Category: Uncategorized

Fractions in The Kitchen

Choose a recipe from home; notice the fractions used in the recipe. Formulate fraction questions; and calculate the questions. Then go ahead and have an baking extravaganza in your school’s kitchen, or at home. Here is a sample:

Potato Tea Buns

This classroom kitchen recipe was a combination of Tea Buns from the Telephone Pioneers oF AmerIca, Ch. 49; Nova ScoTIa; WhaT Am I Gonna Cook? RecIpe of PaT Brooks; HunT’s PoInT, NS; with some of our personal add-ons such as Brown sugar

1 Pckg Dry YeasT

1/4 cup waTer Mixed wITh 1 Tsp Sugar sIc. We prefer Brown; HealThIer)

1/2 Cup Mashed PoTaToes

1/4 Cup BuTTer (sIc. PaT says ShorTenIng or MargarIne; We prefer Real BuTTer)

1/4 cup Sugar (sIc. We prefer Brown; or a bIT of Molasses, Though The rolls would be a dIfferenT Color.

1 & 1/2 Tsp SaLT

1 Cup Milk (sIc. Almond Milk)

1 Egg (We prefer a dollap of Flax Gel, made by parboIlIng 1 Tbls Flax Seeds In 1 Cup of waTer for 10-12 mInuTes)

4 Cups WhITe Flour

CombIne WaTer and 1 Tsp Sugar and YeasT

LeT sTand For 10 mInuTes

In a saucepan, combIne Milk, PoZTaToes, BuTTer, SaLT and Sugar;

heaT unTIl BuTTer has MelTed

Add yeasT mIxTure To Flax Gel In a Large BowL

STIr In boTh Cups of WaTer and BeaT well

Add RemaInIng Flour

Place In a Warm spoT for 1 Hour unTIl double

Cover wITh Damp CloTh; Leave For 1 Hr To RIse

Bake aT 400 degrees For 10-12 MInuTes

Lovely wITh a bIT of buTTer and chowder

The MaTh

Altogether, How many cups of Ingredients are does this recipe make?

Cups:

1/4 cup waTer 1/4

1/2 Cup Mashed PoTaToes 1/2

1/4 Cup BuTTer (sIc. PaT 1/4

1/4 cup Brown Sugar 1/4

1 Cup Milk (sIc. Almond Milk) 1

4 Cups WhITe Flour 4

Plus

1 & 1/2 Tsp SaLT

Answer: 6 and 1/4 cups of Ingredients; and 1 and 1/2 Tsp

Question: How many Teaspoons of Ingredients are in a cup? If we really want to add the small still, we would have to calculate that from a chart, or physically fill up a cup of salt, one tsp at a time.

Have a quick gander at some our Learning Math Games:

Teaching Fractions with Chocolate

Sep 12, 2017 | 0 comments View Post

Golden Mean Ratio: Egyptian Sculpture

Math in Ancient Sculpture is one of the most interesting and intriguing applications of mathematics, both formula equation and geometric structure. This article examines the Golden Mean Ratio and Fibonacci Sequence found in the Bust of Nefertiti in Egypt in the early 1900’s. Nefertiti literally, means, “the beautiful one has come”, and is the 14th-century BC Great Royal Wife (chief co-regent) of the Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt, 1352 BC to 1336 BC. The iconic Bust of Nefertiti is in Neues Museum of Berlin; though originally in Egypt (En. Wikipedia. Org / wiki/Nefertiti_Bust (230px-Nofretete_Neues_Museum 2 .jpg) During excavation of Nefertit’s Bust, one of the items found noted Thutmose as being the court sculptor of Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten, Nefertiti’s Royal Husband. In Mathematics of Harmony: From Euclid to Contemporary Mathematics and Computer Science, Stakho speaks of the Berlusian philosopher Edward Soroko’s attempts to determine what mathematical ideas were used in the creation of Her Bust, “…Harmony was the perogative of the Divine order that dominated the universe, and geometry was the main tool of its expression.

Nefertiti, playing role of Goddess, thus Her image personifying the Wisdom of the world, must have been formed with geometrical perfection and irreproachable harmony, beauty and clarity. As a matter of fact, the main idea of ancient Egyptian aesthetic philosophy was to glorify the eternal, the measured, and the perfect in a constantly changing universe…In his analysis, he found a harmonious system of regular geometric figures such as triangles, squares, and rhombi.” (Alekseĭ Petrovich Stakho; Mathematics of Harmony: From Euclid to Contemporary Mathematics and Computer Science; Scott Anthony Olsen. Book. English. 2009; pp 57-59) Soroko believed that the Bust of Nefertiti was created based upon the Geometries of the Golden Mean Ratio and the Fibonacci Sequence. A graphical image of Her Bust, as was drawn by Soroko is shown in this link: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/529454499915732124/ Highly recommended to click on this link to have a finer and more detailed idea of the geometries that Thutmose is thought to have in mind when sculpting Her Bust. One can appreciate, in particular, how the front top vertex of Her headdress is in perfect alignment with Her Heart and Breast Bone.

Depicted here, the Golden Mean Ratio, and in the geometries thought to be applied by Thutmose, the Egyptian Court Sculptor, in the creation of Nefertiti’s Bust:

n is to m, as m is to n − m,

or, algebraically,

n = m

_____ ______

m n – m

A more clear example of the pattern he believed Her Bust was created upon, the Fibonacci Sequence, can more easily be seen in examining nature’s pattern in pine cones, and seashells. This ratio is also the most efficient mathematical equation for trees absorbing the most amount of sustenance from the sun’s rays, hence growing in a spiral. In the same way, today, we can apply solar panels onto rooftops mimicking this pattern to most efficiently absorb the sun’s rays. For further discussion on Fibonacci Sequence, visit here: http://math-lessons.ca/fibonacci-sequence.html/

See in the photo at the top, the chamomile spiral, as well as in this link on “fibonacci-sequence” showing the pattern. Adding two consecutive numbers from the sequence to equal the next one following, the basic mathematical sequence looks like this:

0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377, etc., etc.

That is:

0+1=1

1+1=2

2+1 (the “number” before)=3

3+2 (the number before)=5

5+3=8

8+5=13

13+8=21

34+21=55

55+34=89

89+34=144

144+233=377

etc., etc., etc.

Whereas the fibonacci sequence, cannot technically be exacted in real time, (similarly, there is no real exact end found as of yet to pi’s “3.14159265359…..”), mathematicians drew swirling squares around the spiral in the attempt to exact the formula – basically giving the left side of the human brain a way of understanding the right-brained infinite spiral, being that the left side of the brain requires finiteness / exactness to feel satisfied, shall we say.

What kind of intriguing application can your class find to prove that math is interesting and fun?

We wonder if the geometries of Nefertiti’s Bust were also the same geometries of Nefertiti’s real-life human head. The skulls of Ancient Egyptians, as well as those of Ancient Greece and other cultures, have definitely been shown to have geometrically perfect structures. How can that be?

For samples of our Fun Learning Math Games, feel free to visit here:

http://butterflybooks.ca/geometry-games/

http://butterflybooks.ca/math-activities/

Oct 07, 2014 | 0 comments View Post

Torus Math – The Doughnut

Welcome Back to Math Class! We trust all had a wonder-filled summer filled with fun spherical geometric shapes and bursting color! Our Back-to-school math topic this autumn is about the math magic of the Torus. A torus is: the area and volume of, basically, a doughnut shape, shown here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Torus.png The author of harmonic resolution; The Portacle, describes that the torus’ special form has been used to describe and/or represent a number of things in our “real” actual material world, as well as, our “imaginary” potential one; and is defined by two parameters: the radius of the torus (that is, the radius of the torus’s defining circle, measured from the origin) and the radius of the tube (the perpendicular distance from the defining circle to the surface of the torus). These are R and r, respectively (R > r). -In this link, there is a Great fluid-moving image of a spinning torus, about 4/5th down the page.) Wikipedia has a diagram of the torus as being the product of 2 circles, one sideways inside the other: See image to the left here: A torus is the product of two circles, in this case the red circle is swept around the axis defining the pink circle. R is the radius of the pink circle, r is the radius of the red one; Image drawn August 28, 2014: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Torus_cycles.svg

Some say that Earth is neither flat or round, but spherical, as in that of a doughnut toroid or even an apple, curving down and curving upward at the North and South poles. One image we find most interesting is just under the blue torus image, and it is a mutable image of a ring torus turning itself into a horn torus, and this is one of the images that mathematicians today are calculating that Earth is most closer to as a realistic geometric shape, than was once thought. Earth, in this respect is today referred to as the tube torus, a shape that occurs often in Nature. If you click on the link, you can see just to the right under the blue torus, a better mental picture of our reference: As the distance to the axis of revolution decreases, the ring torus becomes a horn torus, then a spindle torus, and finally degenerates into a sphere; www.wikipedia.org/wiki/torus. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Torus.png
(There are several on-line sources of the manifolds, 3 of which quote the same information: Joyce, Wikipedia and Harmonic Resolution.com, all denoting that manifolds are today, a major branch of geometric study, a curved space of some dimension. For example, the surface of a sphere, and the torus (the surface of a doughnut), are both 2-dimensional flat-surface – perceived manifolds. The manifold itself is the background for some mathematical object defined upon it, as a canvas is the background for an oil painting. This kind of geometry, although very abstract, is closer to the real world than you might think. Einstein’s theory of General Relativity describes the Universe – the whole of space and time – as a 4-dimensional manifold. Wikipedia has wonderful moving images of the manifold turning into the torus and back into a manifold flat surface again, and is worth having a gander for a more picturesque idea of what these terms are in Math, under the subtitle “ Flat Torus“: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torus: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Torus_from_rectangle.gif

Dominic Joyce, Universty of Oxford, (www. maths.ox. ac.uk/people/profiles/dominic.joyce) iterates that today’s popular geometric math is in manifolds, no longer Euclid’s triangles and circles, and says that popularity went out with the Arc! We think he is referring to Noah’s Arc, which many would probably disagree about Noah Arc’s popularity because of all the beautyful animals on the Arc! But that is digressing….Joyce says that, Space itself is not flat, but curved. The curvature of space is responsible for gravity….and that, Everything in the universe – light, subatomic particles, pizzas, and even, yourself – is described in terms of a geometrical structure on the space-time 4-manifold. Joyce says that, according to some physicists, the universe is now considered to be a 12 (or 13, 15, or 17, by some!) dimensional nested manifold.

In “superstring” physics, the torus is known as the “perfect” shape…but String Theory we can discuss on another day!

For more fun and interesting Learning Math Games, you can visit us here:

http://math-lessons.ca/activities/Geometry.html

http://math-lessons.ca/activities/FractionsBoard5.html

http://math-lessons.ca/timestables/times-tables.html

http://math-lessons.ca/activities/FractionsBoard4.html

Aug 28, 2014 | 0 comments View Post

Flower Geometry on Summer Vacation

Summer can be fun Learning Math on your camping trip or at home in your backyard. An interesting approach to learning geometry in elementary math is by the study of flowers found in your backyard (or schoolyard in Spring or Fall). Have your class walk around the local grounds, or give them an assignment to go home and document in their notebooks, different flowers, counting the number of petals in the flowers.

A second item, if time permits is to have the Learners identify the flowers as well. Upon arrival back in the classroom, Learners identify, with their geometry charts, which geometric pattern or shape the flower has grown into.

Materials:

Eyes (peepers for finding flowers)

Camera, if available

Notebook

Pencil and Good Eraser

Pencil Crayons in various colors

Ruler

Compass (if you wish to measure angles in the shapes)

Glue

String

Next, Learners draw in their notebooks the geometric shape the flower is equated with, and beside the shape, a simple drawing of the flower, coloring the flower drawing with the corresponding color of the petals. If possible, 3-D forms can be cut out and interlocked together, with a string glued into the top of the start and made into Christmas ornaments.

Example:

Yellow Blue-eyed Grass: (photo Above) 6-Petaled Yellow Wild Flower (that also grows in Bluish Purple and White); found in tall grasses who / that opens up only with the sun, and closes at the end of the day when the sun sets, or on cloudy days.

Geometric pattern: 6-pointed Star Tetrahedron; Two 3-Dimensional Interlocking Equilateral Triangles with a conjoining dot in the middle. These 2 photos show the star tetrahedron (6-pointed) both in 2-dimensional form (as it would be if drawn flat on a piece of paper). The second photo is a rendition of a 3-dimensional form (as if it were hanging as an ornament in a tree). SourceURL:file:///Users/sheila/Desktop/Summer%20Flower%20Geometry.doc http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_tetrahedron

When looking, aim for the pattern that is found when counting the Number of Petals in the Flowers. In the Yellow Blue-Eyed Grass, there are 6 petals which if gazed at in a 3-Dimensional way, one can see the pattern of the 6-pointed star tetrahedron.

This can be a fun activity to do while on summer vacation – or during the schoolyear in Spring and Fall, and depending what climate area your school is, it can be done during winter as well.

For more fun Learning activities on our site, feel free to visit here:

http://math-lessons.ca/Decimals/decimal.html

http://math-lessons.ca/review/math-review5.html

http://math-lessons.ca/worksheets/ttworksheets.html

http://math-lessons.ca/activities/FractionsBoard4.html

Jul 25, 2012 | 0 comments View Post

Easter Egg Hunt 100 and Under

Easter is the central feast and holiday in the Christian year representing Jesus’ Ascension. It culminates the end of 40 days of fasting from the person’s choice. Some people refrain from eating chocolate for 40 days until Easter weekend! Then they have an Easter Egg Hunt whereby one person hides chocolate eggs and the others have a fun treasure hunt to find the eggs. For the Unity Spiritual Community, this year’s Easter’s theme is “Release Your Inner Splendor”. http://www.unity.org/publications/free-materials/lent-2012-release-your-inner-splendor

The following is a Fun Easter Egg Hunting Game for Practicing Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication and Division Under 100. It can be played outdoors or indoors, depending on the weather and environment of the class.

Materials:

Organic Chocolate Eggs with foil covering

Marker

Pencil

Paper

Small Easter Baskets

Instructions:

Find a box of Organic Chocolate Easter Eggs.

Unwrap each egg but save the foil covering.

1. Make up a set of Math Problems to Solve, including addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. At the end of this article, we have included a sample.

2. Wrap each Egg with a problem written on a small piece of paper, and then rewrap the eggs with the foil. With a marker, number the eggs by groups.

3. Divide Learners into groups of 3, and Assign each group a number. (In this example, there are 21 students. The class would be divided into 7 groups of 3, and there would be 7 groups of Math Problems).

4.Hide the eggs outdoors and/or indoors, weather permitting.

5. Each group has paper and pencil. Each group hunts for eggs with their numbers and solves the math problems. As they find the eggs, each group respectively puts them in their basket. Each Learner Individually solves the problem, by first writing the problem on his/her paper and then following with the answer.

6. As each is finished, they bring their sheets to Teacher for checking. If they have any answers wrong, they must redo their answer. When all answers are correct, they can eat the chocolate, and help other groups.

Remember to recycle all the foil and paper wrappings!

http://kidsblogs.nationalgeographic.com/greenscene/2012/03/recycled-kisses.html

http://www.bayroberts.com/green/reduce.htm

Here are some more of our Fun Learning Math Games:

http://math-lessons.ca/activities/index.html

http://math-lessons.ca/review/math-review4.html

http://math-lessons.ca/timestables/times-tables.html

Sample Math Problems:

Group 1:

84 + 11 = 95

88 – 35 = 53

24 */* 3 = 8

8 x 6 = 48

14 */* 7 = 2

88 – 31 = 57

4 x 18 = 72

75 */* 3 = 25

25 – 5 = 20

Group 2:

88 + 12 = 100

25 x 3 = 75

18 */* 2 = 9

22 x 4 = 88

21 */* 3 = 7

55 –11 = 44

23 x 4 = 92

24 */* 12 = 2

45 + 33 = 78

Group 3:

88 – 3 = 85

13 x 4 = 52

100 */*25 = 4

44 x 2 = 88

13 – 1 = 12

44 */* 4 = 11

77 */* 11 = 7

3 x 9 = 27

52 – 23 = 29

Group 4:

44 – 11 = 33

23 x 4 = 92

14 */* 2 = 7

28 + 14 = 42

55 */* 11 = 5

88 – 13 = 75

34 – 17 = 17

22 x 4 = 88

14 + 17 = 31

Group 5:

14 + 5 = 19

33 – 12 = 21

22 x 5 = 77

89 – 17 = 72

34 +55 = 89

33 */* 3 = 11

22 x 4 = 88

100 */* 4 = 25

21 x 4 = 84

Group 6:

19 + 24 =43

47 – 17 =30

88 */* 11 = 8

24 x 3 = 72

90 */* 10 = 9

55 – 23 = 32

17 x 5 = 85

9 */* 3 = 3

100 – 25 = 75

Group 7:

18 */* 9 = 2

7 x 7 = 49

21 x 4 = 84

88 – 55 = 33

21 + 4 = 25

99 */* 3 = 33

22 x 1 = 22

35 – 8 = 27

77 – 22 = 55

Mar 27, 2012 | 1 comment View Post

Fractions for Christmas, Hannukah and Solstice!

This Holiday season, you can have fun both learning about Holiday Celebrations and Learning Fractions in a Fun way! Here are 3 different Holiday Celebrations that occur in December that have specific special numbers of Days to count for Fractions – Christmas, Hannukah and Winter Solstice.

8 Days of Hannukah

What Fraction is the 3^rd Day of The 8 Days of Hannukah?

1/8, 2/8, 3/8, 4/8, 5/8, 6/8, 7/8, 8/8

Hannukah (sometimes pronounced Chanukah) is known as The Festival of Lights, and this practice is celebrated by the Jewish Peoples of The Earth.

http://www.chabad.org/holidays/chanukah/article_cdo/aid/605036/jewish/Chanukah-FAQs.html. It is a remembrance of The Miracle of The Holy Olive Oil lasting for 8 days (i.e.) There was only enough oil to last for one day, but through the Miracle of The Holy Spirit during Beit Hamikdesh, it lasted 8 days and 8 nights, for the entirety of The Celebration of Chanukah. Hannukah is celebrated starting the 25^th Day of Kislev (this corresponds to around the 21^st-28^th of December in the Gregorian calendar).

The typical Menorah consists of 8 branches with an additional raised or lowered branch in the middle to light the candles from, as there is a candle in each branch lit each night of the 8 days. A fun thing that happens on Hannukah is The Spinning of The Dreidel, a four-sided spinning top that children play with. Each side of The Dreidel is imprinted with a Hebrew letter. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanukkah#Dreidel.

4 Quadrants of The Seasons

Winter Solstice December 21st

What is The Fraction of The Solstices and Equinox Seasonal Cycles, based on The Gregorian and Celtic Calendar Year?

There are 4 quadrants that are the Seasonal Cycles of The Gravitational Cycles of The Earth, Sun and The Moon. We call them:

Spring Equinox, Summer Solstice, Fall/Autumn Equinox and Winter Solstice.

All fall around the 21^st – 23^rd of the corresponding month (in general the 21^st, depending on where the moon is, every year.

http://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/equinox-not-equal.html.

1/4, 2/4, 3/4, 4/4

Spring Equinox: March 21^st1/4
Summer Solstice: June 21^st2/4
Fall/Autumn Equinox: September 21st 3/4
and Winter Solstice: December 21^st 4/4

Traditional Song: 12 Days of Christmas

What is the Fraction of the 5^th Day of The 12 Days of Christmas?

Here is an example: If you add together the 3^rd Day of Christmas and the 5^th Day if Christmas, what Christmas Fraction does this equal? (Answer: 3/12 +5/12 = 8/12)

1/12, 2/12, 3/12, 4/12, 5/12, 6/12, 7/12, 7/12, 8/12, 9/12, 10/12, 11/12, 12/12

Traditional Song: The 12 Days of Christmas

On the 1^st First Day of Christmas,

My true love sent to me

A partridge in a pear tree. (1/12)

On the 2^nd Second Day of Christmas,

My true love sent to me

Two turtle doves, (2/12)

And a partridge in a pear tree. (1/12)

On the 3^rd Third Day of Christmas,

My true love sent to me

Three French hens, (3/12)

Two turtle doves, (2/12)

And a partridge in a pear tree. (1/12)

On the 4^th Fourth day of Christmas,

My true love sent to me

Four calling birds, (4/12)

Three French hens, (3/12)

Two turtle doves, (2/12)

And a partridge in a pear tree. (1/12)

On the 5^th Fifth Day of Christmas, (5/12)

My true love sent to me

Five golden rings, (5/12)

Four calling birds, (4/12)

Three French hens, (3/12)

Two turtle doves, (2/12)

And a partridge in a pear tree. (1/12)

On the 6^th Sixth Day of Christmas, (6/12)

My true love sent to me

Six geese a-laying, (6/12)

Five golden rings, (5/12)

Four calling birds, (4/12)

Three French hens, (3/12)

Two turtle doves, (2/12)

And a partridge in a pear tree. (1/12)

On the 7^th Seventh Day of Christmas, (7/12)

My true love sent to me

Seven swans a-swimming, (7/12)

Six geese a-laying, (6/12)

Five golden rings, (5/12)

Four calling birds, (4/12)

Three French hens, (3/12)

Two turtle doves, (2/12)

And a partridge in a pear tree. (1/12)

On the 8^th Eighth day of Christmas,

My true love sent to me

Eight maids a-milking, (8/12)

Seven swans a-swimming, (7/12)

Six geese a-laying, (6/12)

Five golden rings, (5/12)

Four calling birds, (4/12)

Three French hens, (3/12)

Two turtle doves, (2/12)

And a partridge in a pear tree. (1/12)

On the 9^th Ninth day of Christmas,

My true love sent to me

Nine ladies dancing, (9/12)

Eight maids a-milking, (8/12)

Seven swans a-swimming, (7/12)

Six geese a-laying, (6/12)

Five golden rings, (5/12)

Four calling birds, (4/12)

Three French hens, (3/12)

Two turtle doves, (2/12)

And a partridge in a pear tree. (1/12)

On the 10^th Tenth day of Christmas,

My true love sent to me

Ten lords a-leaping, (10/12)

Nine ladies dancing, (9/12)

Eight maids a-milking, (8/12)

Seven swans a-swimming, (7/12)

Six geese a-laying, (6/12)

Five golden rings, (5/12)

Four calling birds, (4/12)

Three French hens, (3/12)

Two turtle doves, (2/12)

And a partridge in a pear tree. (1/12)

On the 11^th Eleventh day of Christmas,

My true love sent to me

Eleven pipers piping, (11/12)

Ten lords a-leaping, (10/12)

Nine ladies dancing, (9/12)

Eight maids a-milking, (8/12)

Seven swans a-swimming, (7/12)

Six geese a-laying, (6/12)

Five golden rings, (5/12)

Four calling birds, (4/12)

Three French hens, (3/12)

Two turtle doves, (2/12)

And a partridge in a pear tree. (1/12)

On the 12^th Twelfth Day of Christmas,

My true love sent to me

Twelve drummers drumming, 12/12

Eleven pipers piping, (11/12)

Ten lords a-leaping, (10/12)

Nine ladies dancing, (9/12)

Eight maids a-milking, (8/12)

Seven swans a-swimming, (7/12)

Six geese a-laying, (6/12)

Five golden rings, (5/12)

Four calling birds, (4/12)

Three French hens, (3/12)

Two turtle doves, (2/12)

And a partridge in a pear tree! (1/12)

And for some other of our Fun Learning Math Games, you can visit here:

http://math-lessons.ca/activities/HexaRace.html.

http://math-lessons.ca/activities/FractionsCards.html.

http://math-lessons.ca/activities/fractions-hazard.html.

Dec 13, 2011 | 1 comment View Post

Secret Chocolate Fraction Codes

It is Post-Halloween and we are not quite finished making chocolate FUN just yet! Here is a fun and easy fractions game to organize that is low-cost and easily teachable, any time of the year.

Supplies:

Crayola Markers, 3 for each student
One Organic Chocolate Bar for each student
Piece of Paper

Have everyone bring in a Whole Chocolate Bar (organic if possible – it is healthier!) – One that has an equal number of squares in it. They do not all have to be the same number of squares, but if they are, it is a bit easier for instructions.

Using a non-toxic marker (Crayola is my favorite), have each Learner draw a gridline across the paper on the outside of the bar in their favorite color. http://www.crayola.com/products/list.cfm?categories=MARKERS,BASICS

Step 1: Counting 1-12 (usually, this is the number of squares in a bar.) If it is different, then ask the learner to count, respectively re their bar, and write down on paper the basic 12 fractions of their bar:

1/12, 2/12, 3/12, 4/12, 5/12, 6/12, 7/12, 8/12, 9/12, 10/12, 11/12, 12/12

Step 2: Then secretly and individually, each student colors a different amount of squares in each bar, using 3 different colored markers. Encourage Sharing/Trading markers if there is not enough markers to go around.

Step 3: Then, everyone divides into pairs, and one at a time – without showing each other what they have colored – each student guesses what 3 numbered fractions the other one has colored.

Eg/ Susan colored 3 squares in Red, 2 squares in Yellow, and 7 squares in Purple. Therefore, Susan’s Secret Fraction Codes are:

3/12, 2/12 and 7/12.

Bob colored 3 squares in Blue, 6 squares in Green, and 3 Squares in Orange. Therefore, Bob’s Secret Fraction Codes are:

3/12, 6/12 and 3/12.

Step 4: After successfully guessing the other’s Secret Fractions, each one guesses the 3 respective Colors – of each Fraction Code.

Step 5: Once they have successfully guessed the other one’s Secret Fraction Codes, have them, TOGETHER then, add all 3 to make the Whole Number One 1.

Eg/ Susan’s Secret Fraction Codes look like this:

3/12 + 2/12 + 7/12 = 12/12 = 1

Bob’s Secret Fraction Codes look like this:

3/12 + 6/12 + 3/12 = 12/12 = 1

Last Step: Everyone share their Chocolate Bars with The Teacher! lolololololol

Enjoy! Yum.

Love The Earth!

Remember to Recycle both the paper and the tinfoil or plastic that the bar was wrapped in! The more Recycling and Care for The Earth, the more Pretty Colored Feathers (or Stars)you receive from The Teacher!

http://iloveloveearth.weebly.com/enter-the-i-love-earth-competition.html

For another one of our fun and affordable Fraction Games, you can visit here: http://math-lessons.ca/activities/chocolate.html

Nov 04, 2011 | 1 comment View Post

Donate a Math Abacus to The Lakota

This month, Math-Lessons.ca are donating a Math Abacus to the Lakota Pineridge Reservation located in South Dakota. It is home to the Oglala Sioux Tribe, a population of about 40,000. We like how they have organized their donation drives. In additional for requesting financial donations, they also have item requests that revolve each week and month. Last month, the early grade school math classes asked for donations of math abacuses (see picture below if you are not familiar with what an abacus is).

If anyone would like to buy / donate them to the education program there, here is one site they can be purchased on:

http://www.enasco.com/math/Math+Manipulatives/Abacuses/

We found ours in Chinatown in downtown Victoria. If anyone would like to buy and donate an abacus with us, please let us know, and we can save together on shipping costs. This photo is Jane Yuan, from China and Victoria ….. and Sheila Hynes (one of our coordinators from math-lessons.ca). Jane Yuan is a local artist here in Victoria, and is having fun showing us how to use the abacus.

Jul 07, 2011 | 2 comments View Post

Congratulations Spirit of Math Students!

Congratulations Spirit of Math Students! Over 2000 kids took part in the 13th Annual Spirit of Math Contest.

There were 742 Placements from Grades 1-4 across Canada, who made the National Mathematics Honour Rolls. And several others from all grades from other countries, with more details to come, as results roll in.

Categories included Thales; Byron-Germain; Fibonacci; Pythagoras; Math Kangaroo Tournament of Towns; Canadian National Math League; New Jersey National Math League Honour Roll; American Mathematics Competition Honour Roll; Brock University Caribou Math Competition; Centre for Education in Math and Computing Honour Roll (University of Waterloo);

List of Learners’ names to come soon!

http://www.spiritofmath.com

http://www.spiritofmath.com/2011contest/

If you want your class to enjoy one of our Fun Learning Games, downloadable hands-on learning tools, here are a few really great ones:

Quiz Master: http://math-lessons.ca/review/math-review5.html

Race; Fractions Board Game: http://math-lessons.ca/activities/FractionsBoard5.html

Jun 27, 2011 | 0 comments View Post

Teaching Fractions with Yummy Pizza Pie

The rate of success for learning fractions in elementary class math depend on the teaching method used. Some of these methods are outlined here – simple to teach, and simple to apply. Having real life examples for students to connect with makes it easier for the brain to get into the right lane. Learners then have a good foundation in fractions to better understand how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide.

Most kids LOVE pizza, so make it fun and bring REAL pizza into the classroom, several if parents are okay with chipping in on the cost or if the principal authorizes this as a project. Or, do what we did, and bring in the ingredients, borrow the home economics room, and cook them right there in the classroom. If neither of these possibilities is viable, then divide the kids into groups of different numbers and ask them to draw a simple picture of a pizza on a piece of paper, with the number of slices drawn equal to the number of kids in their group.

May 10, 2011 | 2 comments View Post

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