Math Monday Blog Hop: Math Vocabulary

Welcome to Math Monday Blog Hop!!!! In this hop all links will relate to the theme: Math Vocabulary.

This week, I'd like you to consider your own school experience. Did you use many mathematical terms? How might your math experience have been richer with more vocabulary inclusion?

Personally, I remember very little terminology. Sure, we had the basics--multiplication, addition, perimeter--but it was pretty limited. When I started teaching and had Word Resource Cards to use in the context of lessons, it brought both inspiration and challenge. I've had to learn vocabulary for the first time...as a teacher. I'm so pleased to support students with vocabulary that helps them to explain their thinking, clarifying both what they know and what they still need to figure out. I turn to resources like:

• Pinterest: Math - Vocabulary
• Children's Books - so many books help to clarify math terminology. I will never forget radius, circumference and diameter after reading the Sir Cumference books.
• Math Vocabulary Reference - I use Word Resource Cards. Other helpful resources include: 
• Granite School District vocabulary lists & cards (cards are in color)
• Spelling City vocab lists by grade level
• Word Wall cards 
• Common Core math vocabulary by grade level
• online math glossary.

I ask kids to write their own definitions for terms we're studying, explaining their ideas with pictures, text, and sketches. How do you integrate math vocabulary? Post your ideas in the blog hop below!
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Flies Make Fabulous Math Manipulatives!

Reposting to enjoy during the Halloween season... Plastic flies are readily available at this time of year!

Since our study this week included insects, I thought it might be fun to do a little math "on the fly." Turns out that plastic flies are the perfect math manipulative. They're quiet. (No buzz. Honest.) Cheap. (Bought mine at the dollar store.) Fit great in a kid's hand. Are big enough to find if they "fly" to the floor. (Although we didn't really have trouble with flying flies...) And the math exploration possibilities are endless. (I saw the idea for counting flies here, but I extended it.) Flies would make great manipulatives for probability or fraction work with older kids. But this week was at the kindergarten level.

1. Practice writing numbers:
I made a sheet with the numbers I wanted my kids to practice. I gave each child 5 flies to spill out of the hand and onto the desktop.  Children then traced the number of "dead flies" (ones that landed on their backs) in one color and number of "live flies" (upright) in another color.

2. Practice addition bonds:
I set a target number and gave the child that number of flies to spill onto a desktop. We started with 5 flies. I made a worksheet to record a fly addition sentence: Dead Flies + Live Flies = How Many Flies Altogether? I put the paper in a page protector so we could change the target number. The picture matches the type of flies I found, but I think you could use it with any plastic fly. As long as kids record the upright flies in one column and the upside down flies in the other column, they're good to go. I mean fly!

On the first day, one little guy looked at the column of sums and remarked, "It always equals FIVE!"

Click on the picture for a free Google Doc download. Since I can't see how many people download, you'd make my day if you'd leave a comment saying you grabbed a copy! :)

This little activity would make a great Math Station or Work Box.

Related Kindergarten Standards:

K.CC.3. Write numbers from 0 to 20. Represent a number of objects with a written numeral 0-20 (with 0 representing a count of no objects).
K.CC.4. Understand the relationship between numbers and quantities; connect counting to cardinality.
K.CC.5. Count to answer “how many?” questions about as many as 20 things arranged in a line, a rectangular array, or a circle, or as many as 10 things in a scattered configuration; given a number from 1–20, count out that many objects.
K.OA.1. Represent addition and subtraction with objects, fingers, mental images, drawings¹, sounds (e.g., claps), acting out situations, verbal explanations, expressions, or equations.
K.OA.2. Solve addition and subtraction word problems, and add and subtract within 10, e.g., by using objects or drawings to represent the problem.
K.OA.3. Decompose numbers less than or equal to 10 into pairs in more than one way, e.g., by using objects or drawings, and record each decomposition by a drawing or equation (e.g., 5 = 2 + 3 and 5 = 4 + 1).
K.OA.5. Fluently add and subtract within 5.

John Boy Walton, Where is MY Room?

If the mere sight of this:

...makes you start to long for calls of "Goodnight John Boy"...I get it.

Yep. I grew up under the illusion that I was half Walton. To this day, I'm pretty sure that MaryEllen is a long-lost sister and that Grandpa's land deed will eventually prove that I'm to inherit a piece of the mountain.

If you need more proof, just look at my childhood lunchbox. It holds a place of honor on my living room shelf.

Last week I visited Virginia for the first time. Along with a trip to Monticello, I couldn't help but visit the next most famous historical site. What else? Walton's Mountain...in non-t.v. land, that would be Schuyler, VA.

So here's my conundrum. I got to see the original "Waltons" (Hamner) house. Based on the television series, I assume that all the kids (7 on t.v., but 8 in real life), parents, and grandparents slept there. Real life = twelve people. Yet here's the real house:

Too cheap and in a hurry to tour the place, I'll take the word of fellow tourists that the place only had 3 bedrooms. So where did all twelve people sleep? As a half sister, I'd love to know!

So that's my math problem for the week:

3 bedrooms
divided by
2 grandparents
2 parents
8 kids

Do the math.
I don't think there's room for any half sisters.
Sigh.

P.S. A reader sent me a message that might explain more:
"My mother grew up in Tennessee/Georgia in the 1940s. They slept 3 to 4 kids per bed; living rooms had beds in them. There wasn't much leisure time, so you didn't need a "living room" or a sofa. She said you were either working at chores or sleeping!"

Math Monday Blog Hop: Fractions

Welcome to Math Monday Blog Hop!!!! In this hop all links will relate to the theme: Fractions








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Math Monday Blog Hop: Geometry

Welcome to Math Monday Blog Hop!!!! In this hop all links will relate to the theme: Geometry.









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Need Math Lesson Ideas? (1500 links on Pinterest!)

Looking for math teaching ideas? Visited Pinterest lately? I've categorized over 1500 links--mostly math--into math concept headings. Find ideas on teaching fractions, subitizing, geometry, operations, and using apps, children's literature, art and lots more!!)

Math Monday Blog Hop: Fall & Halloween Math

Welcome to Math Monday Blog Hop!!!! In this hop all links will relate to the theme: Fall and Halloween Math!









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Are You Teaching 5th Grade Math??

Teaching 5th grade math this year?

So am I!

I want to share a resource page that I am continually updating for my own class. You'll find online games, books, and other resources that students can access to practice grade 5 math content. If you find something wonderful for 5th graders, I hope you'll comment below so I can add to the list!

Feel free to direct 5th grade teachers, students, and parents to the page. My own students go to the page to practice math skills online at home.

Enjoy!

Math Monday Blog Hop: Math Notebooking

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You Can Count on Monsters! (Teaching Prime/Composite)

Teaching prime and composite numbers? Don't miss You Can Count on Monsters by Richard Evan Schwartz. In a work of creative genius (seriously, how do people think like this?) he combines art and prime/composite to form a series of monsters. His webpage gives you the best glimpse of how the monsters work...suffice it to say that prime monsters are frequently eaten by composites. The concept even captivated NPR with a story: Math Isn't So Scary with Help From These Monsters.

In my 5th grade math class, the book helped to level the playing field as some students were familiar with prime/composite and others weren't. As we read the book, the newbies grasped the basic concept and the old hands were captivated by the number trees. Longer explorations allow kids to make predictions about whether the next page will reveal a prime or composite number, including thoughts about what the number tree will look like.





Additional resources include:

A poster of 1-100, factored.

A fabulous prime/composite applet. Ask students to compare the applet to the information in the book.

The author has a series of videos explaining more about the book and its concepts.

Math Monday Blog Hop: Counting, Cardinality, and Subitizing

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Math Monday Blog Hop: Math & Children's Literature

Introducing the first new Math Monday Blog Hop!!!! This week: Math & Children's Literature! All links will relate to that theme: Math & Lit! (Links without that theme will be removed...thanks for understanding!)

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How Do I Participate in Math Monday Blog Hops?

You may have read that Math Monday Blog Hops are changing this fall. You'd like to participate, but you're not sure what it means. Here it is, in a nutshell:

You want learn about new teaching lessons, resources, and ideas. 
That's super simple! Follow links to ideas from other educators on themes that interest you. Each week will contain a new theme. If you want to come back to a theme to see what new links have been added, visit the Math Monday Blog Hop Index to find links to this year's themes.


You want to post links to your math ideas: lessons, resources, and reflections.
While this is also easy, it contains a few more steps.

Let's say you post a blog entry on your favorite math-related children's book. You want to share it with the world. You will:

1. Go to the Math Monday Blog Hop Index. If a link on your topic is live, follow it. If a link on your topic is not live, save it until the week that topic is featured.
2. When you arrive at the Blog Hop that best fits your post, look for the blue "Add your link" button.
   
   
    
3. Click on "Add your link."
4. You will go to a page like this:

Add the link (cut and paste) that goes DIRECTLY to the blog entry that relates to the theme. Give it a title that will capture the interest of readers. Add your email; it's required, but goes to no one but me and the Inlinkz file.

If an image is offered, select the one you wish to use. If you don't like the way it's centered, click on "Crop" and move the cropping device as desired. Push DONE and you'll soon be able to see your entry in the Blog Hop!

Note: Please do not post links to commercial products...i.e. things that you are personally selling. Freebies are great. Book reviews, too. But please save TPT/TN and other commercial products for another time. THANKS!

Entries, by theme, will stay open until June 1, 2014, for the 2013-14 school year. Come back regularly to add new posts and to learn new ideas from others!

Have any questions? Post below. And happy blog hopping!!! :)

Teaching: Covering Content Vs. Being Content

Last night I had a huge, my-brain-might-explode, aspirin/Motrin-doesn't work, go-to-bed-early, headache.

I woke up this morning with a revelation.

I'm stressed.

About content. Defined this way:

Content
/ˈkänˌtent/
noun
The material to be covered this year in school.

I realized that content temporarily hijacked me. It felt no different than an unwelcome solicitor's phone call in the middle of reading a book to my son...or a demanding email in the middle of a conversation with my daughter.

So I stopped. And thought about something else. How to be content. Defined this way:

Content
/kənˈtent/
adjective
From Google: "in a state of peaceful happiness."

That's what I want. For my students. For me. And for learning.

Learning isn't always peaceful. It's not always happy. But in order to truly be content, I think you have to be steered by something other than content.

Used the right way, content is good. It gives you a road map. But if you miss seeing the trees along the road, miss the kids giggling in the back seat, miss the smiles of the nearby driver, the map misses it's mark.

What do you think? Have you been so busy checking boxes, checking standards, that you are checking out on what's really important? Are you content about content? :)
 

Announcing: the NEW Math Monday Blog Hop!!

Math Monday Blog Hops return this fall with a new--hopefully, improved--version! Here's how it works...

Themes
Each Monday will contain a new theme. The Fall 2013 schedule is:

Sept. 16: Math & Children's Literature
Sept. 23: Counting, Cardinality, and Subitizing
Sept. 30: Math Notebooking
Oct. 7: Fall or Halloween Math
Oct. 14: Geometry
Oct. 21: Fractions
Oct. 28: Math Talk
Nov. 4: Thanksgiving Math
Nov. 11: Measurement
Nov. 18: Holiday (December holidays) or Winter Math
Nov. 25: Addition & Subtraction
Dec. 2: Real Life Math
Dec. 9: Multiplication & Division
Dec. 16: Time & Money (which we have little of in December!)
Dec. 23: take a rest! No Math Monday this week!
Dec. 30: New Math Ideas (things I want to try with my students) for the New Year...think Pinterest!

You will be able to post on each topic for longer than a week; I'm currently planning to keep each theme open for the school year. That means that as you write new blog content, you'll be able to come back and post a link to the appropriate spot. And as you teach new lessons, you'll be able to find new content that relates to what you are currently teaching. The master index will be available from the  Math Monday Blog Hop Tab.

Featured Blogs & Websites
Whenever possible, I'd like to feature blogs & websites that relate to the weekly topic. If you know a fabulous blogger or website that you'd like to recommend for any of the fall topics, please post in the comments below.

Questions for Math Monday Participants: readers and bloggers
Question 1: How much does it mean to you to have thumbnails (pictures) with each link? To do that, I'll need to upgrade from a free InLinkz account to a paid one. I'll use my one freebie on Sept. 16 to see what you think. If you love the look, I'll consider making the investment. ;) (Also, if you use a thumbnail/link service that you love, let me know. I only have experience with InLinkz.)

Question 2: Have themes/topics that you'd like to see covered? Please post them in the comments and I'll add them to my list.

Excited to see you next Monday for the first Blog Hop of the school year. Start thinking about your favorite children's literature books and how they relate to MATH! ;)

Staying Alive...with Real Life Math Stories

I like to "collect" math stories. From real life. Over the years I've amassed some good ones (including the one about the clerk who needed a calculator to compute 20-12!) but this last week one struck me...or perhaps "stuck" me.

I've started allergy shots again...something I've done repeatedly over my lifetime. I've never experienced anything more than a little localized reaction and since I've been on shots since May, I didn't really expect much at a recent injection.

But you need some numbers:
With each new bottle of serum, I start with a tiny amount, .1ml, and then move up to .2, then .3...each time going up by .1 until I reach .5 and then begin a new bottle with a stronger concentration. Last week, I received my second injection from the newest bottle, or .2ml. Tiny amount, right? Much less than those biggies at .4 or .5. Insignificant, really.

Hardly. Within 45 minutes of my shot I was in full allergy attack: sneezing, coughing, itchy throat, runny nose, and the scariest...wheezing, with air passages closing. To make a scary story short, I followed protocol and recovered.

But here's the math part...

I saw the allergy nurse this week and reflected on how odd the experience was. It was such a tiny amount: only .2ml. Ah, she said...that's what she used to think, too. Until someone pointed out that something significant happens during the .2ml shot. Can you figure it out? Again, I always get injections in this order:

.1ml
.2ml
.3ml
.4ml
.5ml

What's significant about the  .2 injection? Mathematical minds want to know... Leave your comments below.

P.S. This is a reminder to collect "real life" stories like this to share with kids. Make it real! (But perhaps not THIS real!) :)

P.P.S. School starts up for me this week. Big Math Monday Blog Hop announcement on Monday!

And the School Room Comes Together...

In the past week, I've been prepping my school room. Last night I wrote in my journal, "Worked on schoolroom (cool!)" Then I looked back to see what I wrote a year ago. It read, "Decorated school room more. Looks cool."  Notice a pattern here? (And perhaps a lack of creativity in adjectives?)

When I say "decorated" it's not really accurate. I put up the essentials. Organize. But leave the wall space for student work. After all, that's what the room is for, right? STUDENTS! And their WORK! :)

Over the years, I've taught in both public school classrooms and in rooms in my house (homeschool), but in the last year, I've taken over an outbuilding to contain my ever-expanding homeschool community classes. The large cabinet, a gift from my sister-in-law, enables me to finally contain all my teaching junk treasures. (At least the materials I need access to in this space. The rest spills into my office and into storage in our barn!) The cabinet will soon fill; I'm slowly moving supplies from one location to another. Visit the room:

 

Although I'm excited about everything I'll be teaching, in the last couple days I've focused mostly on getting ready to teach fifth grade Bridges Second Edition. My Number Corner area is ready to go with both the Calendar Collector (volume--uses cubes) and Calendar Grid (fractions & decimals--cards are turned over right now--we'll collect data in Sept) on display.

Number Corner

Calendar Collector--we'll be making models with cubes (not those shown--harder!) and calculating volume

Calendar Grid

September, here we come!!

Book Review: The Boy Who Loved Math

Let's see, how can I put this...

This math teacher adores the new book, The Boy Who Loved Math. (!)

The whole premise is a big quirky. I mean, who writes a children's book about a Hungarian mathematician and expects to have a hit? But author Deborah Heiligman and illustrator Leuyen Pham--hilarious pictures!--dazzle me with the story of Paul Erdos.

The hugely precocious youngster, born in Budapest in 1913, can do crazy things; by age 4 he can mentally calculate the number of seconds that have passed since a visitor was born. Yet, spoiled rotten by his mother and Fraulein nanny, he does not even know how to butter his own bread.

School is not a good fit for Paul as he hates rules. His Mama, a germaphobe, is happy to keep him home where he can solve math problems all day. Mama and Fraulein continue to cut his meat, dress him, and tie his shoes.

In high school, Paul returns to school, and by 20, he is world-famous for his mathematical skills. At 21, he is invited to England, and must finally learn to butter his own bread. For the remainder of his life, he travels the world, spending about 19 hours a day doing the thing he loves: MATH.

Curricular connections (beyond the obvious, general, "math" one):

• prime numbers--Paul is fascinated with them and a couple pages are dedicated to them
• WWI and WWII--Paul is Jewish. In the author's notes we read, "Most of Paul's relatives were murdered in World War II."
• biography/mathematician/Erdos number--p. 30, "If you did math with Paul you get an Erdos number of 1. If you worked with someone who worked with Paul, your Erdos number is 2. People are so proud of their Erdos numbers." Is this like the academic form of Six Degrees from Kevin Bacon?? ;)

Check out the author's website for Erdos links to explore. This is a book that will be enjoyed by preschoolers through adults. My 7 & 11yo boys and I were all entranced.

Want to read more math-y titles? Check out the gigantic list.

Disclosure:  Any purchases made through the Amazon link will result in a small commission (at no cost to you) which will be given to Grace and Hope, providing foster care for children in China. Thanks!

What Are Your MATH Plans?

It's been a very busy summer. I've been occupied (in no particular order) with:

• sick people (first a child and now a husband...my Lysol trigger finger has gotten plenty of exercise!)
• packing - both a child for the first year of college and the entire family for a week of camping
• gardening - I've frozen a tremendous amount of green beans and hope to put up a lot more produce
• supporting teachers - blogging (not here, obviously!), writing, and teaching workshops
• lesson planning - thinking about this fall!!!

Our vacation didn't start til the end of June and won't end until early September, but my math wheels are turning with new ideas as I plan for Bridges Second Edition. I also want to incorporate math apps (free), children's literature, and notebooks. (Math all day, every day?) :) 

Have you started planning your year? Some of you have probably already begun. I'm curious to know what you are using for math this year, whether in the classroom or in a homeschool setting.

Share your plans! :)

Navigating Early: Pi in July!

It's rare to find a chapter book that skillfully weaves a math concept into story, but you'll find that and more in Clare Vanderpool's new book, Navigating Early.

Summary:
After his mother's death, Jack finds himself suddenly enrolled in a private boys' school and meets Early*, an orphan on a quest to find his older brother, believed to have died in a WWII battle. The boys follow a trail mapped by a fantastical tale based on the colors and images that Early sees in the numbers of the sequence in pi.

*Although not explicitly labeled in the story, the author's notes explain that, "By our standards today, Early might be diagnosed with a high-functioning form of autism."

The boy's pi  journey includes adventure sure to captivate: pirates, skeletons, kidnappers, mysterious deaths, a stolen gun, and more. It will, IMO, probably be made into a movie someday!

I finished reading it last week and immediately took it up as a read aloud for my 10yo son. Don't miss it. You'll also find more math-related children's books on the gigantic list.

Note: The author shares about the origins of the story on her website.

Disclosure:  Any purchases made through the Amazon link will result in a small commission (at no cost to you) which will be given to Grace and Hope, providing foster care for children in China. Thanks!