Numeracy

Problem Solving

Students are asked to problem solve in a variety of ways. Part of becoming a competent and independent math student is being able to represent and explain your thinking in a number of ways. When helping your child problem solve, encourage them to show their work using:

• Pictures
• Equations
• Number lines
• Ten frames
• Tallies
• Base ten blocks (rods and cubes)
• Greater than/Less than

Ask your child to explain their thinking and strategies. This is a difficult task for young learners that certainly grows with practice. 

Math Games

Many of our math lessons incorporate games. Games “sneak” in purposeful learning. We will be using a blend of online math games targeted to specific curricular outcomes as well as tutorials for games that can be played at home with family members or alone. Dice and a deck of cards are often all that is needed. Some optional games will have printable boards if you have access to a printer. 

Make fun little competitions with the addition and subtraction flash cards that were sent home with your child. Time how many they can get correct in 3 minutes, or play addition/subtraction war. Divide the facts between each person and lay one fact out at a time. Whoever can call out the sum or difference first, wins the fact card. Whoever has the most at the end is the winner! Practicing recall is an important skill in developing deeper number sense and confidence with mental math. 

Math All Around Us

With young learners there are so many natural opportunities to connect math to real life. Here is a list of a few ideas to engage and foster your child’s math sense:

• Baking (paying attention to measurements, # of ingredients, etc)
• Mark special days on an old calendar (days, months, years)
• Play store (make fake money, put prices on toys)
• Draw a picture of family members in order of height/age
• Time how long it takes to print your name 100 times
• Time how long it takes to run a distance outside
• Make a schedule of the days activities and keep track on the fridge
• Take a count and sort inventory of household items (books, toys, crayons)
• Learn address, phone numbers, and birthday 

The ideas are endless, but the most important thing is to have fun!