.
Parent: Can you divide this number up into 3 equal parts?
And so on ...
2. After you have guessed your child's number, let your child
guess a number from you by asking similar questions.
The questions asked demonstrate many different levels of
math. They can serve as learning tools for explaining concepts.
For example, you can take the opportunity to explain what an
even number is if your child does not know.
Get into Shapes
Get into Shapes
The grocery store is filled with geometric shapes.
What you'll need
Items at the store
What to do
1. Show your child the pictures of the shapes on this page
before going to the store. This will help to identify them
when you get to the store.
2. At the store, ask your child questions to generate
interest in the shapes.
Which items are solid? Which are fiat?
Which shapes have fiat sides?
Which have circles for faces? Rectangles?
Do any have points at the top?
3. Point out shapes and talk about their qualities and their
use in daily life.
Look to see what shapes stack easily. Why?.
Try to find some cones. How many can you find?
Look for pyramids.
Determine which solids take up a lot of space and which
ones stack well.
Discuss why space is important to the grocer and why the
grocer cares about what stacks well.
Boxes, cans, rolls of toilet paper or paper towels, ice
cream cones and cones that hold flowers, plus produce such as
oranges, grapes, and tomatoes are all geometric shapes.
Recognizing these shapes helps children connect math to the
real world.
Check Out
The check out counter is where we commonly think about
math in the grocery store. It's where the total is added up,
the money is exchanged, and the change is returned.
What you'll need
All the items you intend to buy
What to do
1. Have your child estimate the total.
2. Ask, if I have 10 one-dollar bills, how many will I have
to give the clerk? What if I have 20 one-dollar bills? 5?
How much change should I receive? What coins will I get?
3. Count the change with your child to make sure the change
is correct.
One way to make estimating totals easy is to assign an
average price to each item. If the average price for each item
is $2 and if you have 10 items, the estimate would be about
$20.
It's in the Bag
Here's some fun estimation to do with bags full of
groceries.
What you'll need
Bags of groceries
What to do
1. Have your child guess how many objects there are in a bag.
Ask: Is it full? Could it hold more? Could it tear if you
put more in it? Are there more things in another bag of
the same size? Why do some bags hold more or less than
others?
2. Estimate the weight of the bag of groceries. Does it weigh
5 pounds, 10 pounds, or more? How can you check your
estimate? Now, compare one bag to another. Which is
lighter or heavier? Why?
This activity exposes children to the experiences of
counting items and comparing qualities, as well as to judging
spatial relationships and capacity. It shows how to estimate
weight by feeling how much the bag weighs, comparing it to a
known weight (such as a 5-pound bag of sugar), or weighing it
on a scale.
Put It Away
Now, the sorting begins as you put away the groceries.
What you'll need
Your bags of groceries
Counter top or table to group items on
What to do
1. Find one characteristic that is the same for some of the
products. For example, some are boxes and some are cans.
2. Put all the items together that have the same
characteristic.
3. Find another way to group these items.
4. Continue sorting, finding as many different ways to group
the items as you can.
5. Play "Guess My Rule." In this game, you sort the items and
invite your child to guess your rule for sorting them.
Then, your child can sort the items, and you can guess the
rule.
Sorting helps children develop classifying and reasoning
skills and the ability to examine data and information.
Math on the Go
In this busy world, we spend a lot of time in transit.
These are some projects to try while you are going from place
to place.
While you're moving, have your children keep theft eyes
open for:
* street and building numbers;
* phone numbers on the sides of taxis and trucks;
* dates on buildings and monuments; and
* business names that have numbers in them.
The grocery store is filled with geometric shapes.
What you'll need
Items at the store
What to do
1. Show your child the pictures of the shapes on this page
before going to the store. This will help to identify them
when you get to the store.
2. At the store, ask your child questions to generate
interest in the shapes.
Which items are solid? Which are fiat?
Which shapes have fiat sides?
Which have circles for faces? Rectangles?
Do any have points at the top?
3. Point out shapes and talk about their qualities and their
use in daily life.
Look to see what shapes stack easily. Why?.
Try to find some cones. How many can you find?
Look for pyramids.
Determine which solids take up a lot of space and which
ones stack well.
Discuss why space is important to the grocer and why the
grocer cares about what stacks well.
Boxes, cans, rolls of toilet paper or paper towels, ice
cream cones and cones that hold flowers, plus produce such as
oranges, grapes, and tomatoes are all geometric shapes.
Recognizing these shapes helps children connect math to the
real world.
Check Out
The check out counter is where we commonly think about
math in the grocery store. It's where the total is added up,
the money is exchanged, and the change is returned.
What you'll need
All the items you intend to buy
What to do
1. Have your child estimate the total.
2. Ask, if I have 10 one-dollar bills, how many will I have
to give the clerk? What if I have 20 one-dollar bills? 5?
How much change should I receive? What coins will I get?
3. Count the change with your child to make sure the change
is correct.
One way to make estimating totals easy is to assign an
average price to each item. If the average price for each item
is $2 and if you have 10 items, the estimate would be about
$20.
It's in the Bag
Here's some fun estimation to do with bags full of
groceries.
What you'll need
Bags of groceries
What to do
1. Have your child guess how many objects there are in a bag.
Ask: Is it full? Could it hold more? Could it tear if you
put more in it? Are there more things in another bag of
the same size? Why do some bags hold more or less than
others?
2. Estimate the weight of the bag of groceries. Does it weigh
5 pounds, 10 pounds, or more? How can you check your
estimate? Now, compare one bag to another. Which is
lighter or heavier? Why?
This activity exposes children to the experiences of
counting items and comparing qualities, as well as to judging
spatial relationships and capacity. It shows how to estimate
weight by feeling how much the bag weighs, comparing it to a
known weight (such as a 5-pound bag of sugar), or weighing it
on a scale.
Put It Away
Now, the sorting begins as you put away the groceries.
What you'll need
Your bags of groceries
Counter top or table to group items on
What to do
1. Find one characteristic that is the same for some of the
products. For example, some are boxes and some are cans.
2. Put all the items together that have the same
characteristic.
3. Find another way to group these items.
4. Continue sorting, finding as many different ways to group
the items as you can.
5. Play "Guess My Rule." In this game, you sort the items and
invite your child to guess your rule for sorting them.
Then, your child can sort the items, and you can guess the
rule.
Sorting helps children develop classifying and reasoning
skills and the ability to examine data and information.
Math on the Go
In this busy world, we spend a lot of time in transit.
These are some projects to try while you are going from place
to place.
While you're moving, have your children keep theft eyes
open for:
* street and building numbers;
* phone numbers on the sides of taxis and trucks;
* dates on buildings and monuments; and
* business names that have numbers in them.
Mathland:
Mathland:
The Grocery Store
The grocery store is one of the best examples of a place
where math is real. Since trips to the grocery usually affect
everyone in the family, the following activities include
various levels of difficulty within the activity. Look for the
symbols to determine which parts of the activities are for
which ages:
for grades K-1
for grades 2 and 3
for grades 4 through 8.
All of these activities can take place over many visits to
the store.
Get Ready
Getting ready to go shopping can help parents and children
share their thinking strategies about math with one another.
What you'll need
Paper
Pencil
Coupons (if you use them)
What to do
1. Involve the family in making a list. List each item and
mark with checks or tallies to indicate the number needed.
2. Look at the price of an item you bought last week and
intend to buy this week. How much did it cost last week?
How much does it cost this week? Do you want to
Pay this week's price?
Wait until the price comes down?
Or, stock up if it is on sale?
3. Involve the group in deciding how much milk or juice will
be needed for a week. You might decide to estimate by
cups, explaining that 4 cups are equal to a quart and 4
quarts are a gallon.
4. If you collect coupons, organize them. Choose the coupons
that match the items on the grocery list. Discuss how much
money will be saved on various items by using coupons.
Practicing measurement and estimation will help improve
your children's ability to predict amounts with accuracy.
Scan It
Shopping is a part of life which really necessitates our
being mathematically informed to be good consumers.
What you'll need
Prices
What to do
1. Notice whether the grocery store has prices on the items
or whether the pricing is dependent on scanners.
2. If there are no prices on the items, notice the prices
listed on the shelves.
3. Assign each child the job of remembering the price of a
few items, particularly those listed on sale.
4. Being aware of the prices of items will help you verify
that the scanners are working properly and that the total
is accurate when you go to check out.
The ever increasing use of technology in the grocery store
puts the burden on you to beware. Your protection lies in
having strong mental math skills.
Weighing In
One fun place to try out estimation and measurement skills
in the grocery store is the produce section where everyone can
have the opportunity to participate.
What you'll need
The grocery scale
What to do
1. Help your child examine the scale. Explain that pounds are
divided into smaller parts called ounces and 16 ounces
equal a pound.
2. Gather the produce you are purchasing, and estimate the
weight of each item before weighing it.
3. Use sample questions to foster thinking about measurement
and estimation. You might Want to ask your child,
How much do you think 6 apples will weigh? More than a
pound, less than a pound, equal to a pound? How much do
the apples really weigh? Do they weigh more or less than
you predicted? How about the potatoes? Will 6 potatoes
weigh more or less than the apples? How much do potatoes
cost per pound? If they cost ___ cents per pound, what is
the total cost?
Some grocery stores have scales that tell all the answers
to these questions, so in that case, estimate using the
same procedure to make sure the machines are accurate.
Activities like this help children develop number sense
for weight and foster the ability to compare items when
measuring.
The Grocery Store
The grocery store is one of the best examples of a place
where math is real. Since trips to the grocery usually affect
everyone in the family, the following activities include
various levels of difficulty within the activity. Look for the
symbols to determine which parts of the activities are for
which ages:
for grades K-1
for grades 2 and 3
for grades 4 through 8.
All of these activities can take place over many visits to
the store.
Get Ready
Getting ready to go shopping can help parents and children
share their thinking strategies about math with one another.
What you'll need
Paper
Pencil
Coupons (if you use them)
What to do
1. Involve the family in making a list. List each item and
mark with checks or tallies to indicate the number needed.
2. Look at the price of an item you bought last week and
intend to buy this week. How much did it cost last week?
How much does it cost this week? Do you want to
Pay this week's price?
Wait until the price comes down?
Or, stock up if it is on sale?
3. Involve the group in deciding how much milk or juice will
be needed for a week. You might decide to estimate by
cups, explaining that 4 cups are equal to a quart and 4
quarts are a gallon.
4. If you collect coupons, organize them. Choose the coupons
that match the items on the grocery list. Discuss how much
money will be saved on various items by using coupons.
Practicing measurement and estimation will help improve
your children's ability to predict amounts with accuracy.
Scan It
Shopping is a part of life which really necessitates our
being mathematically informed to be good consumers.
What you'll need
Prices
What to do
1. Notice whether the grocery store has prices on the items
or whether the pricing is dependent on scanners.
2. If there are no prices on the items, notice the prices
listed on the shelves.
3. Assign each child the job of remembering the price of a
few items, particularly those listed on sale.
4. Being aware of the prices of items will help you verify
that the scanners are working properly and that the total
is accurate when you go to check out.
The ever increasing use of technology in the grocery store
puts the burden on you to beware. Your protection lies in
having strong mental math skills.
Weighing In
One fun place to try out estimation and measurement skills
in the grocery store is the produce section where everyone can
have the opportunity to participate.
What you'll need
The grocery scale
What to do
1. Help your child examine the scale. Explain that pounds are
divided into smaller parts called ounces and 16 ounces
equal a pound.
2. Gather the produce you are purchasing, and estimate the
weight of each item before weighing it.
3. Use sample questions to foster thinking about measurement
and estimation. You might Want to ask your child,
How much do you think 6 apples will weigh? More than a
pound, less than a pound, equal to a pound? How much do
the apples really weigh? Do they weigh more or less than
you predicted? How about the potatoes? Will 6 potatoes
weigh more or less than the apples? How much do potatoes
cost per pound? If they cost ___ cents per pound, what is
the total cost?
Some grocery stores have scales that tell all the answers
to these questions, so in that case, estimate using the
same procedure to make sure the machines are accurate.
Activities like this help children develop number sense
for weight and foster the ability to compare items when
measuring.
Newspaper Search
Newspaper Search
Search through the newspaper for mathematical data.
What you'll need
Newspaper
What to do
1. Numbers in the news. Find the following things in the
paper:
a graph
a number less than 10
something that comes in 2s, 3s, 4s
a number more than 50 the days of the week
a number more than 100
a number that is more than 100 but less than 999
a symbol or word for inches, feet, or yards
a schedule of some kind
a triangle
a weather symbol
a percent sign
sports statistics
2. List it. Provide your child with the grocery section of
the newspaper in order to make up a list of food that will
feed the family for a week and meet a budget of a certain
amount of money. Have your child make a chart and use a
calculator to figure the cost of more than one item. If
the total for the groceries is too great, talk about which
items can be eliminated. Could the list be cut down by a
few items or by buying less of another item? What will
best serve the needs of the family?.
3. For a fraction of the cost. Give your child a few coupons
and grocery ads from the paper. Help your child match the
coupons to some of the grocery items in the ad. What
fraction of the cost is the coupon? For example, if an
item costs 79 cents and the coupon is for 10 cents off,
what fraction of the cost can be saved? (About 1/8.) What
percent are you saving on the item? (About 12 1/2
percent.)
One of the main ways people use numbers is for planning.
Knowing how to plan how much things will cost before going to
the store and how to read schedules and weather information
from the paper will help your child understand the world.
Treasure Hunt
Everyone's house has hidden treasures. There is a lot of
math you and your child can do with them.
What you'll need
Buttons
Screws
Washers
Bottle caps
Old keys
Sea shells
Rocks
or anything else you can count
What to do
1. Find a container to hold the treasures.
2. Sort and classify the treasures. For example, do you have
all the same sized screws or keys? How are they alike? How
are they different?
3. Use these treasures to tell addition, subtraction,
multiplication, and division stories. For example, if we
share 17 buttons among three friends, how many will we
each get? Will there be some left over? Or, if we have 3
shirts that need 6 buttons each, do we have enough
buttons?
4. Organize the treasures by one characteristic and lay them
end-to-end. Compare and contrast the different amounts of
that type of treasure. For example, there are 3 short
screws, 7 long screws, and 11 medium screws. There are 4
more medium screws than long ones. This may also provide
an opportunity to talk about fractions: 7/21 or 1/3 of the
screws are long.
Finding a container to hold the treasures gives your child
practice in spatial problem solving. The treasures may help you
to explain the concepts of addition, subtraction,
multiplication, and division because they can be moved around
and grouped together so your child can count the items.
Family Portrait
Have your child get to know members of your family by
collecting information and picturing it on a graph.
What you'll need
Paper
Pencil
Crayons
What to do
1. Choose an inherited family characteristic: hair colors,
for example.
2. Count how many people in the family have the different
hair colors.
3. Make a graph. For example, if 5 people have brown hair,
draw 5 heads side by side to show these five people. Do
the same for the other hair colors.
Graphs help everyone, including adults, understand
information at a glance. By looking at the lengths of the lines
of heads, your child can quickly see which hair color, for
example, is most common.
Search through the newspaper for mathematical data.
What you'll need
Newspaper
What to do
1. Numbers in the news. Find the following things in the
paper:
a graph
a number less than 10
something that comes in 2s, 3s, 4s
a number more than 50 the days of the week
a number more than 100
a number that is more than 100 but less than 999
a symbol or word for inches, feet, or yards
a schedule of some kind
a triangle
a weather symbol
a percent sign
sports statistics
2. List it. Provide your child with the grocery section of
the newspaper in order to make up a list of food that will
feed the family for a week and meet a budget of a certain
amount of money. Have your child make a chart and use a
calculator to figure the cost of more than one item. If
the total for the groceries is too great, talk about which
items can be eliminated. Could the list be cut down by a
few items or by buying less of another item? What will
best serve the needs of the family?.
3. For a fraction of the cost. Give your child a few coupons
and grocery ads from the paper. Help your child match the
coupons to some of the grocery items in the ad. What
fraction of the cost is the coupon? For example, if an
item costs 79 cents and the coupon is for 10 cents off,
what fraction of the cost can be saved? (About 1/8.) What
percent are you saving on the item? (About 12 1/2
percent.)
One of the main ways people use numbers is for planning.
Knowing how to plan how much things will cost before going to
the store and how to read schedules and weather information
from the paper will help your child understand the world.
Treasure Hunt
Everyone's house has hidden treasures. There is a lot of
math you and your child can do with them.
What you'll need
Buttons
Screws
Washers
Bottle caps
Old keys
Sea shells
Rocks
or anything else you can count
What to do
1. Find a container to hold the treasures.
2. Sort and classify the treasures. For example, do you have
all the same sized screws or keys? How are they alike? How
are they different?
3. Use these treasures to tell addition, subtraction,
multiplication, and division stories. For example, if we
share 17 buttons among three friends, how many will we
each get? Will there be some left over? Or, if we have 3
shirts that need 6 buttons each, do we have enough
buttons?
4. Organize the treasures by one characteristic and lay them
end-to-end. Compare and contrast the different amounts of
that type of treasure. For example, there are 3 short
screws, 7 long screws, and 11 medium screws. There are 4
more medium screws than long ones. This may also provide
an opportunity to talk about fractions: 7/21 or 1/3 of the
screws are long.
Finding a container to hold the treasures gives your child
practice in spatial problem solving. The treasures may help you
to explain the concepts of addition, subtraction,
multiplication, and division because they can be moved around
and grouped together so your child can count the items.
Family Portrait
Have your child get to know members of your family by
collecting information and picturing it on a graph.
What you'll need
Paper
Pencil
Crayons
What to do
1. Choose an inherited family characteristic: hair colors,
for example.
2. Count how many people in the family have the different
hair colors.
3. Make a graph. For example, if 5 people have brown hair,
draw 5 heads side by side to show these five people. Do
the same for the other hair colors.
Graphs help everyone, including adults, understand
information at a glance. By looking at the lengths of the lines
of heads, your child can quickly see which hair color, for
example, is most common.
Money Match
Money Match
This game helps children count change. Lots of repetition
will make it even more effective.
What you'll need
A die to roll
10 of each coin (penny, nickel, dime)
6 quarters
What to do
1. For young players (5- and 6-year-olds), use only 2
different coins (pennies and nickels or nickels and
dimes). Older children can use all coins.
2. Explain that the object of the game is to be the first
player to earn a set amount (10 or 20 cents is a good
amount).
3. The first player rolls the die and gets the number of
pennies shown on the die.
4. Players take turns rolling the die to collect additional
coins.
5. As each player accumulates 5 pennies or more, the 5
pennies are traded for a nickel.
6. The first player to reach the set amount wins.
7. Add the quarter to the game when the children are ready.
Counting money, which involves counting by 1s, 5s, 10s,
and 25s, is a challenging skill and usually does not come
easily to children until about the third grade.
Money's Worth
When children use coins to play games, it may help them
use coins in real life situations.
What you'll need
Coins
Coupons
What to do
1. Coin clues. Ask your child to gather some change in his or
her hand without showing what it is. Start with amounts of
25 cents or less. Ask your child to tell you how much
money and how many coins there are. Guess which coins are
being held. For example, "I have 17 cents and 5 coins.
What coins do I have?" (3 nickels and 2 pennies.)
2. Clip and save. Cut out coupons and tell how much money is
saved with coins. For example, if you save 20 cents on
detergent, say 2 dimes. Ask your child what could be
purchased using the savings from the coupon. A pack of
gum? A pencil? How much money could be saved with 3, 4, or
5 coupons? How could that money be counted out in coins
and bills? What could be purchased with that savings? A
pack of school paper? A magazine? How much money could be
saved with coupons for a week's worth of groceries? How
would that money be counted out? What could be purchased
with that savings? A book? A movie ticket?
Counting money involves thinking in patterns or groups of
amounts: 1s, 5s, 10s, 25s. Start these activities by having
your child first separate the coins or coupons by types: all
the pennies together, all the nickels, all the dimes, all the
quarters; the coupons for cereal, the coupons for cake and
brownie mixes, the coupons for soap.
In the News
Young children love to look at the newspaper. It is fun
for them to realize that there are things for them to see and
do with the paper.
What you'll need
Newspaper
Glue
Paper
Scissors
Pencil or crayon
What to do
1. Newspaper numbers. Help your child look for the numbers
1-100 in the paper. Cut the numbers out and glue them in
order onto a large piece of paper. For children who cannot
count to 100 or recognize numerals that large, only
collect up to the number they do know. Have your child say
the numbers to you and practice counting. Collect only
numbers within a certain range, like the numbers between
20 and 30. Arrange the numbers on a chart, grouping all
the numbers with 2s in them, all the numbers with 5s, and
so on.
2. Counting book. Cut out pictures from the newspaper and use
them to make a counting book. Page one will have one thing
on it, page 2 will have 2 things that are alike, page 3
will have 3 things that are alike, and so on. All the
things on the pages have to be the same. At the bottom of
each page, write the number of items on the page and the
word for the item. Have your child dictate a story to you
about what is on the page.
Being able to read and understand the newspaper involves
more than just the ability to read the words and understand
what they say. It also involves the ability to read and
understand numbers.
Look It Up
These activities help children understand how items can be
organized and grouped in logical ways.
What you'll need
Newspaper
Paper
Scissors
Glue
What to do
1. Section selection. Show your child that the paper is
divided into different sections and explain that each
section serves a purpose. Show him that each section is
lettered and how the pages are numbered.
2. Ad adventure. Provide your child with grocery store ads
from the newspaper. Help him see how many items are listed
and the prices. Compare the prices at different stores.
Ask which store has the best bargain and why. Talk about
the difference in prices between items bought at regular
price, items on sale, and items bought with coupons. What
happens when an item is bought on sale and bought with a
coupon?
3. Solid search. Look at the store ads or coupons for
pictures of all the cylinders, boxes, or cubes you can
find. What are their different uses? Paste the pictures on
paper and make a "book of geometric solids." Have one page
for each solid.
Understanding that there is a logical order to the way
things are arranged in the newspaper, and in the book of
solids, helps show that math skills can be used in organizing
written material. Comparing information, such as the sale
prices at stores, also helps children see logical relationships
that can be applied to writing.
This game helps children count change. Lots of repetition
will make it even more effective.
What you'll need
A die to roll
10 of each coin (penny, nickel, dime)
6 quarters
What to do
1. For young players (5- and 6-year-olds), use only 2
different coins (pennies and nickels or nickels and
dimes). Older children can use all coins.
2. Explain that the object of the game is to be the first
player to earn a set amount (10 or 20 cents is a good
amount).
3. The first player rolls the die and gets the number of
pennies shown on the die.
4. Players take turns rolling the die to collect additional
coins.
5. As each player accumulates 5 pennies or more, the 5
pennies are traded for a nickel.
6. The first player to reach the set amount wins.
7. Add the quarter to the game when the children are ready.
Counting money, which involves counting by 1s, 5s, 10s,
and 25s, is a challenging skill and usually does not come
easily to children until about the third grade.
Money's Worth
When children use coins to play games, it may help them
use coins in real life situations.
What you'll need
Coins
Coupons
What to do
1. Coin clues. Ask your child to gather some change in his or
her hand without showing what it is. Start with amounts of
25 cents or less. Ask your child to tell you how much
money and how many coins there are. Guess which coins are
being held. For example, "I have 17 cents and 5 coins.
What coins do I have?" (3 nickels and 2 pennies.)
2. Clip and save. Cut out coupons and tell how much money is
saved with coins. For example, if you save 20 cents on
detergent, say 2 dimes. Ask your child what could be
purchased using the savings from the coupon. A pack of
gum? A pencil? How much money could be saved with 3, 4, or
5 coupons? How could that money be counted out in coins
and bills? What could be purchased with that savings? A
pack of school paper? A magazine? How much money could be
saved with coupons for a week's worth of groceries? How
would that money be counted out? What could be purchased
with that savings? A book? A movie ticket?
Counting money involves thinking in patterns or groups of
amounts: 1s, 5s, 10s, 25s. Start these activities by having
your child first separate the coins or coupons by types: all
the pennies together, all the nickels, all the dimes, all the
quarters; the coupons for cereal, the coupons for cake and
brownie mixes, the coupons for soap.
In the News
Young children love to look at the newspaper. It is fun
for them to realize that there are things for them to see and
do with the paper.
What you'll need
Newspaper
Glue
Paper
Scissors
Pencil or crayon
What to do
1. Newspaper numbers. Help your child look for the numbers
1-100 in the paper. Cut the numbers out and glue them in
order onto a large piece of paper. For children who cannot
count to 100 or recognize numerals that large, only
collect up to the number they do know. Have your child say
the numbers to you and practice counting. Collect only
numbers within a certain range, like the numbers between
20 and 30. Arrange the numbers on a chart, grouping all
the numbers with 2s in them, all the numbers with 5s, and
so on.
2. Counting book. Cut out pictures from the newspaper and use
them to make a counting book. Page one will have one thing
on it, page 2 will have 2 things that are alike, page 3
will have 3 things that are alike, and so on. All the
things on the pages have to be the same. At the bottom of
each page, write the number of items on the page and the
word for the item. Have your child dictate a story to you
about what is on the page.
Being able to read and understand the newspaper involves
more than just the ability to read the words and understand
what they say. It also involves the ability to read and
understand numbers.
Look It Up
These activities help children understand how items can be
organized and grouped in logical ways.
What you'll need
Newspaper
Paper
Scissors
Glue
What to do
1. Section selection. Show your child that the paper is
divided into different sections and explain that each
section serves a purpose. Show him that each section is
lettered and how the pages are numbered.
2. Ad adventure. Provide your child with grocery store ads
from the newspaper. Help him see how many items are listed
and the prices. Compare the prices at different stores.
Ask which store has the best bargain and why. Talk about
the difference in prices between items bought at regular
price, items on sale, and items bought with coupons. What
happens when an item is bought on sale and bought with a
coupon?
3. Solid search. Look at the store ads or coupons for
pictures of all the cylinders, boxes, or cubes you can
find. What are their different uses? Paste the pictures on
paper and make a "book of geometric solids." Have one page
for each solid.
Understanding that there is a logical order to the way
things are arranged in the newspaper, and in the book of
solids, helps show that math skills can be used in organizing
written material. Comparing information, such as the sale
prices at stores, also helps children see logical relationships
that can be applied to writing.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)