Showing posts with label parenting mathematically gifted children. Show all posts
Showing posts with label parenting mathematically gifted children. Show all posts

Monday, January 22, 2018

CTD Parent Seminar - Saturday, February 24, 2018

CTD Parent Seminar

Saturday, February 24, 2018

Parent Resources for 

Encouraging and Enriching Math at Home

Dr. Marsha Landau

mathmarsha@comcast.net

from Ways a Parent Can Help with Math


Websites and Readings for Parents



High School Math Review Tutorials Problems - a free resource with examples, problems, explantions and exercises.  Parents can use these free resources and problems to help your child learn math.

Maths activities for children | Family Maths Toolkit has collections of activities for age ranges 3-13. Topics include: around the house, math and money, games, out and about, books and TV. From UK.

Technology

ONLINE


Here's an example of an app that's available online from NCTM. It's pitched at grades 3-8, but I wouldn't hesitate to share this with much younger children--it provides an exploration of algebraic thinking about equations using a balance scale:

Pan Balance – Shapes

Here's a screenshot:


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If you remember LOGO or Turtle Geometry from the early days of home computing, you'll like Turtle Pond. This introduces children as young as pre-K to rudimentary coding.

I also like Pick-a-Path (one of my favorites, suitable, at the higher levels, for grades 3 and up) (and me--I had trouble with this one!)





and Isometric Drawing Tool, Tessellation Creator, Equivalent Fractions.



Several good online games are available at PBS Kids Odd Squad Games. In particular, I liked "Down the Tubes." The underlying math includes number stuff (different sums to make a particular target length of tube) and geometric transformations (turns and flips). The levels build slowly, but eventually get mathematically interesting. 



The graphics are sufficiently eye-catching so your child will have the patience to continue to a challenging level.


MOBILE DEVICES

NOT free:

DragonBox - Discover the game of Math 

The game claims it "secretly teaches algebra," which is true, but I think there are advantages to having a parent or teacher ask the occasional question or suggest recording what is happening in the game on paper so the algebra can be made more explicit. A good description of the game variations can be found here: DRAGONBOX ALGEBRA - The game that secretly teaches algebra.



DragonBox Algebra 12+ - The award-winning math learning game on the App Store $7.99

DragonBox Elements - Geometry Proofs on the App Store (iPad  $4.99)




Get both:  DB Advanced Math Pack on the App Store $9.99 and worth it. 

Where to buy DragonBox for Android – Customer Feedback for DragonBox.

Mystery Math Museum  $3.99 on iTunes.  (It has occasionally been offered at no charge. I was lucky that way!)  My granddaughter asks to return to this one. I'll show you why I like it enough to spend $ on it.
















Greater Gator on the App Store $0.99 Currently (as of Jan. 22, 2018) 

24 Game – Math Card Puzzle on the App Store $1.99 Also available daily FREE online.







*Links to free mobile device versions of pick-a-path, equivalent fractions, and others from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics here.

Big Seed is one of my favorites. It develops visual-spatial skills as you flip shapes to cover the presented puzzle. I find it much more challenging than my granddaughter does!

BigSeed on the App Store on iTunes FREE

Sushi Monster on the App Store  FREE

Geoboard, by The Math Learning Center on the App Store  FREE

Daily SET Puzzle on the App Store  FREE (one puzzle per day); 


alternatively, Combinations on the App Store  FREE; The Daily SET Puzzle | America's Favorite Card Games® (my desktop home page!)

LetsTans Classic presents an outline to fill in, the seven tangram pieces in rich colors, and a mechanism (tapping a piece) for rotating. Many puzzles and many play options. I think this is the winner in the category. $0.99. iPad and iPhone. 
http://bit.ly/letstansclassic  


There are variations: Classic 2, Contours, Kids ("for the youngest solvers only"), and Silhouette (challenging! the shape you must create is NOT presented at the full size) are available as separate downloads.

Khan Academy 

GeoGebra on the App Store















Educreations Interactive Whiteboard on the App Store


Collections

Games


Everyday Activities

Math and Literature

Arts/Music/Crafts


Holidays and Seasonal


Test Prep for PSAT 8/9


Competitions


Art of Problem Solving   a comprehensive resource

 List of mathematics competitions - Wikipedia includes international events

 5 Elementary School Math Competitions in US - LogicRoots for grades K-5 and beyond

 Top 9 International Math Contests for Gifted Students K-12

American Mathematics Competitions | Mathematical Association of America

 Math Olympiads for Elementary and Middle Schools

                    Sample Contest

 Sample Contests

 wnmathcompetition - Home

Continental Mathematics League – CML

Continental Math League - Mrs. Nordberg

Welcome to the Math League

‎Math League's Homeschool Contests

Sample 4th Grade Contest from 2004-2005 - Math League

Sample 5th Grade Contest from 2004-2005 - Math League

www.mathleague.com/ml-files/grade_6_2004-05_contest.pdf

MATH LEAGUE GRADE 7 2006.pdf | BetterLesson

Math League Contests (Questions and Answers) Grade 4, 2007-12 for iOS - Free download and software reviews - CNET Download.com


MATHCOUNTS | Fun Math Competition and Club Programs for Middle School Students


Problem Solving and Puzzles


BOOKS

For starters, go to my blog entry on Mathematics and Literature. You'll find suggestions for books that have mathematics in them available to your learners and ways to guide that math learning.

And, please, read the story that I have written and posted here Yes, That's My Mother! and let me know what you and your child think of it. So far I have received some useful suggestions for improvement, so I'll be posting a revision when I've had time to mull over the new ideas and create a new version.

Stuart J Murphy has written a plethora of easy readers for young children that address math topics. I'm not wildly enthusiastic about them, but they do contain pages of activities and games for parents to use to go beyond the stories. His website has free pdfs.


How to access Math Expressions online:  start here and follow the directions for you child's grade level book and resources.


Links verified on February 15, 2018.

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Saturday, January 25, 2014

Pattern Block Workshop, CTD January 25, 2014

Welcome!




I've been collecting materials here for today's hands-on pattern blocks workshop for parents of gifted children enrolled in the Saturday program at the Center for Talent Development. I've decided to make my preparation public here, so this is a "work in progress." Stay tuned. I am likely to continue to add to this entry after the workshops.

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Use your pattern blocks to create a picture or design.

Here's an example:



















Make a graph to show how many of each type of pattern block you used.
























Then, just for fun, watch this:
Pattern Blocks Art by DJ JAB and DJ Simms - YouTube

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Try to make a pattern block person using the following pieces:
2 yellow hexagons
4 red trapezoids
1 blue rhombus
4 green triangles

Or choose your own blocks.

Try to "cover a floor" by creating a pattern using two different shapes only.  Try using only orange squares and blue rhombuses. Now "cover a floor" using green triangles, blue rhombuses, and one other shape.


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A quick tour -- two-minute video suggests the many mathematical topics that can be explored using pattern blocks.


Note:  There are all kinds of math lessons using pattern blocks to be found on youtube. They vary from very elementary to more complicated topics. Some videos are designed to show the viewer what an activity might look like--here is a young girl just learning about the shapes of the blocks. Other videos are designed to teach teachers how to use pattern blocks with children.  For example, you can use the extended set of pattern blocks and this video to learn about dividing fractions. Or look at the same topic taught by a different teacher.  What I really like about using youtube in this way is that it serves students who need a different explanation or those who prefer one teacher to another. You can look at a few different lesson series and choose the one you like best.

More from youtube:
Patterning with Pattern Blocks ABB
Pattern Blocks Fractions
Pattern Blocks - Polygons
Pattern Blocks - Regular and Irregular Polygons
Pattern Blocks - Tessellations

Here's a delightful video showing a young child covering a six-pointed star in multiple ways:
Composing Shapes with Child 12 » Erikson Institute Early Math Collaborative

If you prefer pinterest:
Pattern Blocks on Pinterest

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TIPS for Manipulatives PATTERN BLOCKS


VIRTUAL MANIPULATIVES to use until you get a set at home
Patch Tool
Pattern Blocks - NLVM
Pattern Blocks 2 - ShapeGame

or print these on card stock and cut them out:
Expanded Set of Ten Pattern Blocks - Montgomery County Public ...


RECORDING SHEETS
Pattern Blocks Grid
Dynamic Paper   choose Graph Paper, then Isometric Dot Paper


PATTERNS








Follow the pattern -- Which shapes go next? -- interactive
K-2 Lesson Look How I'm Growing (starts on page 6)


SHAPES
Same Shape, Different Pieces
Pattern Block Fill-In, shape A
Math Forum: Activity Pattern Blocks
Region Relationships
Region Relationships 2
Region Relationships 3
Gr.5-6 How many ways can you think of to build hexagons using your Pattern Blocks?
Angles with Hinged Mirrors
Measuring Angles A Lesson for Seventh and Eighth Graders (uses hinged mirrors)



FRACTIONS















Cynthia Lanius' Lessons: Fraction Shapes
What's My Number?
Cynthia Lanius' Lessons: More Fun Fractions
Cynthia Lanius' Lessons: Draw Fun Fractions
Cynthia Lanius' Lessons: Designer Fractions
Modeling Fractions with Pattern Blocks

Grades 4 to 6 Volume 5 Fractions See page 48ff.

5th And 6th Grade Math Lesson: Teaching Fractions  classroom video



SYMMETRIES







































from http://www.momshavequestionstoo.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Spring-Pattern-Blocks-Template.pdf

Designer Fractions - Symmetry



TESSELLATIONS



















RepTile-AS-RepTiles  (extensions: Mathematics, Nature, and Rep-tiles;  Tilings with the Neighborhood Property)
Tiling the Plane
Math Forum: Tessellations using Activity Pattern Blocks


Symmetry Using Paper Folding, Pattern Blocks, Miras, and Origami  (downloads a Word document)


LESSONS

What’s My Rule for Sorting?

Many Ways to Create Patterns

PATTERN BLOCK TOY FACTORY ◆ Pattern Blocks ◆ Grades K-2

Pattern Block Lessons to Meet Common Core State Standards Grades K–2

Grades K-2 lesson on growth patterns

Kindergarten to Grade 3 Geometry and Spatial Sense  pattern block lessons begin on page 78
Geometry and Spatial Sense, Grades 4 to 6  pattern block lessons begin on page 79


Pattern Block Lessons to Meet Common Core State Standards Grades 3–5

Problem Solving Using Pattern Blocks

Slides, Flips and Turns

Investigating Fractions with Pattern Blocks

Pattern Block Fractions

Expanding Our Pattern Block Fraction Repertoire

Art Project with Pattern Blocks


Exploring the Value of the Whole

Understanding fractions

Covering the Plane with Rep‑Tiles
(explore further at Rep-Tiles and Rep-Tile -- from Wolfram MathWorld


EXTENSIONS

GEOMETRY Labs Henri Picciotto ACTIVITIES FOR GRADES 8–11
This is a whole book, and it is terrific!  (many pattern block activities, starting with Lab 1.1; see especially Lab 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 5.4, 5.6, 7.2, 7.4, 9.5, 10.4, 11.8)

RepTiling the Euclidean space

Polyominoes: Puzzles, Patterns, Problems, and Packings

 By Solomon W. Golomb
explore this at Polyominoes: Puzzles, Patterns, Problems, and Packings - Solomon W. Golomb - Google Books


ODDS AND ENDS
Pattern Block Rock by David Tulga


REFERENCES

Mathematical Exploration - Mathematical Exploration: Trapezoids to Triangles

for excellent activities:
Developing Mathematics with Pattern Blocks, Grades K-5: Paul Swan, Geoff White
(show sample pages)


FOR PURCHASE:
Hinged Mirror [10234] - $2.99 : Educators Outlet, Buy More For Less



















Wood 1 cm Pattern Blocks (250) - Bag [10212] - $17.49 : Educators Outlet, Buy More For Less
Fraction Pattern Blocks - Plastic .5 cm Set of 30 in a Box
Fraction Pattern Blocks - 1 cm Thick




Fraction Blocks - Set of 70 (these are the double hexagons and the chevrons)














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