Outdoor Math Adventures: Grade 3 – 5

It’s Autumn in UK & FALL in the USA so it’s the perfect time for a little bit of outdoor math for Grade 3-5 with AUTUMN leaves. Of course, you don’t need FALL LEAVES for this exercise, but it is colorful.

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.

 

Make a Cool Pattern with x2 Tables… but it is trickier than you think.

A COOL MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH EXERCISE

This idea comes from Burkard and Giuseppe @ the fabulous MATHOLOGER channel. Students can make a pattern called a cardioid that pops up all over math according to Burkard.

Follow these steps. There is a pdf file below the first diagram for printing exercise sheets.

And then watch the MATHOLOGER video for a really interesting explanation.

x2 Tables on a Circle pdf file for printing

This circle graph blank could also be used for x3 and x4 tables, which produce totally different yet equally amazing patterns.

Halfway there, now it gets tricky. +52 to each point on the circle and keep multiplying by 2.

ie. 27 x 2 = 54, 28 x 2 = 56 and so on.

so 0 = 52, 1 = 53, 2 = 54, 3 = 55, 4 = 56 etc

This shape is called a CARTIOID.

Climbing a Stairway to 7, or maybe, 77?

They take their maths seriously in Germany. They have monuments to mathematicians. They name streets after mathematicians. They take maths into shopping malls.

They think maths is so important they even put maths on stairs. Here is some times tables art from Germany.

 

Fear and Loathing in Grade 3 Math Class

Hellooo My Little Luvvies,

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:

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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

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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.

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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?

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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

Outdoor Maths Adventures: Grade 3 – 5

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.

Meet Hugo.

He’s 13 years old and this is how he does his homework:

7 Hiccup Cure II: Counting Forward

There 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.

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You will find everything you need to know about the anatomy of the hiccup and one bad-ass cure (involving aforementioned anatomy) here.

Counting forwards hiccup Cure Busted, sort of.