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Thinking Thursday: Learning – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math
Writing to Learn Math: You can spark creative thought by removing any need to worry about spelling or punctuation rules. Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own? Help kids practice slowing down and taking the time to fully comprehend a math topic or…
How to Think like a School Math Genius – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math
“The true joy in mathematics, the true hook that compels mathematicians to devote their careers to the subject, comes from a sense of boundless wonder induced by the subject. “There is transcendental beauty, there are deep and intriguing connections, there are surprises and rewards, and there is play and creativity. “Mathematics has very little to…
Math Game Monday: Michigan (Boodle) – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math
This game reinforces numerical order and helps children get acquainted with a standard deck of playing cards. But mostly, it's just plain family fun! Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children. And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on…
Thinking Thursday: Pig Game – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math
Writing to Learn Math: Games are the ultimate re-playable activity prompts. Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own? Help kids practice slowing down and taking the time to fully comprehend a math topic or problem-solving situation with these classic tools of learning: Notice.…
Fun New Math Story – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math
Hey, look! A new book from the folks at Natural Math, now on Kickstarter: Modultown! A Math-Inspired Children's Book Experience a whimsical puzzle hunt in a new fantastic world full of friendship and surprises, from the authors of Funville Adventures. When human siblings Emmy and Leo find themselves magically transported to Modultown, they make new…
Math Game Monday: Wythoff’s Nim – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math
Use this strategy game to prompt math writing: What did your children notice about the game? How did they decide their moves? How is this a Nim game? Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children. And one of the best ways for children to enjoy…
Thinking Thursday: Robert Louis Stevenson – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math
Writing to Learn Math: What did the author mean? Put the thought in your own words. Do you agree or disagree? Why? Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own? Help kids practice slowing down and taking the time to fully comprehend a math…
Notice–Wonder–Discover: The Foundation of Learning Well – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math
Most of us were never taught how to teach. And we certainly weren't taught what to do when NOTHING is working. My friend Sonya Post is offering a new course that will help you rethink how learning actually works, how you can stop second-guessing yourself and start seeing real growth. I've taken the earlier iterations…
Mental Math: Advanced Addition – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math
Mental math is doing calculations with our minds, and perhaps with the aid of scratch paper or a whiteboard to jot down notes along the way. But we cannot simply transfer the standard pencil-and-paper calculations to a mental chalkboard. That’s far too complicated. We still want to follow our basic strategies of using friendly numbers,…
Math Game Monday: The Nickel Game – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math
This logic game will get your elementary students thinking about numbers and strategy. Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children. And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play. The Nickel Game Math Concepts: counting larger numbers, less-than and…
Thinking Thursday: Ratio Puzzles – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math
Writing to Learn Math: When students create their own math, they forge a personal connection to mathematical concepts and relationships. And it’s fun! Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own? Help kids practice slowing down and taking the time to fully comprehend a…
Mental Math: Early Division – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math
Mental math is doing calculations with our minds, though we can use scratch paper or whiteboards to make notes as we work. Doing mental math, children use the basic principles of arithmetic to simplify problems so they can think about number relationships, mastering the basic structures of how numbers work, the same structures that underlie…
Math Game Monday: Tiguous – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math
This game promotes flexibility with mental addition and subtraction. Skills practice for elementary students, and fun enough for adults to enjoy playing along! Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children. And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play.…
Thinking Thursday: Squarable Numbers – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math
Writing to Learn Math: People learn math by playing with ideas. A math journal can be like a science lab book. Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own? Help kids practice slowing down and taking the time to fully comprehend a math topic…
Two Hands-On Craft Projects – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math
Here are a couple of fun foldable projects to try with your kids. Both of the projects below start with squares of paper. Do you know how to convert any piece of paper into a square? Here are two methods. Can you tell why they work, how each method creates a true square? What if…
Math Game Monday: Fraction Train with Cards – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math
This game challenges students to think strategically about ordering fractions. Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children. And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play. Fraction Train with Cards Math Concepts: proper and improper fractions, comparing and ordering…
Thinking Thursday: The Mighty Cats – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math
Writing to Learn Math: Problem-solving cares less about whether an answer is right and more about whether a solution makes sense. Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own? Help kids practice slowing down and taking the time to fully comprehend a math topic…
Mental Math: Early Multiplication – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math
Children learn best through interaction with others, and mental math prompts can lead to fascinating conversations, listening as our kids apply their creativity to the many ways numbers interact. With mental math, students master the true 3R’s of math: to Recognize and Reason about the Relationships between numbers. And these 3Rs are the foundation of…
Math Game Monday: Honeycomb – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math
This game pushes students to think creatively with integers (positive and negative whole numbers). Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children. And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play. Honeycomb Math Concepts: integer addition, integer multiplication. Players: two…
Thinking Thursday: Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math
Writing to Learn Math: What did the author mean? Put the thought in your own words. Do you agree or disagree? Why? Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own? Help kids practice slowing down and taking the time to fully comprehend a math…
FAQ: How To Start a Homeschool Math Club – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math
The question hits my inbox whenever parents start planning for a new school year: "Hello! I am on the board of a homeschool co-op. We have had requests for a math club and wondered if you have any tips for starting one. We service children from K-10th and would need to try to meet the…
Math Game Monday: Fraction Catch – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math
This game builds number sense with fractions on an invisible number line. Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children. And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play. Fraction Catch Math Concepts: proper and improper fractions, comparing fractions, equivalent…
Playful Math 182: The Storytelling Carnival – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math
Would you like some great ideas for reading and playing math with your kids? Sue VanHattum put together a delightful collection of mathematical fiction in honor of Math Storytelling Day: Math Storytelling (Playful Math Carnival 182) What are you waiting for? Come join the fun! Click Here to Read the Carnival Blog Help Us Keep…
Thinking Thursday: Comparing Data – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math
Writing to Learn Math: Research prompts help students view math as a human endeavor. Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own? Help kids practice slowing down and taking the time to fully comprehend a math topic or problem-solving situation with these classic tools…
Mental Math: Early Subtraction – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math
By doing mental math, we help our children use the basic principles of arithmetic to simplify problems so they can think about number relationships, mastering the basic structures of how numbers work. And the more our children practice these structures in mental math, the better prepared they will be to recognize the same principles in…
Math Game Monday: Chomp – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math
This is a fun strategy game for students of all ages. Who doesn't like chocolate? Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children. And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play. Chomp Math Concepts: logic and strategic thinking. Players:…
Thinking Thursday: Connect the Dots 2 – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math
Writing to Learn Math: When students learn to visualize shapes, designs, and patterns, it makes them better at math. Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own? Help kids practice slowing down and taking the time to fully comprehend a math topic or problem-solving…
New Membership Tiers: One-on-One Mentorship – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math
Over the years, in my public writing and in personal correspondence, I've tried to help younger parents by sharing the things I wish someone would have told me forty years ago. Oftentimes, I will answer a question but never hear back what the person ended up doing or how their family got along. It leaves…
Puzzle: Patty Paper Trisection – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math
One of the great unsolved problems of antiquity was to trisect any angle, to cut it into thirds with only the basic tools of Euclidean geometry: an unmarked straight-edge and a compass. Like the alchemist’s dream of turning lead into gold, this proved to be an impossible task. If you want to trisect an angle,…
Mental Math: Early Addition – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math
From the very beginning of a child's experience with math, we want to focus on reasoning, making sense of numbers, thinking about how they relate to each other and how we can use these relationships to solve problems. The basic idea of addition is putting like things together: combining parts to make a whole thing,…
Thinking Thursday: The Greatest What? – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math
Writing to Learn Math: Math journal explanations avoid the formality that turns so many students away from geometry proofs. Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own? Help kids practice slowing down and taking the time to fully comprehend a math topic or problem-solving…
Math Game Monday: Nim & Tsyanshidzi – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math
This game challenges players to think ahead so they don't get trapped. Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children. And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play. Nim & Tsyanshidzi Math Concepts: logic and strategic thinking. Players: only…
Hints for the Patty Paper Trisection – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math
No peeking! This post is for those of you who have given the trisection proof a good workout on your own. If you have a question about the proof or a solution you would like to share, please post a comment here. But if you haven't yet worked at the puzzle, go back and give…
Thinking Thursday: Monthly Math – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math
Writing to Learn Math: When students create their own math, they forge a personal connection to mathematical concepts and relationships. And it’s fun! Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own? Help kids practice slowing down and taking the time to fully comprehend a…
Math Game Monday: Hide-and-Seek Zoo – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math
This game builds familiarity with the patterns in 2-digit numbers as players search for the secret squares on a hundred chart. Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children. And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play. Hide-and-Seek Zoo…
Math Game Monday: Number Riddles – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math
Students love this game for a chance to fool each other --- or better yet, to stump the adult. Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children. And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play. Number Riddles Math Concepts:…
Tell Children Interesting Things – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math
"You don't educate people by telling them useful things; you educate people by telling them interesting things." --- John Conway If you want help educating your children with interesting things about math, check out Denise Gaskins' Playful Math store. We're currently running a huge back-to-school sale on ALL of my playful math ebooks, problem-solving activities,…
Thinking Thursday: George Washington – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math
Writing to Learn Math: What did the author mean? Put the thought in your own words. Do you agree or disagree? Why? Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own? Help kids practice slowing down and taking the time to fully comprehend a math…
Math Game Monday: Twelve Cards – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math
This game helps students visualize the meanings of multiplication and fractions. Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children. And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play. Twelve Cards Math Concepts: multiplication or fraction models. Players: two or more.…
Morning Coffee: That Moment of Epiphany – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math
One of the best ways we can help our children learn mathematics (or anything else) is to be lifelong learners ourselves. Here are a few stories to read as you sip your morning brew. . . Download your printable Morning Coffee journal This week's rabbit hole started with a thought-provoking article from Dan Meyer... “It…