Math=fun

Sometimes we are having so much fun, it takes a minute to realize that what we are doing is math.

Friday one child asked me:

"Are we going to do math today? 

Before I could answer, he answered his own question:

"Oh, we did; I know why this is math, because we had to figure out how many to use and figure out the pattern."

This week we worked with patterns and calculating:

Monday, I wrote this on the board:

1 green

1 yellow

2 greens

1 yellow

3 greens

1 yellow

4 greens

1 yellow

5 greens

1 yellow

6 greens

I asked if this was a pattern.  At first, I heard "no" 

but quickly the children saw it was indeed a pattern.

Tuesday, we used the pattern to make a necklace. 

Wednesday, the children had to calculate how many greens and yellows they used to make the necklace.  They could draw a picture, count, add, any means to figure out the problem.

The children also wanted to make necklaces using their own pattern so I made a chart on the board listing 6 color choices and the children got to put an X by two colors. The top 4 choices would be the color choices for the next time we made necklaces.

Thursday, the children helped me dye the pasta.  One tablespoon rubbing alcohol with a few drops of food coloring, mix, and lay out to dry. (Evidence of this activity was probably still on your child's fingers when they came home Thursday night.)

Friday, the children had to create a pattern on paper.  Then they used the colored pasta to make necklaces (or snakes). No two designs were the same.  Fun was had by all.