Sneaky Math

Math review does no always have to be formal!

A great game of dominoes is a super math exercise  I love to pull out the double 15 set.  It is a wonderful tool for sharpening those quick addition facts. And the ultimate math muscles at the end when it is time to add up the big scores!

Another quick way to sneak in some math is to have the player to figure out the mixed number of the domino if you look at it as a fraction.

Have a great summer!  

Review Game: BATTLESHIP

We are out of school for the summer and I am preparing for the new year. As I come across things I meant to share during school I will try to share now!

I have a wipe off grid poster. Across I letter A-J and down I number 1-10.

One player:

* I give out math facts/history questions

*a correct answer gets two "shots" (guesses) to find my battle ship.

*I graph my ships on a piece of graph paper

*game is complete when all of my ships are sunk.

*ship sizes are traditional: 5,4,3,3,2

Two Player:

Rules are same as above. Each player gets their own "hit" and "miss" color.

Happy Summer!!

Do Not Try This At Home

Sharing our sibling science again today:

First set of experiments:

Static electricity

Materials: two beautiful heads of blond hair and a plastic comb

**so I combed the lovely hair and held the comb over squares of tissue paper.  The squares moved some but I was expecting them to move more.

Second set:

Gassy Belly

First experiment:

Necco candy in water--few bubbles

Second experiment

Conversation heart candy in a solution of baking  soda and water.  The candies fizzed a little.  after a couple minutes I added vinegar and a plastic lid.  Lots of foaming and the top of the lid popped up some.

Third experiment

 A mento in little plastic cup of soda.  Quite a bit of fizzing. But I snapped on the lid and it was contained. After a few minutes we added vinegar and put the lid back of...this time the lids indented area popped up. The soda began to find loose areas around the lid and drip out.  After the solution settled some everyone begged to add baking soda. So we did!! Immediately got an erupting cloud..so we quickly snapped on the lid...as soon as I took my hand off--there was a huge POP and a platic lid flew through the air!!

The candy hearts were supposed to dance--they did not...however the mento explosion was the hit of the day!

P.S.  for the moms who are fearfully wondering...yes there were " Daddy Gas Belly Stories"!!LOL!!!

Motivation is Spelled...

Motivation is spelled C.O.M.P.E.T.I.T.I.O.N. at least at our house.  So this is my latest "bait".  A simple CONNECT FOUR game.  At the start of the day I take all the game pieces.  Through out the day Nate and Eli can have a game piece every time they earn one--and immediately place it! That causes each of them strive to earn one before the other.

How to earn:
2 PIECES
**make 100% on a test
1 PIECE
a.finish a subject for the day
b.make their bed
c.do a chore

~~SPECIAL NOTE
Academic pieces have to be earned before any chore ones can be earned. Pieces must be played as soon as earned...that way a handful cannot be earned all at once.

Even after the motivation loses its glamour it is still a fun game to put on the shelf for family game night!

Raising Readers

Raising readers is important to me.  I guess because I am a reader. And maybe it is because that is how I was raised.  My brother and I have both been readers as long as I can remember.  How did that happen? How did my parents raise readers? 

     **They always had LOTS of reading materials around.

     **They got rid of our TV when I was in the 5th grade.

     **When my brother and I got into a series...they helped us get the next book .

     **They talked to us about what we were reading.

     **They talked to us about what they were reading.

     **Often they would also read what we were reading.

     **My parents read to us.  Today if you are at my parents home my dad will at some point read to you.!!

Today Eli started reading a biography of Neil Armstrong.  Yes it is assigned reading, but he must be enjoying it because he is telling facts and stories of that hero.

Ben started reading The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P.Figg.  This is an assigned reading from his language arts class at the co-op.  I am happy that he enjoys reading the assigned selections.

Nate hasn't always been my zealous reader.  Nowadays as he matures and is finding that reading is not a struggle....he seems to be acquiring a love for reading.  He along with his brothers is in love with audio books.

Today we started a new "read-a-long".  At lunch I began reading They Called Me Mama to the boys.  I hope to share a chapter each day at lunch with them.  If you are looking for a great family read check out this lovely story!

If you have a family reading suggestion leave me a comment!

Readers are leaders!

Simple Science

I teach a "siblings science" class at the academic co-op my oldest attends. {Siblings classes are offered for the kids too young to attend the academic classes--while the mom is doing her volunteer time.}

So today I am sharing our science experiments... hoping that a homeschooling mom might be inspired to use with her child or enrichment program. Enjoy!

Floating Egg

Materials:

-an egg

-glass three-fourths full of water

-salt

Procedure:

**set the egg in the glass

**slowly add salt half a teaspoon at a time until the egg floats

After a bit the water will become dense and be heavier than the egg

Float the "M's" off M&Ms

Materials: 

-small shallow clear bowl

-package of m&ms

Procedure:

-cover the candies with water

The candied shells will start to melt and the "M's" will float to the top of the water!!

WHY?????

The "m's"on the candy are an edible ink that does not dissolve in the water...as the shell melts away the "M's"float away!!!

OCEAN WAVES

**fill a clean plastic bottle with water

**add some food coloring

**then finish filling the bottle with vegetable oil

**cap the bottle and seal

ENJOY SOME FUN SCIENCE WITH ITEMS IN YOUR KITCHEN!

Shhhhh It is M*A*T*H

My 4th grader just completed fourth grade a few hours ago!  And hopefully we will close out 2nd grade in the next few days!

And I am just about to introduce our summer mathematical goals!  Just a few weeks ago some moms were sharing about "Family Math" on Periscope Homeschoolscopes. 

I found it used on Amazon. Used with shipping less than $5!

Family Math is full of games,logic projects, and puzzles.  It is geared to grades kindergarten to fifth grade.  The object seems to be to solve these together. 

My hope is the each morning after we finish our flashcard drills the we will enjoy one or two of the projects together.  That way the boys will stay sharp on their skills while enjoying math.  I really can't use the phrase "summer school" as I am adopting "unschooling"!  I really feel Family Math is the perfect entrance for us.

Hello Summer!