My oldest son, Rory, is about to start Grade 3! Good-bye primary! Hello elementary! I can’t believe it! Where did the time go??? What does this mean in terms of his math? It means he is now ready to learn the algorithm for addition and subtraction; and I am so grateful to his teachers for … Continue reading Say Good-bye to Primary!
Adding
Double Digit Addition: Delaying the Algorithm
This summer, Rory and I spent our rest hour at the cottage doing a few school-related activities: Reading, Writing and Arithmetic! When we had guests, they were always intrigued by the ‘weird way’ Rory was doing his addition and so I spent my summer convincing my friends and family that, delaying the algorithm is actually a … Continue reading Double Digit Addition: Delaying the Algorithm
Making Multiplication Meaningful…in primary!
Although Rory is only in Grade One, he has shown an interest in multiplication and has even recognized situations where multiplication would apply; but before I teach him more, I need to see if he is ready. Here’s a little check: Is he interested? YES! Can he skip count? YES! Can he add? YES! Does … Continue reading Making Multiplication Meaningful…in primary!
The Truth about the Tooth-fairy
At breakfast today, Rory asked me: “Why don’t I get $10 a tooth like my friend Gavin?”. Well, after I finished choking on my coffee, I tried to think of some reasons that were more kid-friendly than my initial thought: “their tooth-fairy is on drugs!”. Here are some of the ones I thought about: The … Continue reading The Truth about the Tooth-fairy
Never heard of Numicon?!
Never heard of Numicon? You’re not alone! But ever since I introduced them to our school, my love for them has grown! Numicon are number plates that represent the numbers 1-10. They are a great manipulative for the Pre-K to Grade 2 population, in that they are large, easy to grasp and manipulate, colourful and … Continue reading Never heard of Numicon?!
Tenzi Frenzy!
We are away for the summer at a cottage, with no internet or TV, which I usually love. We’ve already read lots of books, frolicked in the waves, swam to the Big Rock, sailed to Seagull Island, canoed...dumped the canoe and had lots of good old fashioned fun; but my heart still felt the pitter-patter … Continue reading Tenzi Frenzy!
Making Math Meaningful with Manipulatives!
If you’re not a teacher, you may not be familiar with the term manipulatives, but you can probably infer what they are. Manipulatives are models that help children think and reflect on new ideas in math. They include resources that allow children to explore, question, guess and check, but more importantly, to play with the … Continue reading Making Math Meaningful with Manipulatives!
