Math update

Working in math books is just a small portion of our math curriculum.  Some of the topics we have been exploring recently, beyond those covered in our books,  are: measurement, fractions and money.   

Measurement:

We watched and recorded the growth of an amaryllis bulb.  Soon we will take the results and make a graph of the results.

Fractions:

We learned to read and write fractions and were introduced to new vocabulary words: numerator and denominator.

There were various hands on activities the children did to help them understand fractions.  My favorite was one in which each child received a wedge from a circle.  Then they went around to find the other children who had the pieces to complete the circle.  

Money:

We have just started a unit on money.  The children are learning, or reviewing, the names of coins and their values.   During Friday's" math explorations",the children sorted, investigated coins with magnifying glasses, and used rubber stamps to make their own money. adding various coins to find their value.  They have also tried to count change.  So far we have only tried counting a few dimes, nickels, and pennies.  To enhance your child's ability to count money, you might make a game in which they have to count a handful of coins from your pocket at the end of each day. 

We are also learning a bit about money history.  We had a brief discussion about why the nickel is bigger than the dime even though it is worth less.  See if your child remembers the answer.