Math

Working at home with the basics of math can be as easy as following a recipe in the kitchen and as much fun as keeping score while playing a game.

• Be positive about math. If a parent says, "I wasn't good at math, so it's okay if my kids aren't," kids may be afraid of math and not motivated to do well.
• Play family games that use math to teach kids how to count and sort. Ask your children to keep score. Younger children can use markers, such as macaroni; they can move on to numbers.
• Have children do a daily weather report. They will learn new terms, a sense of geography, how to draw maps and charts and a good deal of math. What was today's high temperature? Today's low?
• Children can learn about weights and scales at the local market. Let them weigh a pound of apples. How many apples in one pound? In two? What is the cost of three pounds of apples and one pound of bananas?
• Give children opportunities to tell time. You can use the old question: How much time do you have before you go to bed? That's bound to start a stimulating discussion!
• Estimating is an important math concept. When driving, ask children to guess when you have traveled one mile.
  • Estimate each family member's height or weight. Then check with a yardstick, ruler or scale.
  • Ask, "What do you think the outside temperature is today?" Check with a thermometer or by listening to the weather on radio or TV.
• Play math "Jeopardy." give a number and have your child find a question for which the number is the answer.
• When riding in the car there are many opportunities to count: cars, trucks, colors of cars, kinds of signs, etc.

Related Link:
http://www.aft.org
Source: American Federation of Teachers