Pupils tend to come to school with pre-set mind that mathematics is difficult. Thus, in the long run, they grow to hate it. This results in their lack of practice in mathematics and their competence in this subject does not advance. This may not necessarily be the truth for all pupls in a class, but most do fall into this category allright. So, as teachers, we must take up the responsibity of nurturing a love of numbers in the young hearts and minds of our pupils or future-pupils. This is definitely not an easy task as it demands a lot of creativity, experience and understandings in the fields related. Games is the easiest way to do this, say many. Yes, indeed, as children naturally enjoy games. They lihgten up at every opportunity they get to play something. So, what we would like recomend to you is, try this site out!!!
http://www.primarygames.com/math.htm
This link is full of various games of mathematics. This site offers a chance to the pupils to see that numerals can be fun. As teachers, we should make use of the various games in this site to promote learning mathematics. Our personal favourite game in this site is Puzzle Sudoku. (I actually bumped into this site while surfing for online Sudoku games as I'm a Sudoku fan). This is a slightly altered version of Sudoku that can give a change for those bright kids who are tired of messing with the same traditional type of Sudoku.
So, happy gaming we'd like to wish you and adios for now.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Monday, August 11, 2008
Some useful items!
We found a website at
http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/maths/maths.htm
It has actually explored more on the primary maths topics.
Interesting activities and power point presentations with colorful pictures and flash cards which will be useful for us as maths teachers. So check out people!
http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/maths/maths.htm
It has actually explored more on the primary maths topics.
Interesting activities and power point presentations with colorful pictures and flash cards which will be useful for us as maths teachers. So check out people!
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Homework Well Done.
I should say this week's presentation by Fifi and the group was indeed exciting. It was short, simple yet very attention-grabing and entirely interactive presentation. I for one was totally engaged in the activity even though my mind was entirely elsewhere thinking of the assignment to be handed in the next day. I am sure we all agree about the activity's effectiveness in getting all to take part and follow what they presented even though it was a pretty simple thing. Their justificaition of why the Geomater's Sketchpad is useful in teaching various topics in Mathematics was indeed superb. Clearly they have done some real good homework.
The polygon Song.
Polygons are part of geometry and since we are discussing geometry lately my group thinks it would be appropriate to be posted here. I mean what good it could possibly be for the children to use Geometer's Sketchpad if they cannt even remember the polygons. so this one is a simple way to teach them polygons.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Calculator in Classroom.. Applicable?
After reading the article, we have come out with some thoughts in relation to Malaysian context.Undoubtedly, children of all ages should be proficient with calculators, and they need to learn to figure on paper and pencil work, but these methods alone will not meet contemporary needs.
We agree with the point that teachers should not completely reject the use of calculator in primary classroom, the keyword here is "HOW", in which how are we going to integrate the use of calculator in primary classroom. By using calculator, instead of worrying about computation mistakes, focusing on reasoning and problem solving benefits the pupils even better. Teachers can help students see patterns, check estimates against reality, and solve complex problems, like those encountered in daily life, through the structured use of calculators. Children introduced to the calculator when they are young will find it easy and effective to use. moreover, our opinion is also supported by reserchers who said that -Students who use calculators within a mix of instructional styles do not lose their paper and pencil skills. - more to come..
We agree with the point that teachers should not completely reject the use of calculator in primary classroom, the keyword here is "HOW", in which how are we going to integrate the use of calculator in primary classroom. By using calculator, instead of worrying about computation mistakes, focusing on reasoning and problem solving benefits the pupils even better. Teachers can help students see patterns, check estimates against reality, and solve complex problems, like those encountered in daily life, through the structured use of calculators. Children introduced to the calculator when they are young will find it easy and effective to use. moreover, our opinion is also supported by reserchers who said that -Students who use calculators within a mix of instructional styles do not lose their paper and pencil skills. - more to come..
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Calculator with Patterns!
Here's an online calculator to share with you guys!!
http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/jeather/rainforestmaths/RFMF/DIY5wds/DIY5calc.swf
http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/jeather/rainforestmaths/RFMF/DIY5wds/DIY5calc.swf
Using Calculator To Teach Patterns
The Example of Activity Using Calculator To Teach Patterns
Activity Three Students will demonstrate their ability to recognize numerical
patterns/relationships and apply this knowledge to problem solving.
•
Place students into cooperative learning groups.
•
Pass out 100 centimeter cubes and calculators to each group.
•
Explain to each group that they are going to model the patterns of the ants in the story the students and teacher are about to read.
•
Review characteristics of patterns with the class.
•
Read the first four pages of One Hundred Hungry Ants by Elinor J. Pinczes.
•
Ask the students to model the pattern of the ants (one by one). Discuss if this is an efficient method of moving from place to place.
•
Ask the children to use their calculator to count by ones the numbers of ants (use the constant arithmetic feature 0+1=,=,=,=,=…). Stop at 100.
•
Return to the story and read the next two pages of the story. Ask the children to model 2 rows of 50, using centimeter cubes. Count, using the calculator (constant arithmetic feature 0+2=,=,=,=…). Stop at 100.
•
Return and read the next two pages. Ask the children to model four rows of twenty-five, using the centimeter cubes. Count, on the calculator (use constant arithmetic feature, 0+4=,=,=,=,=…). Stop at 100.
•
Return and read the next two pages. Ask the children to model five rows of twenty, using the centimeter cubes. Count, using the calculator (use the constant arithmetic feature 0+5=,=,=,=…).
•
Return and read the next two pages. Ask the children to model ten rows of ten. Count, using the calculator (use constant arithmetic function 0+10 =,=,=,…).
•
Finish reading the story.
Evaluation:
•
Students will decide which patterns and relationships were most efficient and justify their conclusions. Evaluation is based on the criteria given in the attached rubric (Teacher Resource #4).
•
After finishing activity, collect materials. Discuss patterns noticed in modeling/calculator activity.
•
Handout hundreds chart (Teacher should have one to model, either overhead or chart). Use hundreds chart to record patterns discovered during activity (Teacher models counting starting at 2 up to 100). Children should color each pattern found differently to see relationships.
•
In their math journals, children will describe which models were most efficient in moving the ants and which ones were not. Justify the patterns/relationships found.
Extension/Follow Up:
A possible writing extension activity would be to create and publish a big book following the format of one of the books read during the unit.
As a math extension activity, the students could create a series of one-step, multi-step and process problems using the story they wrote.
In a cooperative learning activity, the students could make several sets of puzzle cards for problem solving. See Cooperative Problem Solving with Pattern Blocks for modeling.
Synopsis of the story "One Hundred Hungry Ants".
Activity Three Students will demonstrate their ability to recognize numerical
patterns/relationships and apply this knowledge to problem solving.
•
Place students into cooperative learning groups.
•
Pass out 100 centimeter cubes and calculators to each group.
•
Explain to each group that they are going to model the patterns of the ants in the story the students and teacher are about to read.
•
Review characteristics of patterns with the class.
•
Read the first four pages of One Hundred Hungry Ants by Elinor J. Pinczes.
•
Ask the students to model the pattern of the ants (one by one). Discuss if this is an efficient method of moving from place to place.
•
Ask the children to use their calculator to count by ones the numbers of ants (use the constant arithmetic feature 0+1=,=,=,=,=…). Stop at 100.
•
Return to the story and read the next two pages of the story. Ask the children to model 2 rows of 50, using centimeter cubes. Count, using the calculator (constant arithmetic feature 0+2=,=,=,=…). Stop at 100.
•
Return and read the next two pages. Ask the children to model four rows of twenty-five, using the centimeter cubes. Count, on the calculator (use constant arithmetic feature, 0+4=,=,=,=,=…). Stop at 100.
•
Return and read the next two pages. Ask the children to model five rows of twenty, using the centimeter cubes. Count, using the calculator (use the constant arithmetic feature 0+5=,=,=,=…).
•
Return and read the next two pages. Ask the children to model ten rows of ten. Count, using the calculator (use constant arithmetic function 0+10 =,=,=,…).
•
Finish reading the story.
Evaluation:
•
Students will decide which patterns and relationships were most efficient and justify their conclusions. Evaluation is based on the criteria given in the attached rubric (Teacher Resource #4).
•
After finishing activity, collect materials. Discuss patterns noticed in modeling/calculator activity.
•
Handout hundreds chart (Teacher should have one to model, either overhead or chart). Use hundreds chart to record patterns discovered during activity (Teacher models counting starting at 2 up to 100). Children should color each pattern found differently to see relationships.
•
In their math journals, children will describe which models were most efficient in moving the ants and which ones were not. Justify the patterns/relationships found.
Extension/Follow Up:
A possible writing extension activity would be to create and publish a big book following the format of one of the books read during the unit.
As a math extension activity, the students could create a series of one-step, multi-step and process problems using the story they wrote.
In a cooperative learning activity, the students could make several sets of puzzle cards for problem solving. See Cooperative Problem Solving with Pattern Blocks for modeling.
Synopsis of the story "One Hundred Hungry Ants".
In One Hundred Hungry Ants by Elinor J Pinczes, illustrated by Bonnie Mackain (Houghton Miffin, ISBN 0395631165), a soft breeze carries the suggestion of a picnic to 100 hungry ants. The littlest ant tells the other ants that marching in single file will take too long, so organises them into lines of 50, then 25, then 20, then ten. Will they get there before all the food is eaten?
Read and enjoy the book with the children the day before you intend to use it for a mathematical focus. Have fun with the story, and get the children to join in with the obvious choruses such as:
We’re going to a picnic! A hey and a hi dee ho!
And
There’ll be lots of yummies for our hungry tummies, A hey and a hi dee ho!
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