FUN ACTIVITY TO ENCOURAGE SPELLING

This is a paper and pencil activity that is perfect for a long car or plane ride; wait in the doctor's office; or during a snowstorm instead of watching TV!

Ask children to write as many words as they can from a particular word.

When I was teaching in a classroom, this was a monthly contest.
For the month of February, I used: Valentine

Some sample answers: I, it, it, tin, ten, lit, nine, live, ate

If you give them the same word with the letter s at the end:  Valentines, there will be a lot more possible answers: tin, tins, nine, nines, live, lives, its, slave, slit,

More spin-off activities from just this one:

1. Alphabetize the three-letter words

2a. List the nouns. (adjectives, verbs)

2b. Separate this list into persons, places, things.

3. Write four sentences using three of the words in each sentence.

4. List all the words which begin with a consonant blend or have the same vowel sounds.

(Out of paper? This can be done on an iPad too.) 

See other posts for tips to teach addition, subtraction, and multiplication facts!

www.TwoPlusTwoIsNotFive.com

NUMBER SENSE IS SO IMPORTANT TO SUCCESS IN MATH

Readiness Skills for Teaching Addition and Subtraction

This post is again copied from an older post because, I cannot say this enough times, before we ask children to learn how to add or subtract, we need to make sure they have an understanding of number sense.

A few years ago, a young teacher told me that her student could show three objects + four objects, and count the objects correctly to get a total of seven, but she said the child did not know the numerals. The child did not know the number symbol for seven is 7.

So, please make sure your students have prerequisite skills in place before you ask them to do new tasks.

1. Children need to be able to count to at least 20.

2. Children need to be able to recognize the the numerals 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9.

3. Children need to be able to count a given number of objects (to at least 20) correctly.

4. Children need to be able to match up the number with those counted. *** represented by a number 3.

5. Using some counters or objects, children need to be able to show what a number means. The number, 6, means six objects.

5. Children need to be able to orally identify a written number. See a 12, and name it as twelve.

6. Children need to be able to write or type the numbers 1-20.

After these prerequisites, or readiness skills, are in place, then teach what addition and subtraction mean.

Teach a way to remember the answers to the math facts. Use strategies and tricks, and give children plenty of written practice with the facts they learned.

Finally, when teaching lessons with word math or story problems, use math facts that are already mastered or known.

Two Plus Two Is Not Five: Easy Methods to Learn Addition and Subtraction provides record-keeping pages, worksheets to introduce math fact strategies, and lots of practice and review pages. Instructions on how to use the book, answers, and a certificate of mastery are also included. This book is for students of all ages! If you know students who need to memorize math facts, check out the sample pages at the website. http://www.TwoPlusTwoIsNotFive.com

Look also for tips to teach math facts, and some thoughts on what testing math facts in a minute really test. You can also find out about purchasing books from the website.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A PROFESSIONAL STORY-TELLER TO HAVE FUN WITH CHILDREN

My granddaughter turned three last week, and I had the opportunity to spend a few days with her. Each of those precious moments with her reminded me of the days years ago which I spent with my own three now-grown children.

Lots of fun ideas came back; I suppose it's like riding a bicycle.

Now, keep in mind, this little one has about every princess and little-girl related toy, doll, and book out there. I've filled in with educational books, building toys, and classics. (Toys that don't ring bells, talk to you, or play annoying music every time you touch them.)

Telling stories:
Best part: The TV IS OFF.

This is something you can do without a book. Try it In a car; on a walk; while your child is getting dressed or in the bathtub; or waiting for an appointment or food in a restaurant; when cuddling or sitting together anywhere; or to distract from cranky behavior.

You can tell stories for 45 seconds or 10 minutes. No rules!

Telling stories with your child is so much fun, and it's like sneaking in the vegetables. It's also educational!

Think about the imagination skills being developed; Ability to answer inferential questions; reading comprehension; auditory memory; visualization; sequential skills and what happens next?

The blank lines or underlined words represent where you let the child fill in. Those blank lines can be anywhere in the story, and there are no wrong answers. Only fun stories! For example:

Once upon a time, there was a little girl named _______ who lived in ______ (Atlanta, on a farm)

One day, she went for a walk (Plane ride, boat ride) with her ____________ (Can be friends, you, her parents, grandma's dog, the fireman, Cinderella, Robin Hood).

When they got to the park, (or the grocery store, the zoo, Justin's house, the farm, or around the corner) they saw a  little  ______________ (For whatever reason, my grandchild liked to pick a big bad wolf, and then the story led to me taking an airplane from Colorado, and making it go away with my magic wand.)

She liked the stories when I said, we walked around the corner and everything was the color RED. Our teeth were red, our faces were red, the dog was red, the grass was red......  The colors changed as we turned corners or arrived at places, and I could see her thinking about and visualizing the changes.

Big sisters, little brothers, daddies, grandpas, and playmates can join in too!

Try it. It's fun; doesn't cost a penny, and you don't have to be a professional story-teller!

CONCEPTS I PRESENTED at Colorado Council of Teachers of Mathematics 2011

I gave a presentation, and thought it might be good to post some of this information in my blog.  My talk was on the importance of math facts fluency for success in school, and for solving problems in everyday life. I asked the attendees to consider what students ought to know before mastering basic addition and subtraction facts. 

The idea behind my talk was for teachers and parents to think about different ways to differentiate or individualize for children. 

1. A "Bag of Tricks" is something we all have! It is "filled" with any idea which may help children learn. These ideas can be teaching methods and ideas you already use or know about, or something new that you will add to your "Bag of Tricks" collection. It may mean doing something different than you have done in the past, and it might mean researching to find a new way to teach a concept. It could be merely using on-the-spot creativity or ideas collected from educational magazines, university classes, in-services, workshops, talking with other teachers or reading their blogs or tweets. I kept my collection of ideas in a file box sorted by topic. (It's like when in the middle of cooking, you realize you are out of an ingredient. You either modify the recipe, borrow from a neighbor, run to the store, or quickly change to another recipe!)
2. I suggested using worksheet templates to create parallel assignments. Different numbers can be written in based on the different abilities or levels of the students.
3. I talked about the importance of record-keeping, and informal assessments to see what the children already know, and to design assignments using the students' knowledge, and strengths to teach new concepts. If a student knows the Magic 9 addition facts, such as 9+5, use those facts in the new concepts you are teaching. Some very simple examples: 

• Money - $9 + $5. 
• Estimation - Estimate 89 + 52. (90 + 50)
• Word math: There are 9 red chairs and 5 blue chairs. How many chairs in all?
• Addition regrouping: 190 + 150.

I encouraged thinking about why children are not succeeding, and why they are making math errors. 

• Is it because prerequisite skills weren't mastered?
• Is it because math facts aren't memorized, and children are counting incorrectly to get answers? 
• Is it because when working on math problems, columns are not set up correctly, and careless errors are made?
• Is the student proficient with math facts, but does not understand how to regroup? Is the student placing the new ten or hundred in the wrong spot, and therefore adding incorrectly? Does the student understand WHY numbers are regrouped?

Word math and following directions could be affected by reading ability or limited English. 

• Think of a student who struggles to sound out most of the words, but by the time he or she has finished reading the word math question, the meaning of what was just read was lost! 
• Children with non-verbal learning disabilities can read, but might be having trouble comprehending what they read. They will need strategies to help them visualize the problem.
• What about children who can read and do the math, but do not follow directions?
• There are children who can read, and do the math, but may not understand some of the vocabulary.

So, when you are giving math assignments, ask yourself, what are you measuring in the assignment? Ability to read, ability to know how to solve a word math problem, ability to be able to do certain computational skills, or ability to know what certain words mean in math such as mean, mode, median?

Please let me know if this blog post was helpful to you.

Watch this spring for my newest book: LP 250 Addition and Subtraction, Beyond Math Facts

Customers in Canada or outside of the U.S.

Over the years, I have had numerous inquiries from parents and teachers who live outside of the United States and want to purchase Two Plus Two Is Not Five and Five Times Five Is Not Ten. Parent Books in Canada ships to Canadians, and other customers have used Barnes and Noble bookstores. (Email me for the contact information for Parent Books.)

If you live in the United States, please support your local parent/teacher or educational supply store. The books are also available in certain school catalogs, educational online stores, and numerous other vendors.

Contact me if you need more information, and please let us know how you like the books!

NEW TESTIMONIALS!

This month, I received, by email, three new testimonials about Two Plus Two Is Not Five & Five Times Five Is Not Ten.

9/16/11 - Before we found Two Plus Two is Not Five, we tried at least half a dozen learning systems and workbooks to teach math to our 4 year-old son. But we found that he was not able to learn much from them other than counting up the numbers on his fingers or pictures on the page. Then we happened upon the Two Plus Two is Not Five system. From the start, he has mastered the tricks easily. As part of the exercises, he has learned a number of new skills including counting backwards, counting by twos and adding/subtracting doubles. The system of learning the trick, practicing, and then doing the mixed exercises has quickly reinforced the learning and helped us immediately spot weaknesses in learning that we worked with him to correct. The structure of the book makes it easy to sit down with him, walk him through the tricks, and let him practice until he masters the skills. There is limited parental preparation involved, and we go through one page a night, five nights a week.

Deborah and David Liu, Palo Alto, CA

9/15/11 - I'm such a fan of your books that I just had to reply. I have both the addition/subtraction and multiplication book (found them online) and I'm dearly hoping that you're working on a division version! I'm a parent who is supplementing my son's math education at public school with your books. He has a terrific school and teachers, but has ADD and math is his least preferred activity so it's a challenge! I'm working with him on just the basic math facts so that his learning in other math areas in school is supported by a solid foundation. The schools really don't have the time to thoroughly address basic math facts, and I'm happy to take on the task particularly when I have terrific tools like yours to use.

Claire Connell, Portland, OR

10/11/11

I wanted to drop you a line to tell you how much I appreciate your book 2+2 is not 5. I began using it late last school year after finding it at Barnes and Noble. I had much success with it with my Special Education students in grades 2 and 3. Now these kiddos are back with me again. I am using it with all of my students who have math computation as an IEP goal. They are becoming very successful with the practice sheets and are beginning to generalize it to their other work. Because we need to collect data for these students, I have found the chart in the back of the book to be most helpful. I have begun this process with my 2+2 kids and am finding it a big success!

Along with your books, I have been using a very simple computer program that lets me list the practice facts by the tiers. This has been another good way for them to practice without jumbling up their brains with things they don't know. The kids are really enjoying this process! I have some on tier 2 and some on tier 4. They are helping each other, and looking forward to moving on to the multiplication and division facts.

Thanks for all of your work on this book!

Donna Marlette, St Louis, MO

Math Presentation: CCTM 2011 in Denver

Friday OCTOBER 28th, 2011

Colorado Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Denver, CO

My presentation will be at 11 A.M.-12 P.M. on:

Title: Two Plus Two Is Not Five

How important is fluency of basic math facts for success in school, and solving problems in everyday life? What must students know before mastering basic addition and subtraction facts? We will answer these questions, and see how checklists, assessments, instruction, and practice can assist you in differentiating math lessons.

Planning to attend? Send your questions, and I will answer during Q + A time. Go to: www.TwoPlusTwoIsNotFive.com to email questions.

NUMBER IN THE MIDDLE, an ADDITION AND SUBTRACTION STRATEGY (REPOSTED)

NUMBER IN THE MIDDLE teaches the addition facts: 2+4, 3+5, 4+6, 5+7, 6+8, 7+9, and 4+2, 5+3, 6+4, 7+5, 8+6, and 9+7.

Students must first know the Doubles addition facts: 3+3, 4+4, 5+5, 6+6, 7+7, 8+8.

Be sure to use counters to show why these facts work with Number in the Middle!

Only one number fits in the middle between the numerals in these facts. (Students need to be able to tell which number comes between, or in the middle.)

2+4 3+5 4+6 5+7 6+8 7+9

2 3 4 3 4 5 4 5 6 5 6 7 6 7 8 7 8 9

If your student knows 3+3, then teach 2+4 and 4+2.

Ask, what comes between the numbers: 2 ____ 4, and 4____2.

Why? Show the math fact with counters. Take one off the 4 and put it on the 2. There are two groups of 3, and 3+3=6. What number fits between 2 and 4, or between 4 and 2? Double it.

If your student knows 5+5, then teach 6+4 and 4+6.

Ask, what comes between the numbers: 4 ____ 6, and 6____4.

Why? Show the math fact with counters. Take one off the 6 and put it on the 4. There are two groups of 5, and 5+5=10.

What number fits between 4 and 6, or between 6 and 4? Double it.

If your student knows 6+6, then teach 5+7 and 7+5. What number fits between 5 and 7, or between 7 and 5? Double it.

If your student knows 8+8, then teach 9+7 and 7+9. What number fits between 7 and 9, or between 9 and 7? Double it. (7+9 and 9+7 are also introduced with different strategy called Magic 9. See earlier blogpost.)

If your student knows 4+4, then teach 3+5 or 5+3. What number fits between 3 and 5, or between 5 and 3? Double it.

Written practice for these math facts is in Two Plus Two Is Not Five: Easy Methods to Learn Addition and Subtraction. See sidebar for where to purchase.

MULTIPLICATION TIP TO TEACH THE 9s (Reposted)

Teach the nines in multiplication with a fun and easy strategy.

* Before asking students to memorize an answer, they need to show understanding of what the fact means.

For example:

4x9 means four groups of 9. (Four rows of nine trees = 36 trees.)

9x4 means nine groups of 4. ( Nine plates with four cupcakes on each plate = 36 cupcakes.)

To show students the strategy to remember the answers to nines in multiplication, I ask them to pretend to add with 9.

In order to use this strategy, students must first know the addition facts of 9 plus a number:

3+9, 9+3, 4+9, 9+4, 5+9, 9+5, 6+9, 9+6, 7+9, 9+7, 8+9, 9+8, 9+9

and the fact families to 9

2+7, 7+2, 9-2, 9-7, 3+6, 6+3, 9-6, 9-3, 4+5, 5+4, 9-4, 9-5

See a few examples of Pretend to Add With 9.

9x8 and 8x9. Pretend to add 9+8. Get the sound seven (from seventeen) 7 plus 2 = 9. 9 x 8 = 72
6x9 and 9x6. Pretend to add 6+9. Get the sound fif (from fifteen) and 5 plus 4 = 9. 6 x 9 = 54
9x4 and 4x9. Pretend to add 9+4. Get the sound thir (from thirteen) and 3 plus 6 = 9. 4 x 9 = 36

This strategy works for: 9x9, 9x8, 8x9, 7x9, 9x7, 6x9, 9x6, 5x9, 9x5, 4x9, 9x4, 3x9, 9x3

Try this with your student!

Author Visit to Learning Palace in Beaverton, Oregon

On June 18th, 2011, I will be in the Beaverton, Oregon location of the Learning Palace educational store. If you live in the area, and are looking for strategies to teach math facts, or if you would like a signed copy of one of my workbooks, stop by between 11 AM and 12:15 PM that day.

These books are perfect during the summer break for giving children a boost on learning addition, subtraction, and multiplication facts.

The books are meant to be used for any age child who is still counting to get answers. It is easy to individualize a math facts program using the instructions and the many reproducible workbook pages.

The books are used by classroom teachers, teachers in resource rooms, and homeschool families.

Learning Palace
Canyon Place Mall
3861 SW 117th
Beaverton, OR
503.644.9301
For directions to the store: www.learningpalace.com