Welcome back to my series on the Standards for Mathematical Practice! I have enjoyed reading and thinking through different ways we can foster these habits in our classrooms and encourage kids to think deeply about math.

*Please Note: This post contains affiliate links which support the work of this site. Read our full disclosure here.*

Today I want to focus on the last two math practices that we want students to work towards/be comfortable doing:

1. Look for and make use of structure and
2. Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.

To be honest, unlike some of the other standards, these don’t seem as immediately clear what they’re referring to. But hopefully rephrasing them a bit and looking at some examples will help to clear up any confusion (although maybe you’re not as confused by these statements as I was, LOL).

Look for Patterns & Structure

Looking for and making use of structure means to look for and see patterns in numbers, pictures, computation, or properties.

For little ones, it might be noticing different ways to decompose the same number using a pattern or structure rather than random guessing.

Take the number 8 for instance–you can start with 0+8, and then increase one addend while decreasing the other–> 1+7, 2+6, 3+5, and so on.

By noticing the pattern or structure of the math facts, the student has made use of that structure to find all the possible facts.

With enough time and exposure, students may also notice mathematical properties such as the commutative property or distributive property. They can begin to make connections and see expressions or computation in lots of different ways.

This type of fluency and flexibility with numbers and operations is called number sense and it is certainly not something you can simply teach in a day and then move on to the next thing.

These are habits and skills that will require time and intentionality on your part in choosing tasks that give kids the opportunity to see patterns and structure.

Form Generalizations Based on Patterns

Let’s consider the last standard now, which I believe is related to the first: look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.

I would sum this up as meaning students can form generalizations and rules based on what they observe in computations.

For example, it is often a light bulb moment when students realize they can count up to find the difference between two numbers (22-19, for example).

By seeing the subtraction as the difference between the two, they have discovered a more efficient method of solving than counting backwards.

Another example is multiplying by multiples of 10. Rather than telling students, “When you multiply a number by 10 you add a 0, when you multiply a number by 100 you add 2 0’s, etc.” let them work out several examples either on paper or with place value tiles. After enough examples, they will begin to see the repetition and pattern that emerges, but actually understand why the product now ends in a zero based on place value.

I know I’ve already mentioned this, but one of the best ways to consistently provide the time and exposure kids need is with number talks.

Because number talks focus on mental math, students are forced to set aside the standard algorithms they know and find a more efficient method and become more flexible in how they think about numbers and computation.

There are other ways to provide practice with patterns and generalizations though.

Playing with a calculator is a fun way for kids to see what happens with repeated operations (for example, what happens with you multiply by -1 over and over again? What happens when you multiply by 2 over and over? etc.)

Another way to encourage kids to look for patterns or structure is with a notice and wonder prompt. For this activity, you simply show a picture, math problem, visual pattern, etc. to students and have them record a few things they notice and a few things they wonder (what questions do they have about what they see?)

This can help them to at least begin to start noticing and thinking about patterns and structure that they may have never given a thought to before.

I have linked to a free notice and wonder journal below that you can use, as well as several other resources, websites and articles that may help you with these standards.

Ultimately, the goal is that students feel comfortable deviating from a known procedure to look for a pattern and find a shortcut or more efficient strategy. Getting kids to that place of being comfortable trying new ideas can be a challenge (especially for older kids who have been trained to think that there is one method, one procedure), but providing the right tasks and allowing time for productive struggle will help them develop these skills.

Resources to Help You Explore Patterns & Structure:

Ready to get started? The following resources will help you find ideas for your students to explore math patterns & structure, as well as an additional website that offers visual patterns to explore. I hope this is helpful!

• Help kids see patterns in addition & subtraction with pumpkin seeds
• Help kids see how multiplication & division are related with this roll & write challenge
• Read more about using a calculator to explore & discover
• Use tables to explore multiplication & division
• Another example of using tables to find a pattern
• Find visual patterns to generalize at VisualPatterns.org
• Notice & wonder journal | instant download!

Ready to Dig Deeper?

If you are enjoying this conversation and want to learn even more about visualizing patterns and forming general rules or shortcuts, I go into much more depth than I had time for here in my courses, Making Math Visual, Meaningful Number Talks and Thinking Deeply: How to Incorporate Meaningful Writing into Math Class.

Although all of my courses are available separately, they are truly designed to work together to provide a foundation for math teaching in K-8. All together, the 6 courses include 8 hours of professional development, which you have lifetime access to. If you work through one course per week, you could easily complete all of them.

>>Learn more about all the courses HERE

FREE Math Practice Standards Poster Set!

Want to explain these math habits to your students? This fun and free set of posters provides a springboard for discussion as well as a visual reminder all year long.

There are two versions included in this pdf file. One includes a cursive font and the other includes only manuscript fonts so you can use these with younger students.

I’ve also adjusted the wording of some of the standards so that is uses more kid friendly language.

Grab this free poster set by entering your email below!

The post Build Math Habits: Notice Math Patterns & Structure appeared first on Math Geek Mama.

Mathematics is often referred to as the science of patterns. Noticing patterns in numbers, operations and the world around us is what math is all about. So I love finding unique ways to practice looking for patterns with my kids. These triangle pattern puzzles introduce the idea of a function or ‘rule’ in a fun and non-threatening way, while challenging kids to see patterns and practice basic operations. Once kids determine the ‘rule’ of the puzzle they can solve for the missing number. It’s such a fun and unique challenge, they won’t even realize they’re doing math!

How the Pattern Puzzles Work:

Each puzzle shows three triangles.

The numbers in the triangle (the top, left and right values) follow a particular rule to give the solution in the middle of the triangle.

The goal is for students to figure out what operations they can use to get the middle number.

For example, in puzzle #1, the numbers in the first triangle are 12, 6, & 3 and the solution in the middle is 9. Using addition & subtraction, we can use the triangle numbers to find the solution: 12 – 6 + 3 = 9.

To test this pattern, we can follow the same rule with the middle triangle to see if the rule holds true. This gives us: 8 – 4 + 2 = 6 (this is true, so we have a pattern).

Following this pattern, we can now find the missing number in the last triangle: 6 – 3 + 1 = 4.

To write a general rule for this pattern, we can use the letters T (for the top number), L (for the bottom left number) and R (for the bottom right number).

This makes the rule for this pattern: T – L + R

An additional example, with directions is included in the Google Slides resource, helping to clarify the directions for students (especially if you are not completing these together in person).

Completing the Pattern Puzzles in Google Slides:

This free download includes 5 different pattern puzzles in a digital format. By grabbing the Google Slides, you can assign one or more puzzles in Google Classroom or you can display it virtually with your class to discuss as a whole group.

To complete them, there is space on each slide for students to type a general rule to represent the pattern they see and a box to type in the missing number.

Each of these 5 puzzles can be solved using only addition & subtraction.

An answer key is also included.

These would make fun math warm-ups or weekly puzzle challenges. You could also use these as enrichment for advanced students or early finishers.

Note: Although these are meant to be a no-print activity, where students type the rule and missing number onto each slide, you can print the slides out if you prefer.

To do this, make a copy of the resource in your Google Drive.

Then delete the text box on each slide where it says “Type your rule here.”

Then go to File–>Print and select your print settings.

Pattern Puzzles for the Whole Year:

If you and your students enjoy these math challenges, you may be interested in the whole set of puzzles.

The complete set includes 20 different puzzles that increase in difficulty.

These incorporate more math operations (multiplication & division), a “create you own puzzle” challenge and come in both digital + printer-friendly formats.

Learn more about the set of Triangle Pattern Puzzles HERE

To try out this sample set of triangle pattern puzzles, use the link below to grab it from my shop!

And find more missing number puzzles at the links below:

• Missing Number Puzzles: Addition & Subtraction for 3-4 Digit Numbers

{Click HERE to go to my shop & grab the FREE Triangle Pattern Puzzles for Google Slides!}

The post Pattern Puzzles to Build Algebraic Thinking | DIGITAL Puzzles appeared first on Math Geek Mama.

*Please note: This post contains affiliate links which support the work of this site. Read our full disclosure here.*

Materials Needed for the Thanksgiving Math for Kindergarten Set: 

• Printed materials (find the link to my shop at the end of this post)
• Laminator and scissors (to cut out puzzles)
• Pencil, crayon, marker, etc. for your students

Number Recognition Puzzles for Thanksgiving: 

The first activity included in this download is a set of number recognition and counting puzzles.

What’s great about this activity is that once you have the puzzles prepped, they make a great independent activity or math center that can be used again and again, all fall long!

This download includes 12 puzzles, representing the numbers 1-12.

Each puzzle includes a set of pictures for kids to count, the numeral as well as the number word.

I recommend laminating this set before you cut them out in order to protect them and reuse them again and again.

If you’re using these with younger kiddos who don’t yet know number words, you can arrange them in order on the table for them and read the words together in order. Then kids simply match the pictures and numerals to the words.

For older kids, have them organize the puzzles in order after they’ve completed them.

And again, the pictures used are a general fall theme, so you can use these all throughout the fall season, not just at Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving Counting Practice: 

Also included in this Thanksgiving math download is a fun set of “I Spy” counting pages. These have fun, Thanksgiving-themed pictures and require kids to find the given picture in the jumble.

There are six counting pages, one for each of the numbers 1-6.

There are lots of ways you could use these counting pages. One idea is to print an entire set for each student. Then cut them in half and assemble the pages like a booklet.

Kids can then complete the entire book of “I Spy” pages independently.

Another idea, if you’d like to use this as a math center, is to print each page and laminate them. Then cut out the individual pages and let kids count and find the pictures using a dry erase marker.

If you have a cute set of mini erasers, kids could also cover each picture with an eraser as they count them, without having to write anything.

Thanksgiving Pattern Page: 

Finally, this download includes a “finish the pattern” page.

This is again, very low-prep Thanksgiving math practice. Simply print a page for each student and you’re all set!

The directions are really straightforward too. Kids simply observe the pattern in each row and then circle the picture that would come next in the pattern.

This page includes 4 different patterns, some of which may be challenging for your kinders. If they get stuck, encourage them to work together with a partner, or talk through each pattern together as a group.

I hope this gives you a great variety of Thanksgiving math for kindergarten (or even pre-k kids!).

Looking for more fall themed math for K-2? You might enjoy my complete collection of apple themed math activities! This includes a HUGE variety for grades K-2. Learn more about Apple Math HERE.

To grab the free download, simply go to my shop to grab a set for yourself.

And if you’d like a fun, open ended Thanksgiving math idea, you might like this Build a Turkey challenge. This will really get kids thinking and can be easily differentiated for different ages.

>>Learn more about the Build a Turkey Number Sense Challenge HERE.

Enjoy!

{Click HERE to go to my shop and grab the FREE Thanksgiving Math for Kindergarten Download}

Have older kids? Try this set of Thanksgiving Logic Puzzles! This is a great way to challenge kids before they go on break, or a way to keep kids busy while you’re cooking that turkey.

>>Learn more about the Thanksgiving Logic Puzzles HERE.

The post Thanksgiving Math for Kindergarten {FREE Printables} appeared first on Math Geek Mama.

*Please Note: This post contains affiliate links which help support the work of this site. Read our full disclosure here.*

What Pre-K Math Skills to Teach

In the early years, ages 3-5, the basic math skills kids need to know will fall into these general categories:

• Numbers & Counting
• Shapes
• Patterns
• Measurement

Numbers and counting is the biggest category and includes number recognition to 10, counting to 10, one-to-one correspondence and cardinality. One-to-one correspondence means each object only gets counted once.

>>Find simple activities for one-to-one correspondence here.

Cardinality means a child understands that the last number counted represents the answer to the question, “How many?”

In other words, kids can recognize that the numeral 5 represents a specific set of 5 objects.

Kids should also be able to compare quantities within 10, and use words such as greater than, less than and equal to.

Kids should also be comfortable subitizing quantities up to 5. This means they recognize the quantity when they see a picture or set immediately, without counting each individual object.

For example, when you play a board game and roll the die, you don’t have to count if you roll a 3 or a 5. You recognize what it represents as soon as you see it. That’s subitizing.

>>Find an easy resource for subitizing practice here.

Want a fun way to practice all of these number and counting skills? Try reading engaging picture books together, such as my book 1, 2, 3, Animals! This book was written specifically to build these early, foundational skills in our young ones, giving them a solid foundation.

Encourage number recognition, counting to ten, subitizing and counting backwards with the fun and colorful animals.

>>Learn more and order a copy here.

For geometry, Pre-K kids should be able to recognize basic shapes. You can then talk about the number of sides and compare and contrast various shapes.

In addition, kids should recognize basic patterns, such as red-blue-red-blue and older Pre-K kids should be able to extend basic patterns. In other words, when they observe the pattern such as heart, circle, heart, circle, they can then continue it knowing that a heart and circle would come next.

For measurement, kids should be able to compare objects using measurement terms such as bigger, smaller, taller, shorter, heavier, etc. at a glance.

They may also understand some early time concepts such as day, month, year and seasons.

>>Find books for learning about time concepts here.

Older Pre-K kids may also be able to use non-standard measurement to measure objects. This means measuring with an object such as a paperclip or their hand rather than a ruler.

For instance, they might measure the length of their book as 6 paperclips long.

So how can you effectively teach these skills to Pre-K kids? Here are some of my favorite resources for Pre-K Math Activities to ensure kids learn all the necessary skills.

Pre-K Math Activities: Resources & Curriculum

First, when looking for ideas or resources for Pre-K math, be sure to look for simple, hands on activities and games. There’s no need for pencil and paper worksheets. At this age, a lot of kids aren’t ready for pencil and paper activities anyway.

Instead, look for ways to learn and explore using objects you already have around the house. Incorporate math talk into your everyday experiences.

And always be sure that your kids are having fun and not feeling overly frustrated. If a math activity is causing a meltdown or tears, just walk away!

These early years are definitely not the time to cause math anxiety or a fear or hatred of math.

Skittles Math: 

One of my favorite ways to learn math is with candy. Obviously, you don’t want to break out the sweets everyday, but an occasional “math treat” is fun for everyone!

With my complete Skittle Math Lesson Bundle for PreK-1, you will be able to cover a variety of early math skills with some simple, interactive printable pages.

Buy Skittles Math HERE

Or try out some of the samples below: 

>Skittles Count & Compare

>Skittles Pattern Cards

>Skittles Count & Graph

Preschool Math at Home from The Measured Mom:

Another incredibly valuable and thorough resource is the printable activity set from Anna at The Measured Mom.

This is a comprehensive resource that includes 162 hands on activities that you can do to cover all the essential preschool math skills.

Each activity is explained on a simple printable card so that you can keep them on a ring and easily store them.

In addition, there is a tracking page, so you can see at a glance what activities you’ve already tried and what concepts you still need to work on.

Although this is designed for parents to work on Pre-K math activities at home with their kids, I think this would also be valuable for a classroom teacher.

In addition, this comprehensive collection of activities covers even more skills that what I’ve mentioned here, so if your kids already feel confident with the basics, there are more concepts that you can work on.

Buy Preschool Math at Home from The Measured Mom HERE

Preschool Math at Home from Kate Snow:

Another preschool curriculum option is the book Preschool Math at Home from Kate Snow. This is also a really helpful resource for parents, as Kate has done all the work for you.

Again, these are hands on activities to build number sense and fluency to prepare kids for Kindergarten.

Although it doesn’t cover quite as many math concepts, it provides a simple step by step guide, helping you to know what order to teach concepts.

In addition, Kate includes simple assessment ideas at the end of each unit so you can feel confident moving on, or to let you know when to spend more time on a particular skill.

Preschool Math at Home is available as a print book on Amazon here.

MORE Pre-K Math Activities & Printables: 

Dot Cards for number Sense Games

As I mentioned, subitizing is an important early math skill that prepares kids to addition & subtraction.

Using simple dot cards beginning in Preschool (and even in Kindergarten or First Grade) will help kids to recognize quantities and develop their visual spatial skills.

This set of printable dot cards includes 10 different math games you can play with them.

It is also available in app form, allowing kids to practice and gain confidence independently!

See Visual Dot Cards on iTunes | See Visual Dot Cards on Google Play

Wrecking Ball Subtraction with Blocks

Another fun activity for kids who are ready to explore subtraction is this Wrecking Ball Subtraction.

This is a fun, hands on way to play and learn. For young kids, limit the number of blocks you use to keep the subtraction simple. Older siblings can even play along as they build towers with larger sets of blocks.

Learn more about wrecking ball subtraction here.

Candy Corn Number Puzzles: 

This simple set of matching puzzles is a fun way to practice subitizing, counting, number recognition and number words.

This is a great Pre-K math activity for Fall, when candy corn is in abundance.

Learn more and grab the candy corn puzzles here.

Shape Scavenger Hunt: 

This simple activity is a great way to get up and moving, and also help kids see shapes in the world around us. Plus, I’ve got a simple, free printable page for kids to record their findings.

Learn more about the shape scavenger hunt here.

Shape Formation Rhymes:

Another fun resource to help kids really learn their shapes is this set of shape formation rhymes.

This set comes with cute posters and an audio file to help you and your kids learn 8 different shapes.

Learn more about Shape Formation Rhymes here.

Hopefully this HUGE list of math concepts, games and resources has been a great starting point as you seek to teach your kids, whether at home or in the classroom.

What are some of your favorite pre-k math activities or games? Simple is usually the best! 

The post Pre-K Math Activities: HUGE Resource List appeared first on Math Geek Mama.

Welcome to the weekly round up of FREE math teaching resources here at Math Geek Mama! Every week I share my favorite teaching ideas, lessons and games from around the web for grades K-12.

Do you have a math teaching idea or resource to share with fellow educators? Send me a link so I can share it here!

Kindergarten-2nd Grade:

Grab some adorable back to school printables for Kindergarten from Living Life and Learning! This printable pack includes 12 pages, covering a variety of early math skills!

Fall is almost here, and that means lots of apple fun! If you’re looking for apple-themed math resources, check out these ideas:

• Counting pages to use with Ten Apples Up On Top
• Printable board game to play with Ten Apples Up On Top

And work on patterns with this super cute set of car-themed pattern cards from Only Passionate Curiosity!

3rd-5th Grade:

Practice important rounding skills with this rounding printable pack from Embark on the Journey!

And how handy are these adorable Math Tool Kits!? This is the perfect go to resource for kids to find the tools they need to solve math problems. Is there anything else you would add if you created a math tool kit for your kiddos?

6th Grade+:

Work on solving multi-step equations with this fun math relay from All Things Algebra! This is a great classroom activity, or you could adapt it for homeschool use.

And here are some more Olympic themed math investigations from Yummy Math:

• Calculating drag in swimming
• Ranking methods and medal counts

And that’s all for this week! Thanks for stopping by! If you’re interested in even more math freebies, feel free to scroll through all the past round ups here.

Or, subscribe to my weekly email newsletter which gives you access to freebies I don’t share anywhere else!

Have a wonderful weekend friend!

The post Weekly Math Freebie Round Up appeared first on Math Geek Mama.

*If you want a fun resource for seeing math in nature, scroll to the bottom of this article for a FREE poster set!*

6 Benefits of Taking Math Outside:

1. The fresh air and sun is good for their health.

Being outside can increase the levels of serotonin and dopamine in the brain, helping your kids be happier and less stressed. In addition, getting out for a walk or hands on math activity can provide exercise and a chance to get up and move.

Read more: Improving Your Child’s Mental Health Through Easy Everyday Activities.

2. A change of scenery can be motivating.

Sometimes just a change from the normal, everyday can be exciting and fun for kids. A 2008 study of Kindergarteners found “a significant amount” showed enhanced enthusiasm about learning by taking it outside. In addition, I personally saw greater engagement and participation from high school seniors when we worked outside.

3. Kids can learn outdoor skills at the same time.

Incorporating math learning into outdoor skills can help kids learn math and life skills at the same time. Gardening or using a compass, for example, can be a means of exploring math in the real world.

4. Kids can look for patterns and shapes.

Our world is made up of mathematical structures, whether it is in nature or the buildings around us. Going outside gives kids a chance to see patterns (such as Fibonacci numbers or fractals) in nature, as well as all kinds of shapes that make up our world.

5. It can help them retain more.

By working on math in a context or within a particular experience, kids are more likely to remember what they learn and practice. Creating fun memories can help kids build a foundation on which to build later learning.

6. It’s an opportunity to see and use math in real life.

Making math relevant is an incredibly important component of math education. If kids don’t see how and why it is necessary, they will not be as motivated to learn and succeed. Going outside and exploring math problems in real life can help make math meaningful. Using measurement and estimation skills, for instance, is one way kids can apply what they’re learning to the real world.

Steve Humble, regional coordinator for NCETM, is a proponent of learning math outside of the classroom and states, “I like the idea of young people gaining ‘mathematical eyes.”

Being outside helps kids develop mathematical eyes, and see all the ways that math is around us.

Read More: The Value of Outdoor Learning: Evidence From Research in the UK and Elsewhere.

It’s also important to note that while my focus is on the benefits of taking math outside, many of these are really benefits of taking any kind of learning outside.

Photo Credit: Kazz.0 via Compfight cc {text added}

Fun Ideas for Taking Math Outside:

• Go on a shape scavenger hunt
• Have an even and odd number bean bag toss game
• Take out some cards and play a math card game
• Go on a “math walk”
• Play sidewalk chalk number line race
• Make a life size hundreds chart
• Measure nature
• Learn about circle measurements with trees
• Play with bubbles
• Go on a leaf hunt
• Do math in the snow

These are just a handful of ideas, but hopefully it gives you some places to start!

What would you add? What would you say are the benefits of taking math outside? What other fun ideas do you have?

The post 6 Little Known Benefits of Taking Math Outside appeared first on Math Geek Mama.

I love getting my kids excited about using and learning math, and so we recently used a bag of conversation hearts to explore patterns, estimation and measurement, as well as introduce some engineering ideas! I was amazed at the conversations and ideas we explored as they attempted to build a tower with conversation hearts. They’re so much more creative than I am, and had so many great ideas! Your kids will practice many important math skills and have great math talk with this Valentine’s Day STEM challenge!

*Please Note: This post contains affiliate links which help support the work of this site. Read our full disclosure here.*

Materials Needed to Build a Tower with Conversation Hearts:

• Bag of conversation hearts (we used the large size)
• Ruler
• Pencil and recording page (optional)

Before You Begin this Valentine’s Day STEM Activity:

The first thing I did was explain the task to my kids (ages 6 and 7). They were immediately excited at the challenge! But before they started, I had them look at the hearts, measure them and estimate how tall they thought they could make their tower.

I also demonstrated it for them and let them base their estimate on my small tower, which was 10 hearts tall.

After seeing mine, their estimates were 14 and 15 hearts tall.

Then I let them play and build!

I was so impressed that they were focused not only on building their tower and counting the hearts, but also making various patterns.

They loved trying different patterns, sometimes using all the colors, sometimes just 2 or 3.

I let them experiment a few times first, then we would occasionally stop and measure their creations.

This was great practice for them, as well as a chance to talk about the different units of measurement on our ruler (inches and centimeters).

After some trial and error, they began to look for ways to make their tower sturdier, so that it could be taller.

Some of their ideas to build a sturdy, tall tower:

• Line the hearts up with each other as you build the tower (rather than having some twisting different directions)
• Create 2 towers of hearts next to each other to provide support
• Use the larger hearts (rather than normal size conversation hearts) because they are wider, providing a better base to build on

Our results? The tallest tower built was 30 candy hearts tall! (Unfortunately it fell at heart 31 and I didn’t get a picture). We also measured some of the taller towers to be around 4-5 inches tall, but this was before they got to the tallest point.

This was so fun for my kids, but if your kids are older, there are even more math ideas you can explore:

• Use skip counting to count the hearts in the tower
• Measure the width of each heart and calculate the height of the tower based on the number of hearts (rather than a ruler)
• Determine the number of hearts you would need to build a tower to the ceiling, or other even larger measurements (the Statue of Liberty or Eiffel Tower, or around the entire Earth)

So if you’re looking for a fun, hands on way to explore math and engineering, give this Valentine’s Day STEM challenge a try! All you need is a bag of conversation hearts and some creative kids!

And if you’d like a simple recording page for kids to keep track of their estimate, actual candy count, as well as measurements, click the link below!

{Click HERE to get a FREE Valentine’s Day STEM Recording Page!}

Did you enjoy this post? It is part of the 28 Days of STEM series at Left Brain Craft Brain, where bloggers are sharing all kinds of fun STEM learning ideas for the entire month! Be sure to head over there to find more ideas!

Want more hands-on ideas for measurement and estimation? Check out these posts:

• Mummy Math: Measuring and Estimating with Toilet Paper
• How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin: Estimation and counting challenge
• Which Cup Holds the Most Hot Chocolate?
• How Many Gumball? Printable Estimation Lesson

The post Valentine’s Day STEM: Build a Tower with Conversation Hearts appeared first on Math Geek Mama.

*Please Note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and help support the work of this site. Read our full disclosure here.*

The object of this post is not (necessarily) to encourage you to go teach your daughter math by making jewelry. Though if that is something she loves and enjoys (or you think she would enjoy) by all means, teach her some math along the way!

The point is to find ways to explore math with your kids using the things they are already interested in. For my daughter, it happens to be jewelry making. For your kids, it could be sports or cooking or LEGO or Star Wars or reading, or any other number of things!

By being intentional about looking for ways math is involved in what they’re already doing or studying, you can increase their number sense and math awareness, as well as help cement important math facts.

Showing kids that they can use math to solve a problem in their world is an incredible motivator and will make what they’re learning more meaningful.

So, how exactly is my daughter learning math through jewelry making? I’m so glad you asked!

1. First of all, she had to learn and practice making patterns.

When designing a necklace or a bracelet, she has to create a pattern which can be very simple, or incredibly complex. She likes to mix things up and include big beads and small beads, “accent” beads, dangling beads, and so on. This takes practice, but also requires visualizing the finished product before starting.

2. She’s had to learn and apply an understanding of symmetry.

We’ve talked about and played with symmetry several times with fun arts and crafts, but when making jewelry, she’s had to actually use that knowledge to create symmetrical and balanced pieces.

She’s had to think about the center of a necklace or bracelet and create a pattern that can be going one way on one side of the center, but then is reflected on the other side.

She’s also had to learn how to create sides that are equidistant from the center so that the necklace is balanced and hangs properly when you wear it.

3. She’s practiced measurement.

When she first began making jewelry, she didn’t pay much attention to the size of wire that she cut. This caused problems though, because sometimes a necklace would end up too short or a bracelet would end up too long.

So she’s had to learn to measure the wire first, and practice using a ruler so that certain necklaces or bracelets can be the same length, etc.

4. She’s learned to count money. 

She’s enjoyed creating custom jewelry so much, she decided that she wanted to try and sell it so that she could save up to buy a toy she’s been wanting.

I love seeing her entrepreneurial spirit, and thought it was a great idea and teaching opportunity, so I’ve been helping her hone her craft so that she has quality pieces to sell.

This has allowed us to see even more math applications because she’s now counting money and calculating expenses and profits, etc.

After purchasing a few initial supplies, I’ve helped her sell some pieces and then use some of the profit to purchase more supplies. We’ve added her sales and subtracted her expenses.

She also knows that the toy she wants costs $32, so we’ve explored different ways she can sell enough to make $32 (i.e. how many necklaces and how many bracelets).

There is so much more math to explore when it comes to revenue, profit and expenses, but my daughter is still young.

If you have older kids, however, and they are interested in business at all, encourage them to try some things out. I bet they would be much more likely to spend time working out math calculations if it’s related to a business idea they’re interested in!

If you have a child who loves art and would be interested in learning to make jewelry, it’s very easy to get started. This kit (or something similar) provides all the basic supplies to get started.

And if your child is interested in something else entirely, look for ways to explore math through those interests!

Most of all, make math fun!

The post Making Math Relevant: Learning Math Through Jewelry Making appeared first on Math Geek Mama.

Welcome to the weekly round up of awesome math teaching freebies! Each week I search the web for fun and engaging math teaching lessons and games so that you can teach math in a way that your students will love! Have a freebie to share? Send me a link!

Kindergarten-2nd:

This post at Life Over C’s includes a great list of resources for working on patterns! All kinds of fun themes and ideas!

3rd-5th:

This fun, Valentine-themed math pack has a huge variety of activities that can be used with K-4th grade.

6th-12th:

If you have older kids working on graphing, this cute cheat sheet is really handy! To get a copy, scroll down and look for the box on the right hand side of the page. In the box there’s a document called Graphing Polynomials cheat sheet.

This page at Mortgage Calculator has lots of free lessons on financial literacy. These are based on the national standards for financial literacy and are broken down by grade so there’s something for all ages K-12.

And this page also has free lessons for all ages for helping kids explore engineering concepts. Many are cross-curricular, so you can weave math and engineering topics into history and science. There are lots of really great ideas!

I hope you found some good and useful resources this week! And if you’re looking for more freebies, check out the past roundups!

Enjoy!

The post Weekly Math Freebie Round Up! appeared first on Math Geek Mama.

*Please Note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and help support the work of this site. Read our full disclosure policy here.*

Materials Needed for Number Bond Rainbows:

• Number Bond Rainbow Printables (at the end of this post)
• Watercolor paints  (or fingerpaints could be fun too!)
• Paintbrush
• Cup of water to rinse paintbrush

Before Painting the Facts:

Rather than simply jumping into this art project, spend some time reviewing addition facts. Start with one and talk about the different ways to build each number.

Look for patterns that develop with the facts themselves (which numbers have doubles?) as well as the number of facts for each number (how can we tell how many addition facts a number will have?).

Be sure to look at all the possibilities so that students see the commutative property (i.e. you can switch the numbers around and the solution is still the same: 3+4 = 4+3 = 7).

Depending on the age and background of your students, you may even want to spend time reviewing in a hands-on way to help kids see the addition facts, or to remind them of them.

Once you’ve had some good discussion and considered the patterns, it’s time to break out the paint!

The rainbows included in this free download go from 3-10. There are a couple of different ways you can use them.

One way would be to discuss the addition facts first (maybe even write them down for students) and then let them paint the rainbows that form by connecting the appropriate addends.

A second approach would be to simply explain how to form the rainbows (start by forming a bow with the middle two number and then work outwards), and then write out the addition facts and solutions after seeing the rainbows that form.

If you have older students, you could also have students create their own without the printables below! Or, have your third or fourth graders paint factor rainbows with their multiplication facts!

After they dry, add the solution above or below each rainbow, and then find the perfect place to display them!

However you use these, I hope you will have fun and your kids get creative as they learn and explore addition from 1-10!

{Click HERE to go to my shop to download the Number Bond Rainbows Printable!}

Looking for more resources for exploring number bonds? Try one of these:

• Exploring Number Bonds with Apple Slices
• Fall Number Bond Coloring Pages

And you may also like this set of mazes–a fun and unique way to practice addition and subtraction within 10! It also includes extension ideas, so kids don’t just focus on memorizing facts, but look for patterns and think deeply about math.

Learn more and get this complete resource here.

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