How to set up a patriotic math craft for elementary kids

My dad would always take is out to the flag pole on all the national holidays like Memorial Day or Independence Day. He let us help raise the star spangled banner then we recited the pledge of allegiance. As we prepared for July 4 this year, we spent some time talking about the flag and what it means. I came up with this patriotic craft for my daughter who just completed kindergarten, and we talked about what the stars I the field of blue represent. It just so happens that it was perfect math practice as well.

Christmas Ornament Subtraction Craft

These DIY ornaments turn out so pretty that children might like to do them at home for fun or as gifts. However, you could easily use them for subtraction practice. They even satisfy the algebraic component called for in Common Core. Who says you can't have Christmas fun and do math at the same time?

Egg Carton Skip Counting with Printables

This activity addresses several different skills.   For kindergarten purposes, it most directly addresses the Common Core objective CCSS.Math.Content.K.CC.B.4 ,  Understand the relationship between numbers and quantities;connect counting to cardinality.   However, it is also preparation for multiplication, and a fine motor exercise.

Pre-school developed counting practice

Not only is this activity great fine motor and counting practice, it's a sure winnner with my pre-schooler. How do I know?  She came up with it! Try it with your preschooler, and see if he doesn't like it just as much!

How to teach skip counting

Skip counting serves as a basis for multiplication. Make math concrete with this fun activity.

Within the next two months, we are planning to move (again! but just a couple of miles this time) and welcome a new family member. Obviously, I am on the look out for ways to make learning fun and easy for all of us as we jump back into kindergarten home school today.

Pre-school math practice

Yesterday, I wrote about my son's kindergarten math practice.  Today, I'll give you a peek at what Little Sister is up to during that time.  While she is in no way required to participate in studies, she usually chooses to.   

Number Ordering

For this activity, I give her one of each numeral on her own magnetic board.  I ask her which number represents nothing.  She chooses zero.  I ask what comes next she chooses one.  From there, she can usually order the rest of the numerals.  When she brings the board to show me I ask her to name the number in order.

Run Down a Rainbow: Kids' Summer Activity

When my sister and I were little girls, my mother would sometimes let us play with the hose in the back yard.  One of our favorite games, well, one of my favorite games was to walk down the rainbow.  

Library Treasures: Way Out in the Desert

We found several wonderful books this week, but  Way Out in the Desert by Jenifer Ward and T. J. Marsh, illustrated by Kenneth J. Spengler, stands out.

How to help your child count past ten

My daughter grabbed my measuring tape while I was folding laundry this morning.   It has that fascination of something Mommy uses and won't let it out of her sight.  

A Realization about Counting

These dominoes were a great Christmas gift !

I love watching my kids develop the basic skills that will some day build into the challenging physics I used to teach.  This morning while we were waiting on Daddy to finish up the pancakes, the kids and I played a round of animal dominoes.  My daughter loves the matching aspect and my son loves that we can make shapes with the path of the dominoes.

Learning with Playdough

Play dough is an amazing substance.  My kids will play with play dough for hours.  When I had two preschoolers I tried to pull the playdough once a week. The body of this post was written during that time.   Here's how you can cover all your preschool learning goals with one this one great activity.

How do we learn with Play dough?

Make stuff. 

I've noticed that my kids are interested in making stuff longer if I engage in a little parallel play making stuff too.  This took a little effort at first.  After a while, it became a relaxing opportunity to try something new.  

Use tools.

When I see that just making stuff is getting a little boring, I like to introduce stuff: a random piece of plastic, butter knife, rolling pin, tooth picks, slotted spoon. Of course, sometimes my son starts pulling out tools as soon as we pull out the play dough.

Practice math skills.

My kids love asking me to make tiny balls, which could also be called spheres.  Sometimes we make cubes and build structures.  Sometimes I ask for a particular number of pieces of play dough.  My daughter can count to six pretty easily right now, so I ask for four first.  Then I ask for seven, then five and so on.

                                     

Write.

When we were learning the alphabet I made letters and asked for their names.  Then I asked for the sounds that they make.  Now I make simple words and coach my kids to sound them out.  You could do the same with numerals.

Of course, all this time we're strengthening the muscles needed for fine motor skills.  

Using just one activity I cover all my objectives for the day.  Even better, I connect with my children in a way we all enjoy.

When we lived in Kuwait, making play dough was by far easier than trying to find it.  A good friend asked me to "try out" a recipe for a church group, and I am grateful for the nudge in the right direction.

Homemade play dough recipe

Ingredients:

 1 part corn starch, 

2 parts baking soda, 

1.5 parts water.  

(i.e. 1 cup cornstarch, 2 cups baking soda, 1.5 cups water)

Method

1.Mix everything in a sauce pan.

2. Cook and stir on medium low heat, until all at once it comes together and forms into a ball.

3. Cool.

4. Knead in a little extra cornstarch as you go.

I have to admit I was scared to try it, but it turned out brilliantly!  Of course, you can always buy the commercial version. 

What do your kids like to do with play dough?

Looking for more sensory ways to learn?  Thriving STEM is happy to be an affiliate for this great book.  Click on the picture to purchase, or read my interview with author Cathy James by clicking here.

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Holiday Cookies

We love making sugar cookies for any holiday, or in between holidays.  I use a recipe from the Mennonite Community Cookbook, edited by Mary Emma Showalter.   Few ingredients, no chilling, and perfect texture ever time make this one more treasure from my Mennonite friends.  

How to teach counting with a fun rhyme from Jamaica

Ten little green bananas hangin' on a line,

A bird eat one, Dat left nine.

Nine little green bananas swayin' in de breeze,

They all turn yellow, An' one a dem sneeze!

Learning to count and subtract with a Jamaican Centipede Rhyme

My preschoolers loved learning to count with  A Caribean Counting Book by Faustin Charles and Robertan Arenson. We enjoyed the book so much the first couple of times through, that I thought we could get more use out of some of the math rhymes.  To help  us get the most out each rhyme, I started making up visuals. This activity is for the Jamaican Centipede Rhyme.

The Change Game:Level 1

Our family is currently residing in a hotel.  Every week or so I go to the desk ask for alot of quarters and ones: quarters for the laundry, dollar for the nice lady who cleans for us.  My kids are fascinated by the coins and just love to handle change, so I decided to make a money math game for them.