Index:

• Modes of Learning in Arithmetic
• Math Reading Recommendations
• Internet Resources for Math
• Fun Activities for Math Learning
• General Guidelines for PreK & K Math Learning
• Raising an Isaac Newton
• Recommended Curriculum for Arithmetic

• Manipulative Mode (Physical)
  • Here’s where they use need to use objects in everyday life to perform arithmetic functions.
    • Use objects such as spoons, marbles, beads, M&Ms, skiddles, pizzas, plastic bears or frogs, etc. to teach numbers and counting.
    • Ask questions such as “How many apples do we need for our family?"
  • Your child must become proficient in this mode before moving on to the concrete mode.
• Concrete Mode (Mental)
  • Children are ready for this when they freely give up the use of manipulatives because they find it quicker to do arithmetic without them.
  • Most children use both the Manipulative mode and the Concrete Mode up to about age 12.
  • In the Concrete Mode, they can work with images instead of real objects. The images can be in his/her head or on worksheets.
  • When they don’t understand something in the concrete mode, take them back to the manipulative mode.
  • Play games that use math (Monopoly, Dominos, Lotto games, Board games), talk about math when shopping (counting produce or cans, counting money), in the kitchen while cooking (reading numbers, measurements), in the garden (measuring rows, counting), driving (mileage, speed limits, street numbers, license plates), watching TV (read channel numbers, program listings), art projects (lines, patterns, shapes, geometric figures); baseball or coin collections (sorting, comparing, classifying)
• Abstract Mode
  • Children are generally able to think in the abstract mode at between ages 8 - 12.
• In the Abstract Mode, children can perform math without using real objects or images in their head.
• They use symbols such as 5 instead of having five items or seeing a picture of five items.
• Begin drilling your addition, subtraction, multiplication, & division facts in this stage.
  Practice is essential.
• At this stage, they can be introduced to simple Algebra.

Back to Top

Fun Activities for Math Learning
Do some math activities instead of workbook pages all the time. You DO NOT have to finish the workbook! Here are some ideas:

• Symbol fun: Choose some symbols that your child can easily draw such as a smiley face, a bow. Let face be equal to 5 and bow equal.
  
• List some numbers and have your child draw the number using the symbols.
  
• More or Less: First, decide who the winner will be the person with more or the person with less. Remove face cards from a deck of cards. Divide the deck between two players. Place the cards face down in front of each player. Each player turns over a card and compares. Is mine more or less? How many more? How many less?
  
• Money Match. Need die, 10 of each coin, 6 quarters. Use only 2 different coins for 5-6 yr olds (pennies, nickels). The object of game is to be the first player to earn a set amount (10 or 20 cents for K). First player rolls die and gets the number of pennies shown on the die. Players take turns rolling die to collect additional coins. As each player accumulates 5 pennies or more, the 5 pennies are traded for a nickel, nickels for dimes, nickels and dimes for quarters, etc. The first player to reach the set amount wins.
  
• In the News. Have your child look for numbers in the newspaper. Cut them out and glue them in order onto a large piece of paper. Have child say the number and practice counting.
  
• Counting Book. Cut out pictures from magazines and paste into a booklet. page one will have one thing on it. page 2 will have 2 things, etc. Use for a counting book. My Number Book
  
• Sorting & classifying. Sort and classify buttons, marbles, stamps, rocks, screws, sea shells, baseball cards, anything else that you can count. Sort according to color, size, texture, number of holes, etc.
  
• Riding activity: Create a chart that lists the numbers from 1-50. Write down each number as family members locate that number on a car, sign, building, etc. Words too.
  
• Patterning. Make a necklace out of colored macaroni. Alternate colors to make a pattern. Frogs
  
• Plastic Pattern Blocks (Tangrams & Patterns) Ideal (G)Remember: The important thing is not so much that every child should be taught as that every child should be given the desire to learn. (John Lubbock)
  Make the preschool and kindergarten years a time when you and your child bond, work together, play together, and explore God’s world together. Introduce formal learning only as they are ready and limit the time spent to short sessions that you both will enjoy. If you do this, you will nurture their desire to learn and put them years ahead of their peers.

.