Sunday, 23 February 2020
International Day of Maths - a starter activity below
Just a few days to get your students humming about Maths!
International Day of Maths
The website of the IDM is www.idm314.org
Also visit everywhere.idm314.org
Plan now for lots of school wide fun Maths activities. Click on the links for free activities and ideas
14 March (3/14) is also Pi Day 3.14…..
Write 34 on a piece of paper and put it in an envelope and seal it. (Dont show the kids what you have written on the paper.)
Now give it to a student and ask them to hold it and only open it when they are asked.
On the Board have a 4 x 4 grid with the numbers 1- 16.
Now have them cross out the numbers in the same ROW and COLUMN
Now have them cross out the numbers in the same ROW and COLUMN
Ask the Students to add the 4 numbers. Then with a MAGICIAN's FLOURISH ask the student with the envelope to open it and read out the number!! WOW it is the same!!
Let me know how you get on!!!
Tuesday, 11 February 2020
I just came across this article again. Admittedly it was written in 2010 but it is still relevant today! And it is worth sharing(changing math to maths etc) with families.
The best maths education is when there is a connection between, student, parent and school.
We used this diagram for years with Family Maths.
Support for Parents and Families: Helping your Math Students
by NCTM President J. Michael Shaughnessy NCTM Summing Up, December 2010
Recently I’ve received a flurry of media requests from reporters about what to tell parents whose children ask for help with their mathematics schoolwork. Family members might ask, “What do I tell my child when I don’t remember ever seeing this type of mathematics when I was a student?” Or, “I was never good at math, so what can I do to help my child?” When I’m asked these questions, three things come to mind.
(1) Remember, mathematics is important, and we can all do it.
(2) Work together as a team with your child—don’t show how to do it.
(3) Investigate the NCTM resources that can provide assistance when helping your children with their math work.
First and foremost, I implore family members not to say, “I was never good at mathematics, either.” That response only widens the spread of our national mathematical cultural disease—that it’s acceptable not to be good at math. There is no such thing as a math gene. That is both a myth and an excuse. Doing math just takes perseverance and a positive attitude, but everyone can enjoy success with mathematics.
It is also important that as parents, family members, and adult mentors, we thank our students for asking for our help with their math work. This provides us with a golden opportunity to point out how important mathematics is in our lives—that it is essential in building structural and technological tools; empowers new discoveries in the physical, biological, and social sciences; and is also extraordinarily beautiful, as seen in the visual, spatial, and musical arts.
Second, I encourage family members to ask their students to share what they know about the particular math problem at hand. One good strategy is to ask, “Tell me what the problem is, and help me understand how you are thinking about it. What do you think we need to do?” This can buy a panicky parent a bit of time to get his or her thoughts together, and it also puts parents and children on a level playing field and quickly gets them working together as a team. This is a strategy that math tutors can also use effectively, to get a student talking about a problem and sharing what he or she already knows. Often, in the process of talking it through, a student will figure out what is needed, or the next step to take. Students always know more than they think they know—and often more than they will admit to knowing. If you do know the answer, or how to proceed, then ask more questions and try to help the students figure it out for themselves. Never give away how to do the problem. Doing that disenfranchises students. If instead we help them figure out how to proceed, then we empower them, and their mathematical confidence grows. Remember, it’s about them, not about us, when they ask for help.
Finally, I heartily recommend a visit to the Family Resources page at NCTM’s Web site. Featured resources include A Family’s Guide: Fostering Your Child’s Success in School Mathematics; Involving Families in Mathematics Education; and Figure This: Math Challenges for Families.
Resources at the site also point to mathematics in children’s literature. The Family’s Guide includes questions that parents can ask their children and their teachers about the math that they are studying, as well as information about NCTM’s Content and Process Standards. In addition, the site offers a collection of one-page responses to frequently asked questions. FigureThis is a set of 80 mathematics problems and challenges for families to investigate and enjoy. Originally created for middle school students, many of these problems are appropriate for a wide range of students, from grades 5–10, and beyond.
The Six DO’s for Families and Their Math Students
1. Be positive
2. Link mathematics with daily life
3. Make mathematics fun
4. Learn about mathematics-related careers
5. Have high expectations for your students
6. Support homework—don’t do it!
The best maths education is when there is a connection between, student, parent and school.
We used this diagram for years with Family Maths.
Support for Parents and Families: Helping your Math Students
by NCTM President J. Michael Shaughnessy NCTM Summing Up, December 2010
Recently I’ve received a flurry of media requests from reporters about what to tell parents whose children ask for help with their mathematics schoolwork. Family members might ask, “What do I tell my child when I don’t remember ever seeing this type of mathematics when I was a student?” Or, “I was never good at math, so what can I do to help my child?” When I’m asked these questions, three things come to mind.
(1) Remember, mathematics is important, and we can all do it.
(2) Work together as a team with your child—don’t show how to do it.
(3) Investigate the NCTM resources that can provide assistance when helping your children with their math work.
First and foremost, I implore family members not to say, “I was never good at mathematics, either.” That response only widens the spread of our national mathematical cultural disease—that it’s acceptable not to be good at math. There is no such thing as a math gene. That is both a myth and an excuse. Doing math just takes perseverance and a positive attitude, but everyone can enjoy success with mathematics.
It is also important that as parents, family members, and adult mentors, we thank our students for asking for our help with their math work. This provides us with a golden opportunity to point out how important mathematics is in our lives—that it is essential in building structural and technological tools; empowers new discoveries in the physical, biological, and social sciences; and is also extraordinarily beautiful, as seen in the visual, spatial, and musical arts.
Second, I encourage family members to ask their students to share what they know about the particular math problem at hand. One good strategy is to ask, “Tell me what the problem is, and help me understand how you are thinking about it. What do you think we need to do?” This can buy a panicky parent a bit of time to get his or her thoughts together, and it also puts parents and children on a level playing field and quickly gets them working together as a team. This is a strategy that math tutors can also use effectively, to get a student talking about a problem and sharing what he or she already knows. Often, in the process of talking it through, a student will figure out what is needed, or the next step to take. Students always know more than they think they know—and often more than they will admit to knowing. If you do know the answer, or how to proceed, then ask more questions and try to help the students figure it out for themselves. Never give away how to do the problem. Doing that disenfranchises students. If instead we help them figure out how to proceed, then we empower them, and their mathematical confidence grows. Remember, it’s about them, not about us, when they ask for help.
Finally, I heartily recommend a visit to the Family Resources page at NCTM’s Web site. Featured resources include A Family’s Guide: Fostering Your Child’s Success in School Mathematics; Involving Families in Mathematics Education; and Figure This: Math Challenges for Families.
Resources at the site also point to mathematics in children’s literature. The Family’s Guide includes questions that parents can ask their children and their teachers about the math that they are studying, as well as information about NCTM’s Content and Process Standards. In addition, the site offers a collection of one-page responses to frequently asked questions. FigureThis is a set of 80 mathematics problems and challenges for families to investigate and enjoy. Originally created for middle school students, many of these problems are appropriate for a wide range of students, from grades 5–10, and beyond.
The Six DO’s for Families and Their Math Students
1. Be positive
2. Link mathematics with daily life
3. Make mathematics fun
4. Learn about mathematics-related careers
5. Have high expectations for your students
6. Support homework—don’t do it!
Monday, 10 February 2020
Maths Mind Reading
(Dont forget to put your magic Clock and hat on)
1. Have your child or student to choose a number from 1 to 31, but keep it secret, or write it on paper and keep hidden
2. Now ask them to point to the cards that their number appears on, still keeping their number secret.
3. With a flourish of your magic Wand and "Abracadabra" Add, in your head, the first numbers on each card and give the answer to the child.
If they chose 23 you will find 23 on Cards 1, 2, 3, 5.
The first numbers on each card are, 1 + 2 + 4 + 16 which add to 23!!!
4. Repeat with another child or student!!!!
Please DO NOT tell them what you are doing. The real joy for the children is to investigate and discover what you are doing. They could also make their own cards.
For Older Children/Students: Use these cards
Sunday, 9 February 2020
Palindromes
02 02 2020
0202 02 02
A palindrome reads the same forward or backwards. The second of February 2020 as written above was a Palindrome.
We usually look for palindromes in words: MUM, DAD, LEVEL etc but we can also explore them in numbers.
99 is a Palindrome as are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, but we have a problem when we reach 10. In reverse this is 01.
But wait: if we take 10 and then add its reverse 01 (10 + 01 = 11) we get 11 a Palindrome.
We call 10 a 1 step palindrome as it takes just one step to turn it into a palindrome
37 is not a palindrome so lets see what happens when we reverse and add:
37 + 73 = 110
110 + 011 = 121
WOW a two step palindrome
Most of the numbers from 1 to 100 can be turned into palindromes by reversing adding and continuing until a palindrome is reached. Each time we reverse and add it is called a step.
Find all the 1 step palindromes, 2 step palindromes, 3 step palindromes and colour accordingly on the 10 chart below.
Can you find any numbers that don't seem to be able to be converted into a palindrome?
Find palindromes for some larger numbers, what is the largest number of steps you can find for one number?
Write a sentence or phrase that is a palindrome
Read ROBERT TREBOR by Marilyn Burns in the book: Good Times: Every Kid's Book of Things to Do ISBN-10: 0553011626 or ISBN-13: 978-0553011623
Teachers check out this link N-Rich Maths a maths website from Cambridge University England. Great ideas for all ages
Monday, 16 December 2019
Meaningful Contexts
The NZ Maths Curriculum states:
In a range of meaningful contexts, students will be engaged in thinking mathematically and statistically. They will solve problems and model situations that require them to: (then lists the Achievement Objectives)
What are Meaningful Contexts?
Is the usual Maths Text (work sheet) activities meaningful for most students? whether it be 4 + 5 = ? or use Pythagoras to find the length of the 3rd side of the triangle. Apart from doing as they are told or pleasing me the teacher, is there a real reason for the students to answer?
To me a meaningful context is something that appeals to students whether it be cultural, imaginative, a challenge, a real life situation, something that really engages the learning and they see a reason for finding the answer/solution.
In a previous post "TwentyOne" I suggest the "Challenge to beat me" was a meaningful contect for many of the students I worked with.
Over the years I have seen so much "busy work' in maths that no wonder we produce so many people who dislike or "cant do Maths"
At one mini conference I attended the Manager of a large printing company, welcomed us and said "I admire you people with your interest in maths and science... I just cant do maths!!" At morning tea I challenged him and asked why he said that. In the discussion he revealed that he was an accountant and did budgets and kept records etc. HE DID NOT EQUATE ACCOUNTANCY TO MATHEMATICS. I suggest that is because he did not explore maths through meaningful or real life contexts!!!
I suggest that many of the measurement activities that we get students to do are often not motivating for them and they therefore do not learn the required objectives we had hoped.
Is there a need for students to be measuring the netball court, when it is already marked out?
Why do we ask students to measure the height of the door to the classroom?
I suggest that we need to look for activities that have a “realness” to them so that the students can see a reason for investigating and completing the activity and hence developing the skills of measurement.
Perhaps we need to rephrase the netball court in a different way,
“There is a limited budget available for spending on court markings.
To help the BOT decide how much money is available we need to know how much it will cost to repaint the netball court lines”
We now have a situation where there is richness to the activity rather than just taking the trundle wheel and measuring the lengths of the lines.
As a School Committee member, before ‘Tomorrows Schools’ I was asked to estimate the cost of repainting the school swimming pool.
I felt that this was better done by the senior children as a ‘practical measuring activity.
We, the School Committee, told the students the cost of the paint was and what area a litre could be expected to cover.
The students had to work out the surface area and then decide on how many litres of paint and consequently the cost.
The important outcome was that their maths was used to assist the Committee and the students actual saw the pool being painted!!!!!
The challenge for each of us is to find, WITH THE HELP OF OUR STUDENTS, interesting tasks that will help them achieve the desired learning outcomes.
Have you considered reading books like "Counting on Frank" as a starting point for a maths investigation: (Is Frank's investigation about Ball Point Pens still true?)
How many students in the class have attached ear lobes? and how many have unattached?
In Gulliver's Travels Gulliver's thumb was measured and from this one measurement the Little People made him a coat. Would this be true today, How could we find out?
How much pocket money does each child get in the class?
What can you tell me about Kowhaiwhai Patterns?
In the Bible Goliath was described as being "6 cubits and a span". Would he fit through the classroom door without banging his head?
In the song "Twelve Days of Christmas" many things are mentioned. How much would all these things costs? check out this link 12 Days of Christmas
New class in 2020 (Year 4+) check in with me for an interesting "Trait" investigation with a Circular Graph
In a range of meaningful contexts, students will be engaged in thinking mathematically and statistically. They will solve problems and model situations that require them to: (then lists the Achievement Objectives)
What are Meaningful Contexts?
Is the usual Maths Text (work sheet) activities meaningful for most students? whether it be 4 + 5 = ? or use Pythagoras to find the length of the 3rd side of the triangle. Apart from doing as they are told or pleasing me the teacher, is there a real reason for the students to answer?
To me a meaningful context is something that appeals to students whether it be cultural, imaginative, a challenge, a real life situation, something that really engages the learning and they see a reason for finding the answer/solution.
In a previous post "TwentyOne" I suggest the "Challenge to beat me" was a meaningful contect for many of the students I worked with.
Over the years I have seen so much "busy work' in maths that no wonder we produce so many people who dislike or "cant do Maths"
At one mini conference I attended the Manager of a large printing company, welcomed us and said "I admire you people with your interest in maths and science... I just cant do maths!!" At morning tea I challenged him and asked why he said that. In the discussion he revealed that he was an accountant and did budgets and kept records etc. HE DID NOT EQUATE ACCOUNTANCY TO MATHEMATICS. I suggest that is because he did not explore maths through meaningful or real life contexts!!!
I suggest that many of the measurement activities that we get students to do are often not motivating for them and they therefore do not learn the required objectives we had hoped.
Is there a need for students to be measuring the netball court, when it is already marked out?
Why do we ask students to measure the height of the door to the classroom?
I suggest that we need to look for activities that have a “realness” to them so that the students can see a reason for investigating and completing the activity and hence developing the skills of measurement.
Perhaps we need to rephrase the netball court in a different way,
“There is a limited budget available for spending on court markings.
To help the BOT decide how much money is available we need to know how much it will cost to repaint the netball court lines”
We now have a situation where there is richness to the activity rather than just taking the trundle wheel and measuring the lengths of the lines.
As a School Committee member, before ‘Tomorrows Schools’ I was asked to estimate the cost of repainting the school swimming pool.
I felt that this was better done by the senior children as a ‘practical measuring activity.
We, the School Committee, told the students the cost of the paint was and what area a litre could be expected to cover.
The students had to work out the surface area and then decide on how many litres of paint and consequently the cost.
The important outcome was that their maths was used to assist the Committee and the students actual saw the pool being painted!!!!!
The challenge for each of us is to find, WITH THE HELP OF OUR STUDENTS, interesting tasks that will help them achieve the desired learning outcomes.
Have you considered reading books like "Counting on Frank" as a starting point for a maths investigation: (Is Frank's investigation about Ball Point Pens still true?)
How many students in the class have attached ear lobes? and how many have unattached?
In Gulliver's Travels Gulliver's thumb was measured and from this one measurement the Little People made him a coat. Would this be true today, How could we find out?
How much pocket money does each child get in the class?
What can you tell me about Kowhaiwhai Patterns?
In the Bible Goliath was described as being "6 cubits and a span". Would he fit through the classroom door without banging his head?
In the song "Twelve Days of Christmas" many things are mentioned. How much would all these things costs? check out this link 12 Days of Christmas
New class in 2020 (Year 4+) check in with me for an interesting "Trait" investigation with a Circular Graph
Saturday, 7 December 2019
We Learn Maths By DOING
I often wonder if we play lip service to the way children learn. If we spend time with pre-schoolers we see them constantly playing and through their play and questioning and interaction with the teachers the learn various skills and concepts.
Yet when we look at primary maths' learning there is often an emphasis on numbers and numerals. Yet these are quite abstract concepts. I am sure we would not just a put a book of words in front of students and expect them to learn.
As a Maths Adviser to schools/teachers and then as a private consultant I encouraged teachers to use the following:
When fluent with "Do" ask the students to explain what they were "Doing", When fluent with "Doing" then "Write" about what you said and did!! This then leads to mastery of the concepts.
A couple of years ago I saw a FB post in response to request for feedback about a Measurement Activity created by a Canadian Maths Teacher. The response:
"This is a great measurement activity but we are an iPad school so it would be great if it could be created for the iPad"
To suggest that I saw RED was a bit of an under statement ! How does a children learn what a metre a cm, a gram, a kilogram, a litre etc through manipulating abstract concepts of electronic screens. They need to measure length, estimate mass if they are going to understand the concepts of measurement.
You probably are thinking, what brought this on Len? This post on FB originally from Jo Boaler
It could be a great poster in every maths class and teachers staffroom
Yet when we look at primary maths' learning there is often an emphasis on numbers and numerals. Yet these are quite abstract concepts. I am sure we would not just a put a book of words in front of students and expect them to learn.
As a Maths Adviser to schools/teachers and then as a private consultant I encouraged teachers to use the following:
Do
Say
Write
When fluent with "Do" ask the students to explain what they were "Doing", When fluent with "Doing" then "Write" about what you said and did!! This then leads to mastery of the concepts.
A couple of years ago I saw a FB post in response to request for feedback about a Measurement Activity created by a Canadian Maths Teacher. The response:
"This is a great measurement activity but we are an iPad school so it would be great if it could be created for the iPad"
To suggest that I saw RED was a bit of an under statement ! How does a children learn what a metre a cm, a gram, a kilogram, a litre etc through manipulating abstract concepts of electronic screens. They need to measure length, estimate mass if they are going to understand the concepts of measurement.
You probably are thinking, what brought this on Len? This post on FB originally from Jo Boaler
It could be a great poster in every maths class and teachers staffroom
Some activities to get you started.
These could be arranged as Stations around the room for students to explore and complete.
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