Building Understanding and Excitement for Children
September 2016
Rio Hondo Intermediate School
Mrs. Adriana Lippa, Principal
I N FO
BITS
Piece of the pie
Fractions and pizza go
together like mozzarella and pepperoni. When you eat pizza, ask your
child what fraction 2 slices would be
1
(if there are 8 slices, 2 slices = –82 , or –
4 ).
But what about the toppings? If there
are 48 pepperoni pieces on the pizza
and she eats 6 pieces of pepperoni,
6 , or –
1
–
what fraction did she have? ( 48
8
of the pepperoni)
Engineer a geoboard
See what your youngster comes up
with when you suggest he build a
geoboard. He’ll
need a platform (cardboard, wood)
and something for the pegs (pushpins, screws). He can decide how
big to make his grid, perhaps 5 x 5.
When he’s done, he’ll enjoy using
rubber bands to make shapes and
designs on his own geoboard.
Book picks
Amazing Minecraft Math: Cool Math
Activity Book for Minecrafters (Osie
Publishing) is a color-by-number
book. Solve a math problem to know
what color to make your favorite
Minecraft characters.
Walk with your child through galleries of fish, mammals, birds, and more
in Animalium: Welcome to the Museum
(Katie Scott and Jenny Broom).
Just for fun
Q: What has a
neck but no
head and
two arms but
no hands?
A: A shirt.
© 2016 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
Multiplication
games
What better
way to practice
multiplication
than with
games your
child will want
to play again
and again?
Here are two
you can try today —
and tomorrow!
Face off
Materials: deck of cards (face cards
removed, ace = 1)
Deal all the cards evenly. Then, each
player turns over two cards and multiplies the numbers together. Whoever
has the highest product (answer) collects
all the cards. If there’s a tie, players turn
over their next two cards, and the winner
takes all. Keep playing until one person
collects the entire deck—he’s the winner. Note: If a player has only one card
left, he can multiply it by itself (9 x 9
or 1 x 1).
Going underground
Multiply to 1,000
Materials: dominoes, 10 scraps of
paper numbered 0–9, paper, pencil
Spread the dominoes out facedown.
Shuffle and stack the papers. On each
turn, a player picks a domino and uses
it to form the largest two-digit number
possible (a domino with 3 dots and 6 dots
would make 63). Then, the player draws a
slip of paper and multiplies by that number to get his score. For example, if he
draws 4, he would multiply 63 x 4 for a
score of 252. On each round, add your
score to your previous one. Whoever
reaches 1,000 first wins the game.
There’s a whole world of activity just under
the grass that your youngster can explore.
Let her turn a shovelful of dirt over to see
what it uncovers, such as:
● Earthworms. Worms help to break
down leaves and other material, and they
move nutrients and minerals around for
healthy soil. Can your child find one and
identify its head and tail? (Hint: Worms usually move head first.)
● Roots. Ask her to point to roots in the dirt and follow them to their source. A
long single root might be a dandelion, branching roots may be clover, and a thick,
strong root could belong to a tree.
Intermediate Edition
September 2016 • Page 2
The best graph
for the job
Graphs help your youngster visualize
and understand data. Use this activity to
show her how we use different types
for different purposes.
Together, find a bunch of graphs
from newspapers and magazines. Cut
them out, and snip off the headlines
and labels. Mix them all up. Now, ask
your child to put them back together. As
she matches the headings and labels to the graph, she’ll learn
See the
SCIENCE (surface)
LAB
tension
Your youngster can combine a little
water and soap to have a lot of fun with
surface tension.
You’ll need:
eyedropper,
cup of water,
nickel, liquid
soap, towel
Here’s how:
Let your child use the eyedropper (or
drip water from his fingertip) to slowly
put water on the nickel, counting how
many drops it holds before the water
washes over the edge. Have him dry off
the nickel, add a few drops of soap to
the water, and repeat the experiment.
What happens? The nickel will hold
a surprising amount of regular water,
but not nearly as much soapy water.
Why? Water molecules are tightly
stuck together, creating what’s called surface tension. That’s what keeps the water
from flowing over. Soap breaks apart the
water molecule bonds, decreasing the
surface tension.
Real-world fact: This is why soap helps
clean dishes. It breaks apart the water
molecules so they mix with grease and
wash it off dishes.
O U R
P U R P O S E
To provide busy parents with practical ways to
promote their children’s math and science skills.
Resources for Educators,
a division of CCH Incorporated
128 N. Royal Avenue • Front Royal, VA 22630
540-636-4280 • [email protected]
www.rfeonline.com
© 2016 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
✔ A line graph is best for showing
data over time, like daytime temperatures for a week.
✔ A bar graph is good for comparisons, such as the popularity of
various types of music.
✔ A pie chart (or circle graph)
shows parts of a whole, as with
the age ranges of people who use
the Internet.
about which types of graphs are used for
different kinds of data.
When she finishes, take turns pointing out something you
learned from the graphs. Your youngster might notice that the
temperature suddenly dropped on Thursday, more people listen to pop music than rock music, or that young adults use
the Internet more than any other age group does.
She’ll be amazed at the information you can learn from a
graph, especially if you use the right one for the job!
Squared away
MATH
How can you tell when a rectCORNER
angle is a square? Challenge your
child to find objects she thinks are squares — perhaps
picture frames, cheese slices, or sticky notes — and
then do these tests to see if they actually are.
Test 1: Since squares have four equal-length sides, she needs to measure all the sides with a ruler. Are they the same length? If not, it’s
not a square. If they are the same, she’ll move on to the next test.
Test 2: A square’s four angles are all right angles. Suggest she use the corner of an
index card for comparison. Do all the angles of the object match the corners of the
card? If they do…she’s found a square!
Idea: Ask your child if she knows what the shape is if all four sides are equal but
the angles are not all right angles. Answer: a rhombus.
I can!
Q Yes,
Q: My son thinks he can’t do math
&
A
because he makes mistakes. How
can I show him that he can succeed in math?
A: Here’s a simple idea that’s pretty
effective: Whenever your son
says things like, “I can’t…”
or “I don’t understand…,”
add the word “YET.” You can
explain that that is what
learning is all about — adding
knowledge we don’t have “yet”
as well as learning from mistakes we make.
Then, try this. Have your youngster
work one of his math homework problems out loud for you. Going step by step,
he’s likely to find where he got stuck. You
might be able to ask him
questions that will steer him
toward the answer, or he
could ask his teacher for
help the next day.
Also, point out what he
did understand, even if it
was only saying the problem in his own words or
doing the first step.
Building Understanding and Excitement for Children
October 2016
Rio Hondo Intermediate School
Mrs. Adriana Lippa, Principal
I N FO
BITS
Artistic angles
Suggest that your child
draw a picture using only straight lines.
He might sketch a city landscape, an
apartment building, or an abstract
design. When he’s done, can he identify the right (90°), acute (less than
90°), and obtuse (over 90°) angles?
Tip: He could use a protractor to measure the angles.
What is friction?
Have your
youngster
set up two
ramps for
a toy car,
one smooth (a book, a piece of wood)
and one rough (corrugated cardboard,
a carpet scrap). She’ll see that the car
goes more slowly on the rough ramp—
and learn about friction, or the resistance of motion when objects rub
against each other.
Web picks
Help the monster get home by
solving multiplication and division
story problems at members.learning
planet.com/act/mc/freemenu.asp.
Visit teacherstryscience.org/kids for
experiments with sound waves, chemical reactions, and more.
Just for fun
Q: A girl came to town on Monday.
After staying three days, she left on
Monday. How did
she do that?
A: Her horse
was named
Monday!
© 2016 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
Fabulous fractions
Your child needs to know
about fractions for math class,
as well as for everything from
cooking to construction to
finances when she grows up.
Use these ideas to build everyday fraction skills.
Name them
Ask your youngster to
make fractions from the world
around her. You might say,
“What fraction of the month
has passed?” If the month has
31 days, that’s the whole, and
– of
if it’s the 12th, 12 is the part — so 12
31
the month has gone by. Go back and
forth with each other, creating fun fractions like “What fraction of your book
have you read?” or “What fraction of
your socks are striped?”
Add them
Race to the finish line — by adding
fractions. Have your child draw a number line from 0 to 12, labeling three
evenly spaced tick marks (–41 , –21 , –43 )
between each pair of whole numbers.
Then, she can write 8 fractions on
A fraction is simply a part of a whole.
The numerator (top number) is the
part, and the denominator (bottom
number) is the whole.
separate note cards (–41 , –41 , –42 , –42 , –43 , –43 , –44 , –44 )
and turn them facedown. To play, each
person places a token at 0. Take turns
picking two cards. Add the fractions
2 =–
3
shown ( say, –41 + –
4
4 ), and move your
marker by that sum (from 0 to –43 ). As she
moves up the number line, she’ll work
with mixed numbers, too (4 –43 + –21 = 5–41 ).
Be the first to reach 12 — exactly!
Build me a home
How do engineers design houses to
protect against weather conditions?
Dream up weather scenarios, and
write each one on an index card.
(“Snowy, very cold.” “Rains daily,
extremely hot.”) Then, choose
cards, and build homes to
suit, using household
materials like craft
sticks, clay, boxes,
straws, and tape.
Pose questions to
get your child thinking:
✔ If it’s very cold, should the house
have thin walls or thick walls?
✔ What would protect against high
winds?
✔ What kind of roof would help rain-
water run off?
Now, show off
your houses to each
other —and talk
about where they
might exist!
Intermediate Edition
October 2016 • Page 2
The great pumpkin
Observe
● At a pumpkin patch, encour-
A fall pumpkin is a good excuse
for having math and science fun.
Measure
● How much does a pumpkin
weigh? Let your youngster weigh
himself, then weigh himself again
while holding a pumpkin. The difference is the pumpkin’s weight.
● How big around is the pumpkin?
Have your child wrap a string around
its middle like a belt, cut the string to fit, and measure its
length. That’s the circumference (distance around).
DoubleMATH
R
digit dash
CORNE
Multiplying two-digit numbers is a
skill that’s developed with practice. This
game will give your child that practice.
Have your youngster make a 5 x 5
grid (like a bingo card). Above each column and to the left of each row, he can
write any two-digit number.
The object is to get four in a row —
across, down, or diagonal. The first
player picks an empty square and multiplies the column and row numbers
together (example: 24 x 35 = 840). If he
gets it right, he writes the answer in the
square. (Tip: Use a calculator to check
answers.) The other player, using a different color pen, takes his turn.
Play until someone gets four in a row
or the board is full and it’s a draw.
O U R
P U R P O S E
To provide busy parents with practical ways to
promote their children’s math and science skills.
Resources for Educators,
a division of CCH Incorporated
128 N. Royal Avenue • Front Royal, VA 22630
540-636-4280 • [email protected]
www.rfeonline.com
© 2016 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
age your youngster to notice
where pumpkins grow (on a
vine, on the ground). How
many pumpkins are on each
vine? Suggest that he talk to
the farmer or read library
books to learn more about
how pumpkins grow.
● At home, cut off the top of
a pumpkin, and let your child
scoop out the insides. Have an
adult carefully light a candle inside the pumpkin. What happens
if you put the top back on? (The light goes out.) Try again after
carving a face. Why does the candle stay lit this time? (Because
the holes let in oxygen.)
SCIENCE Water, water everywhere
LAB
must come down—
What goes up
and go back up! Show your youngster how the
water cycle works.
You’ll need: mug, large bowl, measuring cup,
hot water, plastic wrap, 4 quarters, ice cubes
Here’s how: Help your child set the mug in the
bowl and carefully pour 1 cup hot water around it.
top (in
Have her cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, place the quarters on
the center), and add ice cubes all around them.
rise.
What happens? The hot water quickly starts to change into water vapor and
underthe
on
s
droplet
When it hits cold air (from the ice cubes), it changes to water
into
side of the plastic wrap. The weight of the quarters funnels the water so it drips
mug.
her
in
water
find
the mug. If your youngster pulls off the plastic wrap, she’ll
as
Why? When water is heated by the sun, it evaporates, rising into the air
ses
conden
it
cools,
vapor
water
the
water vapor and collecting into clouds. As
back into water and eventually falls to the earth as rain or snow.
PARENT
TO
R
A
P ENT
Think your way to 100
I noticed that my
daughter Tia didn’t
like to do math in her head. Since my
mother is a fourth-grade teacher, I asked
her for ideas. She suggested this “mental
math” game.
To win a point, you
have to reach 100 in two
steps —no paper or calculators allowed. On
each turn, give the other
player a number and two
operations to use, such as
division and addition or multiplication
and subtraction. For example, I gave Tia
the number 77 and said to use division
and addition. It took her a few minutes,
but she figured out she
could divide 77 ÷ 11 =
7 and then add 7 +
93 = 100.
Tia is surprised
that she’s enjoying
doing math problems
in her head. And you
know what? It’s good
for my brain, too!
Building Understanding and Excitement for Children
November 2016
Rio Hondo Intermediate School
Mrs. Adriana Lippa, Principal
I N FO
BITS
Counting by 7s
Suggest your child count
out loud by 7s. The catch is —she
needs to start at 17. As she counts
(17, 24, 31), ask her how she’s figuring it out in her head. She might say,
“I added 3 to 17 and then added 4
more.” Try giving her different starting points and numbers to count by
to keep her thinking mathematically!
Wall of questions
Asking questions is common for children, and it’s critical for scientists. Foster curiosity by
having your
youngster create
a “Question
Wall” where
he tacks up science questions and—
when he finds them—the answers. He
may wonder, “Why do cheetahs run so
fast?” or “How do rockets lift off?” He
can look up information or do experiments, and soon he’ll have a collage
filled with scientific facts.
Book picks
Geometry, logic, division, and
measurement come together for fun
in The Everything Kids’ Math Puzzles
Book (Meg, Glenn, and Sean Clemens).
Science Experiments You Can Eat
(Vicki Cobb) presents tasty ways to
learn the science behind gelatin or
how sugar decomposes to make
caramel syrup.
Just for fun
Q: Why can’t
you trust
atoms?
A: Because
they make
up everything!
© 2016 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
Try it this way—or that way!
Having more than one math
strategy to use helps your
youngster solve problems more easily and
gives him confidence.
Suggest these two.
Commutative property
You might commute to work. In
math, commuting
means moving
around numbers
rather than people.
Your child can change
the order of numbers in addition or multiplication problems —
no matter how many numbers he’s
adding or multiplying — and get the
same answer.
Encourage him to turn this concept
into a strategy: He could re-order numbers within a problem to make it easier
to solve. Example: Change 112 + 66 + 8
to 112 + 8 + 66 because 112 + 8 = 120,
and then 120 + 66 = 186.
Area model
When multiplying two numbers, suggest your youngster draw a rectangle on
graph paper to match the problem. For 4
x 8, he would make a rectangle that is 4
rows by 8 columns. Then, he could count
the squares inside to see that 4 x 8 = 32.
With larger numbers, he can divide
the rectangle into smaller chunks that
are easier to multiply in his head. Say
he’s solving 16 x 5. He might draw a
rectangle 16 rows by 5 columns and
then mark a line to divide the 16 rows
into 10 rows and 6 rows. He now has
two rectangles (10 x 5 and 6 x 5) that
are easier to multiply in his head—and
then add to get his answer (10 x 5 = 50,
6 x 5 = 30, and 50 + 30 = 80).
“A day in the life of…”
In school your child often writes
about herself, maybe even about
what she does in a day. But has
she ever considered what a day is
like for a volcano or a frog?
Let her choose something she’s interested in and
write a creative story about its “day.” If volcanoes fascinate her, she might build
one with baking soda and vinegar and then draw a cartoon about what she witnessed. “The first thing Victor Volcano noticed in the morning was that the earth
was shaking. ‘Hmm… I may blow my top today!’” Encourage her to include
details like a diagram of a volcano or a list of famous volcanoes.
Intermediate Edition
November 2016 • Page 2
Can you repeat that?
Numbers. This time, give
your child a pattern with
numbers that involves
a two-step rule—two
operations that have
to be applied in a row.
Example: 2, 6, 5, 15, 14.
She will have to identify
your rule (x 3, –1) to
determine the next two
numbers (42, 41). Now
let her think of a two-part
rule and give you a number pattern to solve.
Creating and recognizing patterns is an
important skill that prepares your child for
algebra. It’s also a fun activity.
Shapes. Start with two shapes (circles, squares)
and make a pattern for your youngster to
complete. For instance, you could draw
■ ● ● ■ ● ■ ● ● ■ ● _ _ _ _ _. She’ll have
to figure out how long the pattern is (5 shapes)
to complete it ( ■ ● ● ■ ●). Take turns giving
each other long patterns with shapes or designs.
SCIENCE
LAB
Indoor
rainbows
Let your child make his own rainbow— on paper.
You’ll need: water, plastic plate,
paper, clear nail polish
Here’s how: Have
your youngster
put water in the
plate (–18 ʺ to –41ʺ
deep) and submerge a piece
of paper. Help
him drip several
drops of nail polish into the water
over the paper. Then, ask him to pull
the paper out of the water —catching
the film of polish as he brings it up.
When the paper dries, he should look
at it in the light, moving it around at
different angles.
What happens? He will notice a rainbow of colors.
Why? The nail polish and water combine for a chemical reaction that forms
a thin film on the paper. When light,
which is made up of multiple colors,
bounces off the film, it separates into
different colors.
Extension: Suggest that he try this
with paper of different colors or textures. Do the results change?
O U R
P U R P O S E
To provide busy parents with practical ways to
promote their children’s math and science skills.
Resources for Educators,
a division of CCH Incorporated
128 N. Royal Avenue • Front Royal, VA 22630
540-636-4280 • [email protected]
www.rfeonline.com
© 2016 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
Q We have a situation here
&
A
Q: My son Zach gets confused by word problems. How could we help him?
A: Suggest that he think of them as “situations.” Can he draw or describe
what’s happening? What comes first? What’s next?
For example, “John makes birdhouses. He made 7 birdhouses with 21 pieces of
wood. How many pieces of wood would he need for 10 birdhouses?”
Your child might think through the problem like this:
1. “The situation is about John making birdhouses.”
2. “First, John makes 7 birdhouses with 21 pieces of wood.”
3. “I’ll draw that or write it like 21 pieces of wood ÷ 7 birdhouses = 3 pieces of wood for each birdhouse.” Tip:
Labels remind him of the situation.
4. “How much wood is needed for 10 birdhouses? 3 pieces
of wood x 10 birdhouses = 30 pieces of wood in all.”
If he talks and draws his way through each word problem, he’ll better understand
the situation.
MATH
That says volumes
CORNER
Volume is about
Calculate and compare
how much space an object takes up or
can hold. Here’s a great way for your
child to understand this concept.
Measure boxes
Have your youngster and a friend
gather empty rectangular containers
(cereal box, shoebox, brownie mix box).
Using a ruler, each child should
measure the height, length, and
width of each box and write
the dimensions, rounded to
whole numbers, on separate
sticky notes (12ʺ, 8ʺ, 2ʺ).
Then, they should trade their
notes. Can they match the
sticky notes to the right
objects?
Next, the friends could determine
the volume of each item by multiplying
the three numbers together (volume =
height x length x width). To help them
see how the volumes compare, they
might line up the objects from smallest
to largest volume.
Idea: Let them fill the largest container with popcorn
and pour the popcorn from one container to the next,
noticing how
much fits. They
can enjoy snacking on the pieces
that spill over!
Building Understanding and Excitement for Children
December 2016
Rio Hondo Intermediate School
Mrs. Adriana Lippa, Principal
I N FO
BITS
Be a “liter” bug
If 5 milliliters is the
amount of liquid that could fit in a
teaspoon, how many milliliters does
your child think are in 4 oz. of water?
Have him make a prediction. Then,
he could use a metric measuring cup
to check. Idea: Let him practice multiplication by figuring how many milliliters would be in 8 or 16 oz. of water.
Up in the air
Challenge your youngster to create a
flying machine
that will stay
airborne for at
least three seconds. She could
use paper, straws,
toilet paper tubes,
tape, or other household materials
to make an airplane. Or she might
design a helicopter, a hot-air balloon,
or other flights of fancy all her own.
Web picks
At math-play.com/index.html, your
child can click on his grade level to
play Multiplication Jeopardy or practice division with Math Magician.
Make fossils or create a tiny tornado with the exciting experiments at
scholastic.com/magicschoolbus/games/
experiments/.
Just for fun
Q: Why couldn’t the astronaut find a
hotel room on the moon?
A: The moon
was full!
© 2016 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
Shape up: Comparing
attributes
Geometric shapes
may look different but
share similar traits.
With these ideas, your
youngster can build
2-D and 3-D shapes
and explore their
attributes.
Triangles
Ask your child how
many different kinds of triangles
she could design with toothpicks and
gummy bears or mini marshmallows. She
might use 3 toothpicks for one side, 4 for
another, and 6 for the last side—that’s a
scalene triangle with three different-length
sides and angles. Or if she leaves all sides
the same length, that’s an equilateral triangle. Can she make an isosceles triangle
(where just two sides are equal)?
Quadrilaterals
Suggest that your youngster form
a rectangle, a square, and a trapezoid.
What do they have in common? (They
Good vibrations
all have four sides.) Have her point out
parallel sides or equal-length sides. For
instance, a square has four equal sides
and two sets of parallel sides.
Solid shapes
Now your child might try her hand at
3-D shapes, such as a cube or a triangular prism. Encourage her to count the
number of faces, edges, and vertices for
each one. For instance, a cube has 6
faces, 12 edges, and 8 vertices. (Note:
A face is the flat side, the edge is where
two faces meet, and a vertex is where
three or more faces meet.)
Making homemade instruments is a fun way to play with the vibrations that
create sounds. Suggest your child try these—and figure out what is vibrating.
● Drum. Bang a metal can with a spoon (the spoon vibrates).
● Guitar. Stretch rubber bands around a box to
pluck (the rubber bands vibrate).
● Flute. Blow across the narrow opening of a
glass bottle (the air inside vibrates).
Does your youngster know that his voice is
an instrument, too? Have him place his fingertips on his throat and then recite his vowels,
cough, growl, and say his name in a whisper.
How do the vibrations vary?
Intermediate Edition
Round up, round down
Rounding is useful in math class to estimate
answers and check homework—and in real life
to estimate purchases or plan a budget. Let your
child see how rounding works with these steps.
1. Have your youngster roll four dice and randomly
arrange them into a four-digit number (say, 4,123).
He should write the number on the left side of a
sheet of paper.
2. Next to it, he rounds the number to the nearest thousand (4,000), hundred (4,100), and ten (4,120).
3. Now he rolls again to get a second number (say, 2,164).
Your child rounds that number to each place value as well:
2,000, 2,200, and 2,160.
SCIENCE
LAB
Warm
gloves—or
are they?
In cold weather, gloves keep your
youngster’s hands warm—not by magic,
but by science. She can see why with
this experiment.
You’ll need: glove, thermometer
(such as a meat or candy thermometer)
Here’s how: Have your child put the
thermometer
inside the
glove and
take its
temperature.
Then, she
should wear the glove for about 30 minutes. When she takes it off, let her check
the temperature inside the glove again.
What happens? At first, the glove was
around room temperature. After being on
her hand, it warmed up, getting closer to
body temperature of 98.6 degrees.
Why? Gloves alone do not produce
heat. But people produce and give off
heat. When your youngster puts on
gloves, the heat is trapped and keeps her
hands warm. That’s a good reminder of
why she should wear gloves when it’s
cold out!
O U R
P U R P O S E
To provide busy parents with practical ways to
promote their children’s math and science skills.
Resources for Educators,
a division of CCH Incorporated
128 N. Royal Avenue • Front Royal, VA 22630
540-636-4280 • [email protected]
www.rfeonline.com
© 2016 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
PARENT
TO
R
A
P ENT
December 2016 • Page 2
4. Let him add each col-
umn of rounded numbers to get three rounded
totals:
4,000 + 2,000 = 6,000
4,100 + 2,200 = 6,300
4,120 + 2,160 = 6,280
5. Finally, he can add the
two actual numbers:
4,123 + 2,164 = 6,287.
He’ll see that with each
rounding, he got closer
to the real answer.
Hint: To remember whether to round up or down, he could
underline the digit to the right of the place to be rounded:
0–4 rounds down, and 5–9 rounds up.
Show me the fraction
My daughter Mollie has been
working on fractions at school
and wanted to practice at home. I came up with an
appetizing way to feed her tummy and her brain.
First, I asked her to write various fractions on
pieces of paper and put them in a bowl. She wrote
these: –31 , 3–41 , –84 , 5–21 . Then, I offered her pretzels for
a “fraction snack.”
Mollie picked a fraction from the bowl, 3–41 , and went to work. She put out 3 pretzels, then broke a fourth pretzel into 4 parts, and added one part to the 3 whole
ones. Now she was ready to eat 3–41 pretzels!
Other days she has picked a fraction slip and made –31 of an apple or 5–21 crackers with
cheese. The extra “snack practice” has helped Mollie grasp the concept of fractions.
MATH
Rhymes for primes
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Does your child
know that prime numbers go into infinity? See how many he can find and
remember by making up rhymes for
each one.
Starting with 2, have him use scratch
paper to check if each number
could be divided by anything
besides 1 and itself. Then,
take turns coming up
with funny rhymes like
these for the ones that
pass the test:
• The prime number 2
Got stuck in the goo
• Up in a tree
Is prime number 3
What’s a prime?
Prime numbers are those
whose only factors are 1 and
the number itself. For instance,
3 is prime because only 1 and
3 can be multiplied together to
equal it (1 x 3 = 3).
Let your youngster write
down the primes—and the
rhymes. He might even
want to turn them into
a poster or a booklet.
When he finds the next
prime, it’s time for
another rhyme!