How to Homeschool Math: A long page full of my best tips on homeschooling math in a low-stress, creative, playful way. No matter which curriculum you use—unschoolers, too!
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My Let’s Play Math Sampler ebook contains short excerpts from my most popular books. You can get it for free!
Writing to Learn Math: Problem-solving cares less about whether an answer is right and more about whether a solution makes sense.
Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own?
Help kids practice slowing down and taking the time to fully comprehend a math topic or problem-solving situation with these classic tools of learning: Notice. Wonder. Create.
Puzzles can be fun ways to idle away a stormy afternoon. Or they can be doorways into the world of math, invitations to explore.
And puzzles are great for teaching, too!
Here is a puzzle from a master of mathematical ingenuity…
This game tests each player’s risk tolerance as they roll dice to rack up points.
Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children. And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play.
So what are you waiting for? Let’s play some math!
This game tests each player’s risk tolerance as they roll dice to rack up points.
Math Concepts: addition, probability of dice rolls, strategic thinking.
Players: two or more.
Equipment: two 6-sided dice, pen and paper for keeping score.
Writing to Learn Math: Math journal explanations avoid the formality that turns so many students away from geometry proofs.
Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own?
Help kids practice slowing down and taking the time to fully comprehend a math topic or problem-solving situation with these classic tools of learning: Notice. Wonder. Create.
Recently, I stumbled on an old blog post featuring Singapore Math problems, and it brought back memories.
Back when my children were young, the original Primary Math series from Singapore was one of my favorite math curricula. I tweaked our school program constantly, so none of my kids had the same education, but three of them spent a good part of their elementary years in those books.
And I followed the Math in Singapore 2007 blog for its single season of publication. The blog has gone the way of many others, preserved only in the Internet Archive.
In the post I re-discovered, Patsy Wang-Iverson was reporting on a week-long seminar organized by Celine Koh, who offered the following problems (adapted from school exams and study books) for teacher discussion.
How many can you solve?
This challenging game stretches everyone’s working memory and offers children the delightful possibility of stumping an adult.
Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children. And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play.
So what are you waiting for? Let’s play some math!
Math Concepts: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, integers, fractions, factoring, powers and roots, prime numbers, and other number properties.
Players: two or more (a cooperative game).
Equipment: none.
Continue reading Math Game Monday: The Number That Must Not Be Named
Writing to Learn Math: When students create their own math, they forge a personal connection to mathematical concepts and relationships. And it’s fun!
Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own?
Help kids practice slowing down and taking the time to fully comprehend a math topic or problem-solving situation with these classic tools of learning: Notice. Wonder. Create.
In the first section of George Lenchner’s Creative Problem Solving in School Mathematics, Lechner poses this problem. If you have seen it before, be patient — his point was much more than simply counting blocks.
A wooden cube that measures 3 cm along each edge is painted red. The painted cube is then cut into 1-cm cubes as shown below. How many of the 1-cm cubes do not have red paint on any face?
And then he challenges us as teachers:
This game helps students develop strategic thinking while practicing their subtraction skills.
Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children. And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play.
So what are you waiting for? Let’s play some math!
Math Concepts: subtraction within one hundred, thinking ahead.
Players: best for two.
Equipment: a hundred chart, penny or other token to mark your place.
Writing to Learn Math: What did the author mean? Put the thought in your own words. Do you agree or disagree? Why?
Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own?
Help kids practice slowing down and taking the time to fully comprehend a math topic or problem-solving situation with these classic tools of learning: Notice. Wonder. Create.
Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math 