I know this doesn't look like a St. Patrick's Day math activity, but stick with me for a minute... I'll get there. When I was a kid, I loved books that showed me step-by-step how to draw things. I don't think kids have changed much in this way because our students still love our little art tutorials. We make these sweet little leprechauns every year on or near St. Patrick's Day, and we don't … [Read more...]
Famous Inventions Kids Love – Bubble Gum
Thank goodness for inventors and all their famous inventions. There are the basics like cars, light bulbs, and (one of my personal favorites) hot water heaters. Then there are some less obvious ones like thumbtacks and zippers. There are even a few I resisted at first, like backup cameras in cars. I mean who needs those? (Apparently, me.) If you can believe it, I didn't even want an iPhone when … [Read more...]
Pumpkin Math and Science Activities for Kids
October is the perfect month for pumpkin math and science! And How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin? by Margaret McNamara is the best book for setting that stage. You'd think it's a book about math (and mostly, it is). But it's also about inquiry, teamwork, and learning that the size of something small doesn't always reflect the enormity of what's inside. Yep ... pumpkins AND people.🧡 It tells the … [Read more...]
Make Ten: A Game for Math-Loving Kids
(Make Ten / Free in App Store) This is one of those games I play on my phone when I'm waiting in a doctor's office or find myself needlessly and unfortunately wide awake at 3:30 AM. My son and I are in a not-so-secret competition for high score, but I'll never catch up because he plays it when he gets bored at school (which is a whole other topic of concern). In any event ... … [Read more...]
Laser Tag in the Classroom
My students really love using these Loco Lasers to play laser tag in the classroom. They're easy. to find in the pet section of most discount stores or pet shops. I found these. at Walmart for only. $3.97 each, which is a lot better than at an office supply store where they can easily cost between 14 and 30 dollars! I usually use them in a small group setting as a warm-up activity, but I've … [Read more...]