MathStuff

 Hi All, "Five in a Row" is a good game to play at home or in school for multiplication facts practice. In this game you are given the products and you have to find the matching fact on a multiplication chart. Sort of reverse thinking. It's always good to come at a concept from a variety of directions. This is an easy game to understand, where chance and fact knowledge both play a part in who might come out the winner. It provides plenty of compelling practice with facts. Directions: 1. Make a copy of the the product cards sheet for each player. Have players select a crayon or colored pencil to lightly color over their product sheet. They should then cut out the individual cards. For long-lasting play, have students glue the sheet to oaktag or cardboard first. 2. Have each player shuffle their product cards and place them face down as their deck. 3. Put the multiplication facts board between the two players. 4. The object of the game is to fill a row with your color produ...

Hi All, Refrigerators can be pretty big, right? Here's a cool measurement investigation that begins with a simple question. And it can really be done at any grade. Kids are always curious about who or what is big? bigger? the biggest? Let's use that curiosity to learn some math as we ask, "What's the biggest thing in the school?" 1. Ask students, "What do you think is the biggest thing in the school? (or your home or your classroom)" Common responses include the boiler, the teacher's desk, a cafeteria table, and I was even told once, "The principal!" Record these responses for all to see and tell students, "Let's investigate!" 2. Ask, "What tools or materials do we need to find out?" Answers include rulers, yardsticks, measuring tape, cubes, yarn, paper, and a pencil. Have these ready and available. 3. Organize students into pairs or small groups. Assign or ask students what item they want to measure. Choose somethin...

  Hi All, This is a very interesting exploration for grades 4 - 6. It features algebraic thinking, patterns, logical thinking, money, addition, and subtraction. I had a great time doing this one myself. (But then again, I'm a bit of a nerd for stuff like this.) This is a great problem for partners or small groups and I would highly recommend making that an option. Also having coins available as manipulatives is a good idea as well. We begin with the question, “How many ways are there to make change for $1.00?” At first it seems simple and it is fun to begin by having students estimate how many ways they think are possible. There are actually 293. Most students estimate far less. Talk about an opportunity for logical thinking! Where should we start? Are there patterns? Let's slow down. Here's a reasonable sequence you may want to follow with your students. a. List All the Coins: Before they begin exploring, ask students to name all the coins and list these ...