Posts Tagged ‘geometry’

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Fun Family Math Challenges!

June 11th, 2012

Hi!  It’s Monday, June  11, 2012 and time for Math at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:
Figure This!

Age Range:  10-14 (Grades 5-9 approximately, but encourages entire families to work together to solve the problems)

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics offers this website that is designed to help families enjoy math OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL through a series of fun and engaging, high-quality challenges that improve problem solving skills. The challenge activities that are designed with middle school math in mind, can be done online or downloaded in pdf files to print and use offline.

 When you get to the site you will see animated characters and the words “Take The Challenge.” Click on those words and go directly to 4 math challenge problems that include:

  • Line Up – How long would you have to wait if you were number 300?
  • Beating Heart – How fast does your heart beat?
  • Popcorn – Which shape holds the most?
  • Don’t Fall In – Why are most manhole covers round?

If you decide to take the challenge, notice that each time you click on a different math challenge, the menu bar at the top of the page will change allowing you to access hints and tips that will help solve the problem. If you like these challenges then go to the “Challenge Index” on the menu where you can access 80 challenge problems archived at the site.

Before you begin the challenges, you might want to take a moment or two to view the menu items on the home page. It includes information for teachers and for families in English and in Spanish along with a “Math Index.” The Math Index lists all of the challenges archived at the site by math topic such as algebra, geometry, measurement, numbers, statistics and probability – allowing you to more easily access the activities that relate to the strand of math you want to study.

Each of the challenge activities are designed to capture students’ attention with real-life problems making the math much more meaningful and thought-provoking. Families can have fun solving the challenge questions together. Bookmark this page, so you can return to the site and explore them all.

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Challenging Math Problems & Puzzles!

May 21st, 2012

Hi!  It’s Monday, May 21, 2012 and time for Math at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:
Maths Challenge

Age Range: 11 and up (approximately, with parental assistance)

This website offers a free archive containing hundreds of math problems and puzzles for a variety of skill levels.

When you get to the site you’ll see a horizontal menu near the top of the page. Click on “Problems” to access the archives. You can search by keyword for specific math strands such as algebra, geometry, trigonometry, calculus, etc.

You can also search by level of difficulty. The problems are ranked with stars and explained as follows:

One Star – These problems require nothing more than a logical mind and a willingness to try things out on paper.

Two Stars – Problems begin to require insights and mathematical tools. For example, geometrical problems may require the use of simple trigonometry, number problems may require knowledge of factoring, et cetera.
 
Three Stars – A good knowledge of school mathematics and/or some aspects of proof will be required.

Four Stars – A comprehensive knowledge of school mathematics and advanced mathematical tools will be required.

Each word problem or puzzle comes with an illustrated solution, and often has suggestions for further exploration and learning.

 

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Free Pascal’s Triangle Lessons & Activities!

May 14th, 2012

Hi!  It’s Monday, May 14, 2012 and time for Math at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:
Pascal’s Triangle

Age Range: 5-18 (Grades K-12, with parental supervision)

This website is part of the massive MathForum.org and offers free lessons and activities to explore Pascal’s Triangle, a math resource known for patterns and applications in several areas of mathematics. 

Named after seventeenth century mathematician, Blaise Pascal, the triangle’s properties made use of and further explored the already known array of binomial coefficients originally developed in Persia and China. 

When you get to the website you’ll see a menu divided into three sections by grade level:

  • K-4
  • 5-8
  • 9-12

Click on “Lessons” to find an array of activities for elementary through advanced learners that include lessons, problems to solve, and printable worksheets.

When you are through exploring Pascal’s Triangle, head to the “Browse and Search the Library” page where you can find many more free math resources, materials, and activities for all grade levels and math topics:

  • Arithmetic
  • Algebra
  • Geometry
  • Pre-Calculus
  • Calculus

And much more!  

 

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Free Math & Engineering Lessons for K-12

April 30th, 2012

Hi!  It’s Monday, April 30, 2012 and time for Math at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:
Teach Engineering

Age Range: 5-18 (Designed for Grades K-12; the majority of the material is for Grades 3 and up, with parental supervision.)

Get free, open-ended, hands-on lessons and activities to stimulate your students’ interest in math and science through engineering. As explained at the website, “engineers have a hand in designing, creating or modifying nearly everything we touch, wear, eat, see and hear” in the real world.  The free K-12 engineering curricula at this website integrates math, science, and technology through exploration of the “built world” around us so that it’s relevant to the lives of young people.

The idea here is to encourage students to pose questions about “why things work” and then gain skills and use their imaginations to create innovations that improve the world for everyone.

When you get to the website you’ll see the featured “Editor’s Pick.”  Above it is a menu that says “Browse.” Below it, you can click on menu items to find curricula sorted by:

*Activities -  In my opinion, this is the place to start because the stand-alone, hands-on, fun experiments are sure to engage your kids’ interest and may springboard you to further learning.  There are over 600 activities (that include a materials list and instructions) covering a range of possibilities such as the exploration of acids and bases, designing a bicycle helmet, learning about kidney filtering, investigating Ohm’s Law, playing “Rock Jeopardy,” making Yogurt Cup Speakers and more. 
 
*Lessons – Get over 380 different lessons that meet content standards on topics that include Air Pressure, Ampere’s Law, Art in Engineering, Animals in Engineering, Friction, Magnetics, Mar s, Rivers, Rocks, Paper Airplanes, Water, and much more.
 
*Subject Areas – Find out all of the math topics covered including Algebra, Geometry, Measurement, Number and Operations, Problem Solving, Reasoning and Proof.  You’ll find lots of science content as well.

*Curricular Units – These theme-based learning experiences are composed of multiple lessons designed to take place over several weeks in a classroom environment. There are units on asteroid impact, bridges, cells, energy, floaters and sinkers, marine mapping, natural disasters, rockets, simple machines, weather and more. They can be tweaked for the homeschool learning environment.

All of the lessons and activities include the estimated time it takes and the approximate cost for the materials.

Teach Engineering is a terrific resource so bookmark it to return often!

 

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Free “Family Math Night” Activities!

April 23rd, 2012

Hi!  It’s Monday, August 13, 2007 and time for Math at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:
Math Night Modules

Age Range: 6-13 (with parental participation and supervision)

“Math Night” is a fun event, supported by the National Science Foundation, that was created for kids in elementary school and their parents. On Math Night, families go to school together and explore math displays (similar to a science fair), make math crafts, and compete in games to solve math problems.

Now, homeschoolers can join in the fun too!  At this website you can get free access to the Math Night resources including math displays, crafts, games, and activities. You can print them out and use them to enjoy fun math projects at home.

When you get to the site just click on any item on the icon menu that includes:

  • Abacus Arithmetic
  • Topology Tricks
  • Wrapping Paper Symmetry
  • Math is a Piece of Pi
  • Bridges of Koenigsberg
  • Binary Numbers
  • Geometry Gems
  • Algorithms, Braids, and Kolam Figures
  • Clock Arithmetic
  • Secret (and not so secret) Codes
  • Construction by Instruction
  • Mathematics of Music
  • Methods of Multiplication
  • The Slide Rule
  • Cake Walk Math
  • Mirror, Mirror
  • Make a Mountain Out of a Map
  • Math ‘N Music Notes
  • You Can Count On It!

A new page opens with a virtual trifold display about that activity. Use the menu at the top of the screen to learn about the module and access the printable materials you’ll need.

Want to try other activities?  Look on the menu on the left side of the screen to access some “Pencil and Paper Games” as well as the rules for playing “Math Jeopardy.”

 

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Easter Egg Math for K-12!

April 2nd, 2012

Hi!  It’s Monday, April 2, 2012 and time for Math at ClickSchooling!

Easter and Spring Festivals are here! Eggs are everywhere in omelets to Easter baskets! Here are some fun ways to use eggs to learn math…

Recommended Websites:
See Below

Age Range: All (varies by website, with parental supervision)

Chickscope

The egg’s interesting mathematical properties are explored at this site that seems to be designed for students in junior high and up. Explore the symmetry of eggs, dividing eggs equally, spherical geometry, and embryo calculus to determine how many cells are in a chick and more. When you get to the site just click on the module that interests you on the menu, and a new page opens with lesson plans and activities.

Egg Math Worksheet
Print out this worksheet with elementary grades, egg-themed math word problems.

LessonPlansPage.com: Easter Egg Math
This website offers an Easter-egg-themed math lesson for Kindergartners in a classroom. It can easily be adjusted for use in a homeschool or as a family activity

Egg Carton Math
Recycle your egg cartons into a fun math game that kids of all ages will enjoy!

Egg Math Brain Teaser
Are you an egghead? Kids (grade 3 and up) will have to use their eggs to figure out the answer to this reverse cryptogram.

 

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