When my own daughter was in fourth grade, her teacher hooked her with something she called Munchie Math. Her classroom was stocked with all the predictable manipulatives and resources, but food? Well, that was clearly the preferred tool of choice for these budding mathematicians. Suddenly, my math-loathing-kid was all about fractions and other fourth grade math mysteries. Armed with a cup of … [Read more...]
Fun Halloween Math for Kids: Freaky Frankies
So, this probably looks like an art lesson (and it is), but then (like magic) it becomes a fun Halloween math lesson chock full of data practice. The kids love it! And honestly, all the finished Freaky Frankies are adorable. FIRST THINGS FIRST Let's go ahead and get this out of the way. If you're thinking you can't do this lesson because you can't draw, trust me ... you can. Using simple shapes … [Read more...]
St. Patrick’s Day Math Activity
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...]