Math Ninja

What...a Parent Math Night?!?

2012-02-12T07:02:00.000-08:00

You got it! I am hosting a Parent Math Night on Tuesday, February 28, 2012 from 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm. What is a Parent Math Night? It is your opportunity to come and learn all about the new Math curriculum. It is also a chance to see what your child is doing in Math! We will play games and learn about how and why we do things...like why we don't teach using algorithmes and long division any more. This will be your opportunity to ask questions and to learn how you can help your child at home.

An information letter was sent home with the oldest child in each family on February 8. If you did not receive it, please let me or the office know and we will get one to you. We are asking parents to RSVP by Friday, February 24th so that we can better plan for the evening.

Come ready to play games and to have fun! This is your chance to become an honorary Math Ninja!!

Ninjas and Samurais Revisited

2012-02-01T05:32:00.000-08:00

I really enjoyed spending some time with my ninjas and samurais from last year when I went into the grade 6 classes this past week. Students are working on addition, subtraction, multiplication and division using decimal numbers. We played several games using cards to work on this concept.

We also began to look relationships between decimals and fractions. This is a difficult concept, but one that is so important for students to grasp. One game we played required students to create fractions using 2 cards in order to see who had the biggest fraction. Before students could compare their fractions, they needed to change their denominators to the same number in order to be able to compare them. This is a concept we started last year and that students will continue to work on this year.

Wee Little Ninjas!

2012-02-01T05:23:00.000-08:00

Last week I went into all three Kindergarten classes…such cute little Math Ninjas in the making! We worked on 2 different concepts in smalls groups. The first thing we did was sorting. Students were given different items that they had to sort. They needed to find common characteristics in order to sort the objects. In this example, students sorted the objects according to colour (sparkly and non-sparkly), letters and numbers.

This is an easy concept to practice at home as you can really use anything you might have in your house.

Sort coloured toothpicks, various sizes and types of beads, mini shape erasers, plastic food from the housekeeping corner, lids/ caps, keys, etc.
Sort objects according to whether or not they attract to a magnet
Sort objects by whether they float or sink in water
Sort real life items into big, medium, and small boxes
Sort items by texture
Sort plastic animals by color, number of legs, wings/no wings, size, etc.

Another important concept is subitizing. Subitizing is the ability to 'see' a small amount of objects and know how many there are without counting. Subitizing is what tells you what number you roll on a six sided dice - most adults no longer have to count the pips after playing board games for a while. We played several games where students needed to see different ways of representing numbers.

This is a great site with more ideas that you can print at home and use as a family to help work on this concept.

http://teachmath.openschoolnetwork.ca/Subitizing.htm

Get Measuring!

2012-01-20T05:57:00.000-08:00

In grade 5 we are working on measurement in class. This week we paired up ninjas and samurais and gave them things around the school to measure. Sounds easy but we had them first estimate how long something will be and then they had to convert each measurement into mm, cm and m. This is not always an easy task! If you have always wanted to know how many mm, cm or m it is between the ninjas’ door and the samurais’ door, you will have to ask one of them!! They can also tell you the length of the railing in the balcony, the length of the doors and windows in the grade 4 book room as well as many other very useful measurements around the school!

Grade 4 Fun!

2012-01-20T05:50:00.000-08:00

This week I have had the pleasure of going into the grade 4 classes. We reviewed rounding to the nearest tens and hundreds as well as addition and subtraction. One thing to think about as parents is that when you are asking your kids questions at home (and it is easy to have them do rounding when you are doing errands by asking them to estimate the approximate total cost of items you are purchasing as this helps with rounding), be very intentional in using Math vocabulary.

If you are doing additions, ask them what the sum (la somme in French) will be and with subtractions, what the difference (la différence) will be. This will help them understand that when a question asks for “la somme”, they need to do an addition and “la différence” will be a subtraction. Here are some fast, easy games for practicing addition and subtractions.

Race to 100 (we played with 9 sided dice instead of cards)

Player 1 turns over a card and records the number on his paper. Player 2 turns over the next card and records the number on her paper. Players continue to alternate turning over cards; they record each number on their papers as a running vertical addition math problem.

Example:
Player 1 turns over a card with the number 6 on it. The next turn he turns over a 5. On his third turn he turns over an 8. The math problem that results looks like this:

+ 5

+ 8

The first player to reach a total of exactly 100 is the winner. Players must wait for the turn of the card that equals exactly 100.

For example, in order to win, a player with a total of 98 must turn over a card with the number 2 on it; or she must turn over two Aces (=1) on subsequent turns.)

Cards are reused until one player reaches 100. To increase the difficulty, add another die or card and race to 1000.

Race to 0

This is the same idea but this time you start at 100 and race backwards to 0 using subtraction. The first person to get exactly 0 wins!

3E

2012-01-14T07:29:00.000-08:00

In 3E this week, we looked at addition using doubles. We used blocks to create doubles and talked about how valuable doubles are because they are often easier to remember when doing addition. We then talked about doubles +1. We began with a double such as 2+2 but then we added 1 so that we now had 2+2+1=5. We then saw that 2+3=5 is actually a double plus 1. Here is a great game you can play to practice doubles.

Double Trouble

Using 3 – 10 sided dice (0-9), each player has a turn and rolls the dice. If they get a double, they cover that number on their board. Each player gets 3 rolls per turn and then it becomes the other player’s turn. The goal is to be the first person to cover all of the doubles on their board.

3C

2012-01-14T07:24:00.000-08:00

In 3C this week, we began to look at strategies students can use in order to add 2 digit numbers with 2 digit numbers. We began by looking at estimation and rounding as a way of first getting an idea of what the answer should be. We then looked at using grouping in order to add. For example:

+52

Students should see that 45 is really 40+5 and 52 is 50+2. Students can then add 40+50=90 and 2+5=7. They can then add 90+7=97. We also used 10’s and 1’s blocks to show place value.

After looking at several strategies, we played a game using cards (start with Ace-4 to begin with and then add 5-9). Each player takes 4 cards and tries to create an addition of 2 digits plus 2 digits that will give the largest sum. The person with the largest sum wins and gets a point.

3S

2012-01-14T07:20:00.000-08:00

This week, when I went into 3S, we did a review of place value using Math Stations. Students were in groups of 4 or 5. We played various games to help them review concepts they have already covered this year. One game that that you could easily play with your child is a version of war.

Players divide the playing cards evenly between themselves (use Ace-9). Each player turns over three cards to create a 3-digit number. The number on the first card turned over represents the number that will appear in the hundreds place (les centaines); the number on the second card represents the number that will appear in the tens place (les dizaines); the number on the third card represent the number that will appear in the ones place (les unites).

Both players call out their numbers. (You might have them verbalize: "Six hundreds, 3 tens and two ones equals six hundred and sixty-two or six-cent-soixante-deux.") The player with the largest number gets all six cards. In the event of a tie, each player takes one more card and the player with the biggest number wins all of the cards.

Ninjas vs. Samurais...Who Will Win?!?

2011-12-21T05:08:00.000-08:00

In grade 5, we have been working on multiplication and division. This week, M. Layton and I made a game to practice long division…ninja and samurai style! Students had to navigate around the playing board using the remainder from long division questions as the number of spots they needed to move. The key is that they had to roll a 0-9 die and then decide where to put each digit in order to give them a remainder that would benefit them in the game. I hope no one got stuck for too long on the square that says "miss two turns because you are busy listening to Justin Bieber"!

We have been using dice from 0-9 to play games that practice multiplication skills…games have included multiplication bingo and different versions of the game “war”. Students are starting to get much quicker and the fun times are paying off!

Here is one version of War but we have also played it using dice and “jetons”. This is a great game that could also be done as additions for younger grades.

Each player turns two cards face up, reads the number sentence and supplies the answer. For example, if your child draws a 5 and a 4, he says 5 x 4 = 20. If you draw a 7 and an 8, then your number sentence is 7 x 8 = 56. Because your product is larger, you win the four cards and you put them at the bottom of your pile.

So who won? Well, everyone had a great time but deep down I think we all know the ninjas won...and since I am the one who writes this, who's going to stop me from saying it?!? Okay, everyone had a great time and everyone was able to practice their long division so I guess in the end, everyone won!

Got Egg Cartons? You Can Do Math!!

2011-12-18T07:01:00.000-08:00

Here are some great game ideas that you can do with empty egg cartons. You can adapt this to fit with the needs of your child. I have included three versions so you can find one that fits with what your child needs to work on. If you try this and find other game ideas, please feel free to add them to the blog in the comment section below! I love it when we ninjas can all learn from each other!!

Version 1

Materials Needed:

1 egg carton
2 buttons, coins, or cereal or candy pieces (Young children should be supervised when using small items such as buttons or coins!)
marker
tape

Number of Players:

Can be played alone or with others

Preparation:

Tape up any holes on the egg carton.
Write numbers in the bottom of each section in the carton.

How to Play:

Place two of the buttons, coins, or cereal or candy pieces in the egg carton.
Shake it up.
Match the activity to the skill your child needs to master. For example, use the numbers that the buttons land on to have your child:

Identify the numbers by naming them.
Add two numbers and identify the sum.
Subtract one number from the other and identify the difference.
Multiply the two numbers and identify the product.

Version 2

On the inside bottom of each cup of the egg carton, print a different number. With young children, use the numbers zero through 11. For older children, you can use higher numbers (or more egg cartons).
Now cut out paper eggs. Write a math problem on each. Have your child solve the math problem on each egg and put it in the cup with the correct answer.

You can use this same idea as your child’s math skills progress. You might write fractions on the bottom of the cups. Write other fractions that have the same value on the paper eggs.

Version 3 - For Older Students

Number of Players:

2-4 players

Preparation:

Egg carton with numbers 1-12 written in cups

How to Play:

Play rotates clockwise. Each player in turn puts the two markers in the egg carton, closes it, shakes it and then opens the carton to see where the markers landed.
Each player's score is the product of the two numbers that the markers landed on.
Players add scores (scrap paper or notebook) to get a cumulative score, until a player reaches 500 and is declared the winner.

Joyeux Noel 2ième année!!

2011-12-16T09:39:00.000-08:00

This week I visited the grade 2 classes. What great math ninjas they all were!

As students continue to work on the general outcome of developing number sense, I decided that we would focus on using personal strategies for adding with the support of manipulatives. Students worked in groups of 2 or 3. They were given a Christmas tree with a number between 11 and 18. Using blocks, they had to find different ways of adding their number. For example, if they had 14, they could find things like 8+6=14 which is also the same as 6+8=14. We practiced saying the equations out loud which was really helpful to practice those tricky “teen” numbers! We also reviewed counting by 2 and 5 for many of the numbers. It is really important that students practice using manipulatives, even if they can do it without because this is part of the new math curriculum and is an outcome for students all through elementary.

Once students found a different way of adding their blocks together, they wrote the equation(s) on a decoration to put on their tree.

This activity could be extended to include subtraction/multiplication/division and you could use larger numbers.

Students also had a chance to play Math Ninja on the iPads…very fun! This is a great app to practice math facts. Even my big grade 5 ninjas like this app!

http://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/math-ninja-hd/id370144476?mt=8

After Christmas I will be going into the grade 3 and 4 classes so watch for updates on what we did in early January!

Paper Clip Math

2011-12-05T05:59:00.000-08:00

Here is a great idea I found to help your child practice their basic addition, subtraction, multiplication and division facts. Take an index card and put a number in the middle. Notice the symbols around the edge of the card. Your child uses paper clips to create different equations that equal the number in the middle of the page. This is a great activity for students in grade 3 and 4 but could be adapted for grades 1 and 2 by removing the multiplication and division symbols.

Fun in Grade 1!

2011-12-01T05:53:00.000-08:00

This week and next week I am working with the grade 1 ninjas…so cute!! I have already been into 1N and 1F and will be going to 1M and 1P in the next few days. The grade ones are currently working on numbers to 20 and are beginning to add…how very exciting! Here are the things we did in small groups that you could easily do at home with your child.

Image: '365/44: Spin'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/64597607@N00/4354750617

Station 1 – Bowling anyone?

I set out 12 plastic bowling pins. Each student got 2 turns to knock down as many pins as possible. After each turn they would write the number of pins they knocked down on a white board (that I bought at Dollarama for $1.50). I had used electrical tape to create an equation on the board (____+____=_____). After writing how many pins they knocked down each turn, they add to add up how many they knocked down in total. This could also be done as subtractions starting with 12-_______=______. Students love this for 2 reasons…knocking down pins is a blast and they love writing on the little whiteboard!

Image: 'Dice'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29593526@N07/3233172821

Station 2 – What adds up to…?

Students took turns rolling a giant die (so much more fun than a normal sized die!). They had giant cards with 2 of each from A-6 (A=1). Students had to find different combinations of cards that add up to the number they rolled on the die. To make this more difficult, add a second die.

Image: 'Justice Legg of America'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/83346641@N00/3436159484

Station 3 – Scrambled Eggs

I cut out a set of eggs from 10-20. One student would “scramble” the eggs while the other student wasn’t looking. Then the second student would need to unscramble the eggs so they were in the correct order. We also practiced saying the numbers out loud in French as this is an area of difficulty for most students at this level. Once students master this, you could have them work backwards from 20-10. Here are the numbers in French to help you in case you don’t know them. You can also go to Google translate and push the little sound button to have the computer say it for you if you aren’t sure of the pronunciation.

10 – dix 16 - seize

11 – onze                            17 – dix-sept
12 – douze                          18 – dix-huit
13 – treize                          19 – dix-neuf
14 – quatorze                   20 – vingt
15 – quinze

Image: 'Apple'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/51035555243@N01/36595362

Station 4 – A Bag of 10 Apples

Students had to imagine that my friend works at Superstore and his job is to make bags with 10 apples in each bag. He could mix red and yellow apples together in the bags. Students had red and yellow little plastic circles and they practiced making different combinations of 10 on a chart with 10 squares. Once they mastered that, we introduced “green” apples as well.

I would encourage parents to make Math a part of your everyday life with your child! Have them add things up whenever you can! Have them count things all around you...in French and in English! Once you start looking for things to add and count, you will be amazed at what you find! In fact, feel free to post ideas of things you had your child add and count and then we can get ideas from each other!

Happy adding and counting!

Thank You 4G!!

2011-11-27T10:22:00.000-08:00

Image: 'Gear Work 2'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7955505@N05/489992128

This week I spent some time in 4G doing Math stations. Thank you to Mme Gourley and her students who made me feel welcome! You are ninjas and samurais in the making! We did math stations that focused on telling time to go with the outcome “Read and record time, using digital and analog clocks, including 24-hour clocks”. Here are the activities we did together.

Station 1 – L’heure Exacte

This is a game that involves using 6 sided double dice to tell time…did you know you can get 6 sided double dice at places like Education Station? Students were given a sheet with 12 clocks without hands, a blue die (up to 12), a green die (up to 12) and a regular 6 sided die. The blue die represents the hour and the green die represents the minutes. Students need to count the number on the green die and then refer to this chart to see how many minutes they need to draw on their clock:

1 - 05 minutes 7 - 35 minutes

2 - 10 minutes 8 – 40 minutes

3 - 15 minutes 9 - 45 minutes

4 - 20 minutes 10 - 50 minutes

5 - 25 minutes 11 - 55 minutes

6 - 30 minutes 12 - 60 minutes

The student then writes the time on the line below the clock and draws the hands on the clock. If the student rolls an hour that they already have on their clock, they miss that turn. Once the student has filled in all of the clocks from 2:00-12:00, they switch to a 6 sided die and keep rolling until they get a 1. The first person to fill in all of their clocks from 1:00-12:00 wins! This activity could be extended once students are finished by having them go back to write the time in 24 hour time.

Station 2 – iPads

Students played a game on the iPads using an app called Telling Time. This is an app you can purchase for $1.99 from the App Store. Students had to try to earn prizes as they played. This is a fun way to reinforce telling time.

Station 3 – laptops

Students played 3 different games and tried to beat their fastest time.

1. http://resources.oswego.org/games/stoptheclock/sthec4.html - minute intervals

2. http://resources.oswego.org/games/StopTheClock/sthec5.html - 5 minute intervals using 24 hour time

3. http://tipirate.net/divers/heure/index.html#signet2 – French game using 5 minute intervals and 24 hour time

Station 4 – With Mme Gourley

Mme Gourley was able to work with students in groups of 4 or 5 and adapted the activities according to the needs of the students. She was able to help students who were struggling with certain concepts as well as go further with students who had grasped the concept.

Math Games online

2011-11-27T08:09:00.000-08:00

Here are a few online Math games to get your family started!

http://cemc2.math.uwaterloo.ca/mathFROG/ - gr. 4-6 in French and English

http://www.figurethis.org/index.html - a fun resource for families

http://kidcourses.com/about/ - k-6 (use the tags on the right to find games…mathlibs is really fun!)

http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/mesg/html/math6web/index.html - grade 6

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/maths/ - Div. 2

http://www.counton.org/games/

http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/math_games.html - K-6

http://classroom.jc-schools.net/basic/math.html

Welcome to Our Math Blog!

2011-11-27T08:00:00.000-08:00

I would like to welcome everyone to our school's Math blog! As the new AISI Math lead for the school, I thought I would begin by introducing myself to any parents who don’t already know me. I have been at École Campbelltown for 6 years and I currently teach grade 5 although I began here in grade 3. Before having my children, I taught junior high and high school…it really was fun! I love the students and staff here at École Campbelltown and feel blessed to be at such a great and caring school!

This fall, I began my Masters of Elementary Education in Math through the University of Alberta. It is a 3 year cohort program and I will be doing one course per term. I was thrilled to be asked to be the AISI Math lead for the school as that means I will get a chance to work with all of the students in the school. I am excited about focusing on Math at École Campbelltown. My goal is to help give teachers and parents some great ideas about how to implement the new Math curriculum. In grade 5 I am known as Ninja so now I am excited to be known as the Math Ninja!

I decided to create a Math blog for our school to share ideas and resources with parents and teachers. I will also be blogging about my experiences as I go into different classes. If you have never followed a blog before, you will see hyperlinks throughout the pages. These are links that will take you to different resources and sites. You can also post comments and questions on the blog that I will respond to. Please keep in mind that we follow the 3R’s at our school (respect, responsibility and role modeling). This blog will not be a space to talk about individual teachers or concerns and all comments should reflect the 3R’s! You can add your email address on the right hand side under followers and then you will get email updates as things are added or changed.

Alberta Education has great information about the new Math curriculum. “Most of what students are learning is as familiar as the mathematics you learned when you were in school. The change in mathematics is not so much in what students are learning but in how students are engaged with and learning the mathematics. One of the changes to the mathematics program is the concept that there are multiple approaches to solving problems. Students will gain skill and understanding that there is more than one way to solve a problem and that some methods are more effective than others”. You can also find short information videos about Math on this site.

So, once again, welcome! I hope this blog will become a place that you will visit often and that you will use as a resource for your family! You can also contact me directly through the school website if you have specific questions. I look forward to learning along with you and your children!

Lisa Math Ninja Sauder