Even small children can think maths is hard work.
But it can be just as much fun as any other subject
if we use our imagination.
Maths does not have to be the UGLY DUCKLING
of school work.
Archive for the ‘Maths Piglets’ Category
A Maths Fairy Tale for Grade 2
May 12, 2016
Once upon a time, Grade 2 students did very boring work in maths. And they had to do lots of tests too.
Sometimes evil witches wrote the test questions. These Year 2 (Grade 2) questions were very, very scary. Here is one of those very scary questions. It was so scary lots of people turned into angry birds when they saw this question. The angry birds tweeted that this question is ” too hard’. Tweet! Tweet! (The Telegraph , UK, 9 May, 2016)
A very wise old Mathspig worked out the answer.
X -19 +17 = 63
X = 65
Mmmmm, this is a scary question for Grade 2.
Many Grade 2 teachers are Wonderful Maths Wizards. They make maths magical and fun everyday. Students must sharpen their pencils and put on their wizards thinking hats to practise their maths. But maths can be magical and fun too. So here is:
A MATHS FAIRY STORY
by Mathspig
A Wonderful Maths Wizard teacher can read the story out loud and the little Grade 2 Maths Wizards can write down their answers.
Printable Version below.
Fear and Loathing in Grade 3 Math Class
October 29, 2015
So you are in Grade 3. You are asked to do this: Use the repeated multiplication strategy to solve: 5 x 3. Here’s your answer:
……………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………..
Firstly, give the kid a cigar. According to The Telegraph, UK, the kid is only in Grade 3 and can read: repeated multiplication strategy without their head exploding. Secondly, this kid understands the question.
5 x 3 = 5 + 5 + 5 except, according to the teacher, this answer is wrong.
The answer should be:
3 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 3
……………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………..
According to The Telegraph : The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) in the US defended how the paper was marked, saying it gives students a better understanding of the problems they are solving.
Of course, the NCTM is suggesting:
5 x 3 = 5 times 3 = 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 3
5 x X = 5 times X = X + X + X + X + X
But what about:
X x 3 = ?
X x 3 = X times 3 = 3 times X = X + X + X
Mathematicians have to think like this! They must be nibble. Mathematicians must think for themselves.
……………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………..
Too many kids hate maths due to FEAR or BOREDOM. How much would you hate maths if you got correct answers marked WRONG?
And how much would you FEAR the next maths test?
……………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………..
Needless to say, I’m with Bart. Math teachers should not mark right answers wrong for any reason. More reasons why kids hate maths here: BEWARE OF MATHS FUNDAMENTALISTS
I’m MATHSPIG. I LOVE MATHS.
Cheerio for now
Mathspig
How Oops! Try again Maths is killing us …………………………………………………………………………… MathsPig MathsPig MathsPig MathsPig MathsPig MathsPig MathsPig MathsPig MathsPig MathsPig MathsPig MathsPig ….…. with Kerry Cue
September 8, 2015The New Age of Guess-amatics!
Hellooooo Sweeties,………………………………………………………………………
Some frightening maths this week. When researching DANGEROUS MATHS, Mathspig found one branch of maths is the most dangerous maths of all. Let’s call it GUESS-AMATICS. Today, maths is often taught via computer program packages. Some of these computer packages turn maths into a guessing game.
This exact and rather frightening scenario was described to me by the mother of a 5 year old. The mother decided it was time to turn the game off. When students play mathematical computer games too often they don’t have to think, they just guess the answer and try again. But be warned this ‘Oops! Try again’ maths can kill you’! Some maths you cannot ‘try again’. You HAVE to get it right the first time. Medication is one area where ‘Oops! Try again maths kills”
Do the Maths and Do NO HARM.
You need sufficient maths to understand medication doses or you might do yourself harm.…………………………………………………………………………………..
And here is just one very frightening statistic:……………………………………..
According to FDA data 1.3 million people in the USA are injured each year from medication errors. 
Meanwhile, we need nurses, caregivers, doctors, paramedics, First Aide volunteers, parents, grandparents, babysitters, teachers and all health care professionals to have sufficient maths to be able to calculate simple medication doses. Or we need them to simply READ the dose and make sure it is correct. Unfortunately, many of those who should be able to work out medication doses are either incapable or not paying attention. And your life could be in their hands:
UK
In the UK 1 in 20 hospital deaths is due to medical error. Nearly 12,000 patients die needlessly in hospital every year due to blunders by staff, researchers warn. Drugs or fluid mismanagement was identified as a problem in 21% of preventable deaths (NHS 2012) or, doing the maths, 21% of 12,000 is approx 2,500 deaths due to bad maths! 
USA
According to a new study just out from the prestigious Journal of Patient Safety, four times as many people die from preventable medical errors than we thought, as many as 440,000 a year.
Canada
Reports show between 9,000 and 24,000 hospital deaths due to medical error.
Australia
Official Australian government reports reveal that preventable medical error in hospitals is responsible for 11% of all deaths in Australia or 1 in 9 deaths.
………………………………………………………….
Other DANGEROUS MATHS include:
Dangerous Maths 1:Young drunk dead
Dangerous Maths 2: Death by Snake, Spider, Quad bike, Kangaroo, Raccoon and Vomit
Dangerous Maths 3: Shark Attack
Take care and do the maths……………………………………………………
Hoo Roo………………………………………………………………………………
Mathspig
Outdoor Maths Adventures: Grade 3 – 5
June 30, 2014
This fab idea comes from Juliet Robertson, an outdoor education consultant in Scotland. Her blog Creative star learning is one of the most inspiring outdoor maths blogs you will find.
Check out Mathpig’s protractor joke here.
Another fab idea from Juliet Robertson.
HUGO does his HOMEWORK, sort of.
February 27, 2014Meet Hugo. 
He’s 13 years old and this is how he does his homework:
7 Hiccup Cure II: Counting Forward
July 9, 2013There are so many Folk Remedies for Hiccups you would think they cause some kind of madness.
Counting forward in fives is one such cure. It may not help your hiccups but it is good for learning your tables.
……
…..
….
…………
