HELPING YOUR CHILD LEARN MATH WITH ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN AGED 5 TO 13

Foreword "Why?" This is the question we parents are always trying to answer. It's good that children ask questions: that's the best way to learn. All children have two wonder ul resources or learning !! i"agination and curiosity. As a parent# you can awaken your children to the $oy o learning by encouraging their i"agination and curiosity. '%elping &our 'hild (earn "ath' is one in a series o books on di erent education topics intended to help you "ake the "ost o your child's natural curiosity. Teaching and learning are not "ysteries that can only happen in school. They also happen when parents and children do si"ple things together. )or instance# you and your child can: sort socks on laundry day !! sorting is a "a$or unction in "ath and science* cook a "eal together !! cooking involves not only "ath and science but good health as well* tell and read each other stories !! storytelling is the basis or reading and writing +and a story about the past is also history,* or play a ga"e o hopscotch together !! playing physical ga"es will help your child learn to count and start on a road to li elong itness. -y doing things together# you will show that learning is un and i"portant. &ou will be encouraging your child to study# learn# and stay in school. This book will give you a short rundown on acts# but the biggest part o the book is "ade up o si"ple# un activities or you and your child to do together. &our child "ay even beg you to do the". "The irst teachers are the parents# both by e.a"ple and conversation. -ut don't think o it as teaching. Think o it as un." /o# let's get started. I invite you to ind an activity in this book and try it.

Content Foreword Introd!"t#on T$e %& #" I'(ort&nt T$#n) To *now '&t$ #n t$e Ho'e P#"t!re P!++,e More or Le Pro-,e' So,.er C&rd S'&rt F#,, It U( H&,/ F!,,0 H&,/ E'(t1 N&'e t$&t Co#n Mone1 M&t"$ Mone12 Wort$ In t$e New Loo3 It U( New (&(er Se&r"$ Tre& !re H!nt F&'#,1 Portr&#t M&t$,&nd4 T$e S!(er'&r3et Get Re&d1 S"&n It We#)$#n) In Get #nto S$&(e C$e"3 O!t It2 #n t$e %&) P!t It Aw&1 M&t$ on t$e Go N!'-er Se&r"$ L#"en e P,&te Tot&, It How Lon)5 How F&r5 G!e I/ Yo! C&n

A((end#"e 14 P&rent &nd t$e S"$oo, 64 W$&t S$o!,d I E7(e"t /ro' & M&t$ Pro)r&'5 34 W$&t We C&n Do To He,( O!r C$#,dren Le&rn

Introd!"t#on 0ost parents will agree that it is a wonder ul e.perience to cuddle up with their child and a good book. )ew people will say that about lash cards or pages o "ath proble"s. )or that reason# we have prepared this book to o er so"e "ath activities that are "eaning ul as well as un. &ou "ight want to try doing so"e o the" to help your child e.plore relationships# solve proble"s# and see "ath in a positive light. These activities use "aterials that are easy to ind. They have been planned so you and your child "ight see that "ath is not $ust work we do at school but# rather# a part o li e. It is i"portant or ho"e and school to $oin hands. -y ostering a positive attitude about "ath at ho"e# we can help our children learn "ath at school. It's 1verywhere2 It's 1verywhere2 0ath is everywhere and yet# we "ay not recogni3e it because it doesn't look like the "ath we did in school. "ath in the world around us so"eti"es see"s invisible. -ut "ath is present in our world all the ti"e !! in the workplace# in our ho"es# and in li e in general. &ou "ay be asking yoursel # "%ow is "ath everywhere in "y li e? I'" not an engineer or an accountant or a co"puter e.pert2" "ath is in your li e ro" the ti"e you wake until the ti"e you go to sleep. &ou are using "ath each ti"e you set your alar"# buy groceries# "i. baby ood# keep score or ti"e at an athletic event# wallpaper a roo"# decide what type o shoe to buy# or wrap a present. %ave you ever asked yoursel # "4id I get the correct change?" or "4o I have enough petrol to drive 56 "iles?" or "4o I have enough $uice to ill all "y children's lasks or lunch?" or "4o I have enough bread or the week?" "ath is all this and "uch# "uch "ore. %ow 4o &ou )eel About "ath? %ow do you eel about "ath? &our eelings will have an i"pact on how your children think about "ath and the"selves as "athe"aticians. Take a ew "inutes to answer these questions: 7 4id you like "ath in school?

7 4o you think anyone can learn "ath? 7 4o you think o "ath as use ul in everyday li e? 7 4o you believe that "ost $obs today require "ath skills? I you answer "yes" to "ost o these questions# then you are probably encouraging your child to think "athe"atically. This book contains so"e ideas that will help rein orce these positive attitudes about "ath. &ou 'an 4o It2 I you eel unco" ortable about "ath# here are so"e ideas to think about. "ath is a very i"portant skill# one which we will all need or the uture in our technological world. It is i"portant or you to encourage your children to think o the"selves as "athe"aticians who can reason and solve proble"s. "ath is a sub$ect or all people. "ath is not a sub$ect that "en can do better than wo"en. 0ales and e"ales have equally strong potential in "ath. 8eople in the ine arts also need "ath. They need "ath not only to survive in the world# but each o their areas o specialty requires an in!depth understanding o so"e "ath# ro" so"ething as obvious as the si3e o a canvas# to the beats in "usic# to the nu"ber o seats in an audience# to co"puter! generated artwork. 'alculators and co"puters require us to be equally strong in "ath. Their presence does not "ean there is less need or knowing "ath. 'alculators de"and that people have strong "ental "ath skills !! that they can do "ath in their heads. A calculator is only as accurate as the person putting in the nu"bers. It can co"pute* it cannot think2 There ore# we "ust be the thinkers. We "ust know what answers are reasonable and what answers are outrageously large or s"all. 8ositive attitudes about "ath are i"portant or our country. 8eople are quick to ad"it that "I a" not good at "ath." We need

to change this attitude# because "athe"aticians are a key to our uture. The workplace is rapidly changing. 9o longer do people need only the co"putational skills they once needed in the :;<6s. 9ow workers need to be able to esti"ate# to co""unicate "athe"atically# and to reason within a "athe"atical conte.t. -ecause our world is so technologically oriented# e"ployees need to have quick reasoning and proble"!solving skills and the capability to solve proble"s together. The work orce will need to be con ident in "ath. -uild &our /el !'on idence2 To be "athe"atically con ident "eans to realise the i"portance o "athe"atics and eel capable o learning to 7 =se "athe"atics with ease* 7 /olve proble"s and work with others to do so* 7 4e"onstrate strong reasoning ability*# 7 /ee "ore than one way to approach a proble"* 7 Apply "athe"atical ideas to other situations* and 7 =se technology.

T$e %& #" &ou "ay have noticed that we are talking about ""athe"atics" !! the sub$ect that incorporates nu"bers# shapes# patterns# esti"ation# and "easure"ent# and the concepts that relate to the". &ou probably re"e"ber studying "arith"etic" !! adding# subtracting# "ultiplying# and dividing !! when you were in pri"ary school. 9ow# children are starting right away to learn about the broad ideas associated with "ath# including proble" solving# co""unicating "athe"atically# and reasoning. Teachers are nursery schools are building bar graphs o birthday cakes to show which "onth has the "ost birthdays or the "ost children in the class. 8i33as or cakes can be used to learn ractions# and "easure"ents can be taken using ite"s other than rulers. What 4oes It 0ean To 7 -e a 8roble" /olver# 7 'o""unicate 0athe"atically# and 7 4e"onstrate >easoning Ability? A proble" solver is so"eone who questions# investigates# and e.plores solutions to proble"s* de"onstrates the ability to stick with a proble" or days# i necessary# to ind a workable solution* uses di erent strategies to arrive at an answer* considers "any di erent answers as possibilities* and applies "ath to everyday situations and uses it success ully. To co""unicate "athe"atically "eans to use words or "athe"atical sy"bols to e.plain real li e* to talk about how you arrived at an answer* to listen to others' ways o thinking and perhaps alter their thinking* to use pictures to e.plain so"ething* to write about "ath# not $ust give an answer. To de"onstrate reasoning ability is to $usti y and e.plain one's thinking about "ath* to think logically and be able to e.plain si"ilarities and di erences about things and "ake choices based on those di erences* and to think about relationships between things and talk about the".

%ow 4o I =se this -ook? This book is divided into introductory "aterial that e.plains the basic principles behind the current approach to "ath# and sections on activities you can do with your children. The activities take place in three locations: the ho"e# the super"arket# and in transit. The activities are arranged at increasingly harder levels o di iculty. The ones you choose and the level o di iculty really depend on your child's ability. I your child see"s ready# you "ight want to go straight to the "ost di icult ones. 1ach activity page contains the answer or a si"ple e.planation o the "athe"atical concept behind the activity so that you can e.plain when your child asks# "Why are we doing this?" With these ew signs to ollow along the way# your "ath $ourney begins.

I'(ort&nt T$#n) To *now It is highly likely that when you studied "ath# you were e.pected to co"plete lots o proble"s accurately and quickly. There was only one way to arrive at your answers# and it was believed that the best way to i"prove "ath ability was to do "ore proble"s and to do the" ast. Today# the ocus is less on the quantity o "e"ori3ed proble"s# and "ore on understanding the concepts and applying thinking skills to arrive at an answer. To develop "trans erable skills". Wrong Answers 'an %elp2 While accuracy is always i"portant# a wrong answer "ay help you and your child discover what your child "ay not understand. &ou "ight ind so"e o these thoughts help ul when thinking about wrong answers. Above all be patient. All children want to succeed. They don't want red "arks or incorrect answers. They want to be proud and to "ake you and the teacher proud. /o# the wrong answer tells you to look urther# to ask questions# and to see what the wrong answer is saying about the child's understanding. /o"eti"es# the wrong answer to a proble" "ight be because the child thinks the proble" is asking another question. )or e.a"ple# when children see the proble" < ? @@@ A ;# they o ten respond with an answer o :B. That is because they think the proble" is asking# What is < ? ;?"# instead o "< plus what "issing a"ount equals ;?" Ask your child to e.plain how the proble" was solved. The response "ight help you discover i your child needs help with the procedures# the nu"ber acts# or the concepts involved. &ou "ay have learned so"ething the teacher "ight ind help ul. A short note or call will alert the teacher to possible ways o helping your child. %elp your children be risk takers: help the" see the value o e.a"ining a wrong answer* assure the" that the right answers will co"e with proper understanding. 8roble"s 'an -e /olved 4i erent Ways

Through the years# we have learned that while proble"s in "ath "ay have only one solution# there "ay be "any ways to get the right answer. When working on "ath proble"s with your child# ask# "'ould you tell "e how you got that answer?" &our child's way "ight be di erent than yours. I the answer is correct and the strategy or way o solving it has worked# it is a great alternative. -y encouraging children to talk about what they are thinking# we help the" to beco"e stronger "athe"aticians and independent thinkers. 4oing "ath in &our %ead is I"portant %ave you ever noticed that today very ew people take their pencil and paper out to solve proble"s in the grocery# ast ood# or depart"ent store or in the o ice? Instead# "ost people esti"ate in their heads. 'alculators and co"puters de"and that people put in the correct in or"ation and that they know i the answers are reasonable. =sually people look at the answer to deter"ine i it "akes sense# applying the "ath in their heads to the proble". This# then# is the reason why doing "ath in their heads is so i"portant to our children as they enter the 5:st century. &ou can help your child beco"e a stronger "athe"atician by trying so"e o these ideas to oster "ental "ath skills: :. %elp children do "ental "ath with lots o s"all nu"bers in their heads until they develop quick and accurate responses. Cuestions such as# "I I have < cups# and I need D# how "any "ore do I need?" or "I I need :5 drinks or the class# how "any packages o B drinks will I need to buy?" 5. 1ncourage your child to esti"ate the answer. When esti"ating# try to use nu"bers to "ake it easy to solve proble"s quickly in your head to deter"ine a reasonable answer. )or e.a"ple# when iguring :E plus 5;# an easy way to get a "close" answer is to think about 56 ? B6# or F6. B. As e.plained earlier# allow your children to use strategies that "ake sense to the". <. Ask o ten# "Is your answer reasonable?" Is it reasonable that I added :D and BF and got BGD? Why? Why not?

What Hobs >equire "ath? All $obs need "ath in one way or another. )ro" the si"plest thought o how long it will take to get to work to deter"ining how "uch weight a bridge can hold# all $obs require "ath. I you took a survey# you would ind that everyone uses "ath: the school teacher# the cook# the doctor# the petrol station attendant# the solicitor# the housewi e# the painter.

M&t$ #n t$e Ho'e This section provides the opportunity to use ga"es and activities at ho"e to e.plore "ath with your child. The activities are intended to be un and inviting# using household ite"s. >e"e"ber# 7 This is an opportunity or you and your child to "talk "ath#" that is to co""unicate about "ath while investigating relationships. 7 I so"ething is too di icult# choose an easier activity or skip it until your child is older. 7 %ave un2

P#"t!re P!++,e =sing sy"bols to stand or nu"bers can help "ake "ath un and easier or young children to understand. What you'll need 8aper 8encil 'rayons What to do :. 'hoose so"e sy"bols that your child can easily draw to stand or :s and :6s +i your child is older# include :66s and :#666s,. A ace could :6s# and a bow could be :s. 5. (ist so"e nu"bers and have your child depict the".

More or Le 8laying cards is a un way or children to use nu"bers. What you'll need 'oin 5 packs o cards 8aper to keep score What to do :. )lip a coin to tell i the winner o this ga"e will be the person with ""ore" +a greater value card, or "less" +a s"aller value card,. 5. >e"ove all court cards +$acks# queens# and kings, and divide the re"aining cards in the stack between the two players. B. 8lace the cards ace down. 1ach player turns over one card and co"pares: Is "ine "ore or less? %ow "any "ore? %ow "any less? This ga"e or young children encourages nu"ber sense and helps the" learn about the relationships o nu"bers +"ore or less, and about adding and subtracting. -y counting the shapes on the cards and looking at the printed nu"bers on the card# they can learn to relate the nu"ber o ob$ects to the nu"eral.

Pro-,e' So,.er These ga"es involve proble" solving# co"putation# understanding nu"ber values# and chance. What you'll need 8ack o cards 8aper 8encil What to do :. /uper su"s. 1ach player should write the nu"bers :!:5 on a piece o paper. The ob$ect o the ga"e is to be the irst one to cross o all the nu"bers on this list. =se only the cards :!G in every suit +hearts# clubs# spades# dia"onds,. 1ach player picks two cards and adds up the nu"bers on the". The players can choose to "ark o the nu"bers on the list by using the total value or crossing o two or three nu"bers that "ake that value. )or e.a"ple# i the player picks a F and a G# the player can choose to cross out ::# or F and G# or D and <# or E and B# or ; and 5# or :6 and :# or :# 5# and E. 5. 0ake :66. Take out all the cards ro" the pack e.cept ace to G. 1ach player draws E cards ro" the pack. 1ach player decides whether to use a card in the tens place or the ones place so that the nu"bers total as close to :66 as possible without going over. )or e.a"ple# i a player draws two :s +aces,# a 5# a F# two Bs# a <# and a G# he can choose to use the nu"erals in the ollowing way: B6# <6# :6# F# G# :# B# 5. This adds up to ;D. These ga"es help children develop di erent ways to see and work with nu"bers by using the" in di erent co"binations to achieve a goal.

C&rd S'&rt %ave your children sharpen their "ath skills even "ore. What you'll need 8ack o cards 8aper 8encil What to do :. %ow "any nu"bers can we "ake? Iive each player a piece o paper and a pencil. =sing the cards ro" : +ace,!;# deal < cards out with the nu"bers showing. =sing all our cards and a choice o any co"bination o addition# subtraction# "ultiplication# and division# have each player see how "any di erent answers a person can get in F "inutes. 8layers get one point or each answer. )or e.a"ple# suppose the cards drawn are <# E# ;# and 5. What nu"bers can be "ade? < ? ; ? E ? 5 A 5B < ? ; ! +E ? 5, A B +E ! <, . +; ! 5, A 5E +; ! E, . +< ! 5, A 5 5. 0ake the "ost o it. This ga"e is played with cards ro" : +ace, to ;. 1ach player alternates drawing one card at a ti"e# trying to create the largest F!digit nu"ber possible. As the cards are drawn# each player puts the cards down in their "place" +ten thousands# thousands# hundreds# tens# ones, with the nu"bers showing. Jne round goes until each player has G cards. At that point# each player chooses one card to throw out to "ake the largest F!digit nu"ber possible. B. )raction un. This ga"e is played with cards : +ace,!:6# and 5 players. 1ach player receives one!hal o the cards. 8layers turn over 5 cards each at the sa"e ti"e. 1ach player tries to "ake the largest raction by putting the 5 cards together. The

players co"pare their ractions to see whose is larger. )or e.a"ple# i you are given a B and a F# the raction BKF would be "ade* i the other person is given a 5 and an E# the raction is 5KE. Which is larger? The larger raction takes all cards and play continues until one player has all the cards. 8layers can develop strategies or using their cards# and this is where the "ath skills co"e in.

F#,, It U( 'hildren en$oy e.ploring "easure"ent and esti"ation. 1"pty containers can provide opportunities to e.plore co"parisons# "easure"ent# esti"ation# and geo"etry. What you'll need 1"pty containers in di erent shapes +yogurt cups# "argarine tubs# $uice bo.es with tops cut o # pie tins, >ice# popcorn kernels# or water 0arker 0asking tape 8aper What to do :. %ave your child choose an e"pty container each day and label it or the day by writing the day on a piece o "asking tape and sticking it on the container. 5. 4iscover which containers hold "ore than# less than# or the sa"e as the container chosen or that day by illing the day's container with water# uncooked rice# or popcorn kernels* and pouring the substance ro" that container into another one. Is the container ull# not ull# or over lowing? Ask your child# "4oes this "ean the second container holds "ore than the irst# less# or the sa"e?" B. Ask your child questions to encourage co"parison# esti"ation# and thinking about "easure"ent. <. 8ut all the containers that hold "ore in one spot# those that hold less in another# and those that hold the sa"e in yet another. (abel the areas ""ore#" "less#" and "the sa"e? F. A ter the containers have been sorted# ask# "4o we have "ore

containers that hold "ore# hold less# or hold the sa"e? %ow "any containers are in each category?" The process o predicting# illing the containers# and co"paring how "uch each will hold# gives your child the opportunity to e.peri"ent with "easure"ent without worrying about e.act answers.

H&,/ F!,,0 H&,/ E'(t1 It is help ul to e.plore whole nu"bers and ractions through "easure"ent and esti"ation. 'hildren can see relationships and the use ulness o studying ractions. What you'll need 'lear container with straight sides# that holds at least < cups 0asking tape 0arker 0easuring cup with :# :K5# :K<# :KE cup "easures on it =ncooked rice# popcorn kernels# or water Jther containers with which to co"pare What to do :. %ave your child run a piece o "asking tape up the side o the container so that it is straight ro" the botto" to the top. 5. )or younger children# use a :!cup "easure. )or older children# use a :K5# :K<# and :KE cup "easure. 8our the chosen a"ount o a substance listed above into the container. B. 0ark the level o the $ar on the "asking tape by drawing a line with a "arker and writing : or one cup or :K5# :K<# or :KE on the line. <. )ollow this procedure until the container is ull# and the tape is "arked in incre"ents to the top o the container. 9ow# the $ar is "arked evenly to "easure the capacity o other containers. F. While illing di erent containers# ask your child "thinking" questions. %ow "any whole cups do you think this container will hold? %ow "any :K5# :K<# or :KE cups do you think the container will

hold? %ow "any :K5 cups equal a cup? %ow "any :K< cups equal a :K5 cup? A cup? %ow "any :KE cups equal a :K< cup? A :K5 cup? A :KE cup? This activity provides a "hands!on" opportunity or children to e.perience ractions while "aking connections to the real world.

N&'e t$&t Co#n 'hildren love to look at coins but so"eti"es cannot identi y the coins or deter"ine their value. What you'll need 8enny 9ickel 4i"e Cuarter What to do :. (ook at the coins and talk about what color they are# the pictures on the"# and what they are worth. 5. 8ut a penny# nickel# and di"e on the loor or table. B. Tell your child that you are thinking o a coin. <. Iive your child hints to work out which coin you are thinking o . )or e.a"ple# "0y coin has a ace on one side# a building on the other." F. (et your child think about what you have said by looking at the coins. G. Ask# "'an you "ake a guess?" D. Add another clue: "0y coin is silver." E. Leep giving clues until your child guesses the coin. ;. Add the quarter to the coins on the table and continue the ga"e. :6. %ave your child give you clues or you to guess the coin. This guessing ga"e helps young children learn to recogni3e coins and develop proble"!solving and higher level thinking skills.

Mone1 M&t"$ This ga"e helps children count change. (ots o repetition will "ake it even "ore e ective. What you'll need A die to roll :6 o each coin +penny# nickel# di"e, G quarters What to do :. )or young players +F! and G!year!olds,# use only 5 di erent coins +pennies and nickels or di"es and quarters,. Jlder children can use all coins. 5. 1.plain that the ob$ect o the ga"e is to be the irst player to earn a set a"ount +5F cents or F6 cents is a good a"ount,. B. The irst player rolls the die and gets the nu"ber o pennies shown on the die. <. 8layers take turns rolling the die to collect additional coins. F. As each player accu"ulates F pennies or "ore# the F pennies are traded or a nickle piece. G. As each player accu"ulates 5 nickels or "ore# the nickels are traded or a di"e. And so on. D. The irst player to reach the set a"ount wins. E. Add the quarters to the ga"e when the children are ready. 'ounting "oney# which involves counting by :s# # Fs# and :6s# is a challenging skill and usually does not co"e easily to children at irst.

Mone12 Wort$ When children use coins to play ga"es# it "ay help the" use coins in real li e situations. What you'll need 'oins 'oupons What to do :. 'oin clues. Ask your child to gather so"e change in his or her hand without showing what it is. /tart with a"ounts o 5F cents or less. Ask your child to tell you how "uch "oney and how "any coins there are. Iuess which coins are being held. )or e.a"ple# "I have :D cents and < coins. What coins do I have?" 5. 'lip and save. 'ut out coupons and tell how "uch "oney is saved with coins. )or e.a"ple# i you save 56cents on detergent# show how this a"ount could be "ade up using di erent coins. Ask your child what could be purchased using the savings ro" the coupon. /weets? A pencil? %ow "uch "oney could be saved with B# <# or F coupons? %ow could that "oney be counted out in coins? What could be purchased with that savings? A notebook? A "aga3ine? %ow "uch "oney could be saved with coupons or a week's worth o groceries? %ow would that "oney be counted out? What could be purchased with that savings? A book? A "ovie ticket? 'ounting "oney involves thinking in patterns or groups o a"ounts: :s# Fs# :6s# 5Fs. /tart these activities by having your child irst separate the coins or coupons by types: all the pennies together# all the nickels# all the di"es# all the quarters* the coupons or cereals# the coupons or cake "i.es# the coupons or soap# etc.

In t$e New &oung children love to look at the newspaper. It is un or the" to reali3e that there are things or the" to see and do with the paper. What you'll need 9ewspaper Ilue 8aper /cissors 8encil or crayon What to do :. 9ewspaper nu"bers. %elp your child look or the nu"bers :!:66 in the paper. 'ut the nu"bers out and glue the" in order onto a large piece o paper. )or children who cannot count to :66 or recogni3e nu"erals that large# only collect up to the nu"ber they do know. %ave your child say the nu"bers to you and practice counting. 'ollect only nu"bers within a certain range# like the nu"bers between 56 and B6. Arrange the nu"bers on a chart# grouping all the nu"bers with 5s in the"# all the nu"bers with Fs# and so on. 5. 'ounting book. 'ut out pictures ro" the newspaper and use the" to "ake a counting book. 8age one will have one thing on it# page 5 will have 5 things that are alike# page B will have B things that are alike# and so on. All the things on the pages have to be the sa"e. At the botto" o each page# write the nu"ber o ite"s on the page and the word or the ite". %ave your child dictate a story to you about what is on the page. -eing able to read and understand the newspaper involves "ore than $ust the ability to read the words and understand what they say. It also involves the ability to read and understand nu"bers.

Loo3 It U( These activities help children understand how ite"s can be organi3ed and grouped in logical ways. What you'll need 9ewspapers 8aper /cissors Ilue What to do :. /ection selection. /how your child that the papers are divided into di erent sections and e.plain that each section serves a purpose. /how how the pages are nu"bered. 5. Ad adventure. 8rovide your child with super"arket ads ro" the newspapers. %elp hi" see how "any ite"s are listed and the prices. 'o"pare the prices at di erent stores. Ask which store has the best bargain and why. Talk about the di erence in prices between ite"s bought at regular price# ite"s at sale prices# and ite"s bought with "oney!o coupons. What happens when an ite" is bought at sale price and bought with a coupon? B. /olid search. (ook at the ads or coupons or pictures o all the cylinders# bo.es# or cubes you can ind. What are their di erent uses? 8aste the pictures on paper and "ake a "book o geo"etric solids." %ave one page or each solid. =nderstanding that there is a logical order to the way things are arranged in the newspaper# and in the book o solids# helps show that "ath skills can be used in organi3ing written "aterial. 'o"paring in or"ation# such as the sale prices at stores# also helps children see logical relationships that can be applied to writing.

New (&(er Se&r"$ /earch through the newspaper or "athe"atical data. What you'll need 9ewspaper What to do :. 9u"bers in the news. )ind the ollowing things in the paper: a graph a nu"ber less than :6 so"ething that co"es in 5s# Bs# <s a nu"ber "ore than F6 the days o the week a nu"ber "ore than :66 a nu"ber that is "ore than :66 but less than ;;; a sy"bol or word or inches# eet# or yards# or centi"eters and "eters a schedule o so"e kind a triangle a weather sy"bol a percent sign sports statistics 5. (ist it. 8rovide your child with super"arket advertise"ents in order to "ake up a list o ood that will eed the a"ily or a week and "eet a budget o a certain a"ount o "oney. %ave your child "ake a chart and use a calculator to work out the cost o "ore than one ite". I the total or the groceries is too great# talk about which ite"s can be eli"inated. 'ould the list be cut down by a ew ite"s or by buying less o another ite"? What will

best serve the needs o the a"ily?. B. )or a raction o the cost. Iive your child a ew coupons and super"arket ads ro" the paper. %elp your child "atch the coupons to so"e o the ite"s in the advertise"ent. What raction o the cost is the coupon? )or e.a"ple# i an ite" costs D; cents and the coupon is or :6 cents o # what raction o the cost can be saved? +About :KE., What percentage are you saving on the ite"? +About :5 :K5 percent., Jne o the "ain ways people use nu"bers is or planning. Lnowing how to plan how "uch things will cost be ore going to the shop and how to read schedules and weather in or"ation ro" the paper will help your child understand the world.

Tre& !re H!nt 1veryone's house has hidden treasures. There is a lot o "ath you and your child can do with the". What you'll need -uttons /crews Washers -ottle caps Jld keys /ea shells >ocks or anything else you can count What to do :. )ind a container to hold the treasures. 5. /ort and classi y the treasures. )or e.a"ple# do you have all the sa"e si3ed screws or keys? %ow are they alike? %ow are they di erent? B. =se these treasures to tell addition# subtraction# "ultiplication# and division stories. )or e.a"ple# i we share :D buttons a"ong three riends# how "any will we each get? Will there be so"e le t over? Jr# i we have B shirts that need G buttons each# do we have enough buttons? <. Jrgani3e the treasures by one characteristic and lay the" end! to!end. 'o"pare and contrast the di erent a"ounts o that type o treasure. )or e.a"ple# there are B short screws# D long screws# and :: "ediu" screws. There are < "ore "ediu" screws than long ones. This "ay also provide an opportunity to talk about ractions: DK5: or :KB o the screws are long.

)inding a container to hold the treasures gives your child practice in spatial proble" solving. The treasures "ay help you to e.plain the concepts o addition# subtraction# "ultiplication# and division because they can be "oved around and grouped together so your child can count the ite"s.

F&'#,1 Portr&#t %ave your child get to know "e"bers o your a"ily by collecting in or"ation and picturing it on a graph. What you'll need 8aper 8encil 'rayons What to do :. 'hoose an inherited a"ily characteristic: hair colors# or e.a"ple. 5. 'ount how "any people in the a"ily have the di erent hair colors. B. 0ake a graph. )or e.a"ple# i F people have brown hair# draw F heads side by side to show these ive people. 4o the sa"e or the other hair colors. Iraphs help everyone# including adults# understand in or"ation at a glance. -y looking at the lengths o the lines o heads# your child can quickly see which hair color# or e.a"ple# is "ost co""on.

M&t$,&nd4 T$e S!(er'&r3et The super"arket is one o the best e.a"ples o a place where "ath is real. /ince ood shopping trips usually a ect everyone in the a"ily# the ollowing activities include various levels o di iculty within the activity. All o these activities can take place over "any visits to the store. Iet >eady Ietting ready to go shopping can help parents and children share their thinking strategies about "ath with one another. What you'll need 8aper 8encil 'oupons +i you use the", What to do :. Involve the a"ily in "aking a list. (ist each ite" and "ark each ite" to indicate the nu"ber required. 5. (ook at the price o an ite" you bought last week and intend to buy this week. %ow "uch did it cost last week? %ow "uch does it cost this week? 4o you want to: 8ay this week's price? Wait until the price co"es down? Jr# stock up i it is reduced? B. Involve the group in deciding how "uch "ilk or $uice will be needed or a week. &ou "ight decide to esti"ate by cups. =se a liter drink container to show how "any cups it contains. <. I you collect coupons# organi3e the". 'hoose the coupons that "atch the ite"s on the grocery list. 4iscuss how "uch "oney will be saved on various ite"s by using coupons.

8racticing "easure"ent and esti"ation will help i"prove your children's ability to predict a"ounts with accuracy.

S"&n It /hopping is a part o li e which really necessitates our being "athe"atically in or"ed to be good consu"ers. What you'll need 8rices What to do :. 9otice whether the super"arket has prices on the ite"s or whether the pricing is dependent on scanners. 5. I there are no prices on the ite"s# notice the prices listed on the shelves. B. Assign each child the $ob o re"e"bering the price o a ew ite"s# particularly those listed as being on special o er. <. -eing aware o the prices o ite"s will help you veri y that the scanners are working properly and that the total is accurate when you go to the check!out. The ever!increasing use o technology in the super"arket puts the burden on you to beware. &our protection lies in having strong "ental "ath skills.

We#)$#n) In Jne un place to try out esti"ation and "easure"ent skills in the super"arket is the produce section where everyone can have the opportunity to participate. What you'll need The grocery scale What to do :. %elp your child e.a"ine the scale. 1.plain that pounds are divided into s"aller parts called ounces and :G ounces equal a pound. 5. Iather the produce you are purchasing# and esti"ate the weight o each ite" be ore weighing it. B. =se sa"ple questions to oster thinking about "easure"ent and esti"ation. &ou "ight Want to ask your child: %ow "uch do you think G apples will weigh? 0ore than a pound# less than a pound# equal to a pound? %ow "uch do the apples really weigh? 4o they weigh "ore or less than you predicted? %ow about the potatoes? Will G potatoes weigh "ore or less than the apples? %ow "uch do potatoes cost per pound? I they cost @@@ cents per pound# what is the total cost? /o"e grocery stores have scales that tell all the answers to these questions# so in that case# esti"ate using the sa"e procedure to "ake sure the "achines are accurate. Activities like this help children develop nu"ber sense or weight and oster the ability to co"pare ite"s when "easuring.

Get #nto S$&(e The super"arket is illed with geo"etric shapes. What you'll need Ite"s ro" the super"arket What to do :. /how your child pictures o the di erent shapes !! cubes# rectangles# squares# cylinders# etc.# !! be ore going to the super"arket. This will help to identi y the" when you get to the shop. 5. At the super"arket# ask your child questions to generate interest in the shapes. Which ite"s are solid? Which are iat? Which shapes have iat sides? Which have circles or aces? >ectangles? 4o any have points at the top? B. 8oint out shapes and talk about their qualities and their use in daily li e. (ook to see what shapes stack easily. Why? Try to ind so"e cones. %ow "any can you ind? (ook or pyra"ids. 4eter"ine which solids take up a lot o space and which ones stack well. 4iscuss why space is i"portant to the shopkeeper and why the shopkeeper cares about what stacks well. -o.es# cans# rolls o toilet paper or paper towels# ice crea" cones# plus produce such as oranges# grapes# and to"atoes are all geo"etric shapes. >ecogni3ing these shapes helps children connect "ath to the real world.

C$e"3 O!t The check out counter is where we co""only think about "ath in the grocery store. It's where the total is added up# the "oney is e.changed# and the change is returned. What you'll need All the ite"s you intend to buy What to do :. %ave your child esti"ate the total. 5. Ask# i I have :6 one dollar bills# how "any will I have to hand over at the check!out? What i I have a 56 dollar bill ? a :6 dollar bill ? %ow "uch change should I receive? What coins will I get? B. 'ount the change with your child to "ake sure the change is correct. Jne way to "ake esti"ating totals easy is to assign an average price to each ite". I the average price or each ite" is 5F cents and i you have :6 ite"s# the esti"ate would be about 5.F6

It2 #n t$e %&) %ere's so"e un esti"ation to do with bags ull o groceries. What you'll need -ags o groceries What to do :. %ave your child guess how "any ob$ects there are in a bag. Ask: Is it ull? 'ould it hold "ore? 'ould it tear i you put "ore in it? Are there "ore things in another bag o the sa"e si3e? Why do so"e bags hold "ore or less than others? 5. 1sti"ate the weight o the bag o groceries. 4oes it weigh F pounds# :6 pounds# or "ore? %ow can you check your esti"ate? 9ow# co"pare one bag to another. Which is lighter or heavier? Why? This activity e.poses children to the e.periences o counting ite"s and co"paring qualities# as well as to $udging spatial relationships and capacity. It shows how to esti"ate weight by eeling how "uch the bag weighs# co"paring it to a known weight +such as a bag o sugar,# or weighing it on a scale.

P!t It Aw&1 9ow# the sorting begins as you put away the groceries. What you'll need &our bags o groceries 'ounter top or table to group ite"s on What to do :. )ind one characteristic that is the sa"e or so"e o the products. )or e.a"ple# so"e are bo.es and so"e are cans. 5. 8ut all the ite"s together that have the sa"e characteristic. B. )ind another way to group these ite"s. <. 'ontinue sorting# inding as "any di erent ways to group the ite"s as you can. F. 8lay "Iuess 0y >ule." In this ga"e# you sort the ite"s and invite your child to guess your rule or sorting the". Then# your child can sort the ite"s# and you can guess the rule. /orting helps children develop classi ying and reasoning skills and the ability to e.a"ine data and in or"ation.

M&t$ on t$e Go In this busy world# we spend a lot o ti"e in transit. These are so"e pro$ects to try while you are going ro" place to place. While you're "oving# have your children keep their eyes open or: 7 house nu"bers* 7 phone nu"bers on the sides o ta.is and vans* 7 dates on buildings and "onu"ents* and 7 business na"es that have nu"bers in the".

N!'-er Se&r"$ The ob$ect is to look or nu"bers around you: on cars# buses# and on oot. What you'll need /o"e type o transportation or A place ro" which to observe 8aper 8encil >uler What to do :. 'reate a chart that lists the nu"bers ro" :!F6. 5. Write down each nu"ber as a"ily "e"bers locate that nu"ber on a car# a sign# a building. B. Write down phrases that have nu"bers in the" such as "one!stop shopping#" "two!day service#" or "open 5< hours." This is a great challenge or a"ily "e"bers o all ages# because even young children can learn to recogni3e nu"bers.

Ve$#",e L#"en e P,&te (icense plates have nu"bers and are un to use to play ga"es while on the go. What you'll need (icense plates 8aper 8encil What to do :. 'opy down a license plate. >ead it as a nu"ber +e.cluding the letters,. )or e.a"ple# i the license is (D6G LL&# the nu"ber would be seven hundred and si.. 5. )ind other license plates and read their nu"bers. Is the nu"ber less than# greater than# or equal to yours? B. 1sti"ate the di erence between your nu"ber and another license plate. Is it :6# 56# F6# :66# 566 or "ore? <. >ecord the initial letters o as "any di erent license plates as you see. Which letters do you see the "ost? Which has the ewest? 8repare a chart or graph to show your indings. These activities encourage reading# recogni3ing nu"bers# noticing sy"bols# writing# counting# and graphing.

Tot&, It This is a good ga"e or practicing quick "ental co"putation. What you'll need (icense plates What to do :. 'all out the nu"bers on the license plate. 5. /ee who can add the nu"bers up correctly. What strategies were used? +Were the nu"bers added by :6's like 5 ? E* were doubles like G ? G used?, B. Try di erent proble"s using the nu"bers in a license plate. )or e.a"ple# i you use the plate nu"ber (D6G LL&# ask# "=sing the nu"bers on the plate# can you: "ake a : using two nu"bers? &es# D ! G A :. "ake a : using three nu"bers? &es# D ! +G ? 6, A : "ake :B using 5 nu"bers? &es# D ? G. Adapt the calculations necessary according to the license plates# and the child's ability. The proble" solving and co"putation going on in your child's head is very i"portant. It helps your child be creative with nu"bers.

How Lon)5 How F&r5 0any ti"es when you are on the go# you are heading so"ewhere that requires you be there by a certain ti"e. What you'll need In or"ation about how ar you're traveling and how long it will take What to do :. Ask your children how ar they think you are traveling. 0etres? Lilo"etres? 0iles? 5. Talk about how long it takes to get there. I it is B::F now# and it takes <F "inutes to get there# will we "ake it or a <::F appoint"ent? %ow "uch e.tra ti"e will we have? Will we be late? These types o questions help children see the use ulness o understanding distance and ti"e.

G!e

I/ Yo! C&n

When children practice asking questions about nu"bers# they can develop an understanding o the characteristics and "eanings o nu"bers. What you'll need Cuestions about nu"bers What to do :. (et your child think o a nu"ber between a stated range o nu"bers while you try to guess the nu"ber by asking questions. %ere is a sa"ple conversation. 'hild: I a" thinking o a nu"ber between : and :66. 8arent: Is it "ore than F6? 'hild: 9o. 8arent: Is it an even nu"ber? 'hild: 9o. 8arent: Is it "ore than 56 but less than <6? 'hild: &es. 8arent: 'an you divide this nu"ber up into B equal parts? And so on ... 5. A ter you have guessed your child's nu"ber# let your child guess a nu"ber ro" you by asking si"ilar questions. The questions asked de"onstrate "any di erent levels o "ath. They can serve as learning tools or e.plaining concepts. )or e.a"ple# you can take the opportunity to e.plain what an even nu"ber is i your child does not know.

APPENDI8 14 P&rent &nd t$e S"$oo, %ere are a ew ideas that "ight help you support a positive "ath environ"ent in your child's school: :. Misit the school and see i the children: 7 Are actively engaged in "ath* 7 Are talking about "athe"atics* 7 Are working together to solve "ath proble"s* 7 %ave their "ath work on display* 7 =se "anipulative's +ob$ects that children can touch and "ove, in the classroo". 5. 1.plore the "ath progra" with your child's teacher or head. %ere are so"e questions you "ight ask: 7 Are there "anipulatable ob$ects in the classroo"? 7 %ow are the national curriculu" standards being applied in this school? 7 What can I do to help oster a strong "ath progra" where children can e.plore "ath concepts be ore giving the right answer? B. I you would like to help out# here are so"e suggestions or parent groups: 7 0ake ga"es or teachers* 7 %elp seek out sponsors who believe in a strong "ath progra" or the school and who "ight provide "aterials and resources* 7 /upport "ath classes or a"ilies at your school. <. Leep a positive attitude even i you don't like what you see. Work to i"prove the "ath curriculu" by doing so"e o the things "entioned throughout this book. F. /hare this book with your child's teacher.

APPENDI8 64 W$&t S$o!,d I E7(e"t /ro' & '&t$ Pro)r&'5 The 9ational 'urriculu" and current educational thinking "ake certain assu"ptions about the way "ath should be taught and what parents "ight see when visiting the classroo". %ere are so"e e.a"ples: :. 'hildren will be engaged in discovering "athe"atics# not $ust doing "any proble"s in a book. 5. 'hildren will have the opportunity to e.plore# investigate# esti"ate# question# predict# and test their ideas about "ath. B. 'hildren will e.plore and develop understanding or "ath concepts using "aterials they can touch and eel# either natural or "anu actured. <. The teacher will guide the students' learning# not dictate how it "ust be done. F. 'hildren will have "any opportunities to look at "ath in ter"s o daily li e and to see the connections a"ong "ath topics such as between geo"etry and nu"bers. G. 'hildren will be actively involved in using technology +calculators and co"puters, to solve "ath proble"s.

APPENDI8 34 W$&t We C&n Do To He,( O!r C$#,dren Le&rn (isten to the" and pay attention to their proble"s. >ead with the". Tell a"ily stories. (i"it their television watching. %ave books and other reading "aterials in the house. (ook up words in the dictionary with the". 1ncourage the" to use an encyclopedia. /hare avorite poe"s and songs with the". Take the" to the library !! get the" their own library cards. Take the" to "useu"s and historical sites# when possible. 4iscuss the daily news with the". Io e.ploring with the" and learn about plants# ani"als# and local geography. )ind a quiet place or the" to study. >eview their ho"ework. 0eet with their teachers.