6
Record results on a spreadsheet and have kids calculate the shortest and longest trials, the average length traveled and the time it takes rocket cars to travel a set distance (kids may need a stop watch and some help to do this). Go all out and host a neighborhood rocket car derby with prizes for best design and distance. Activity: Spend a Million! Give each kid a pretend bank balance of $1,000,000 and challenge her to spend it in a specific period of time. Kids might finance a dream vacation, build or buy a new home, or create a financial plan to address an important social issue. Set spending rules that make this project fun and challenging for your child. You might even require kids to donate 10 percent to a church or charity, or set aside a certain percentage for college education costs. See teacher’s ideas at proteacher.net. Post the rules and put kids to work. By the end of the project period, each child should produce an itemized spending plan with a photo of each item and an expense tally. The spending spree gets kids excited about research and engaged with numbers. It also facilitates great family conversations about values and decision making. c
More Math for Kids Books n The Grapes of Math, by Greg Tang (Scholastic).
This book takes a humorous approach and helps kids change the way they solve math problems; ages 7 and older. n How Many Ways Can You Make Five? A
Parent’s Guide to Exploring Math with Children’s Books, by Sally Anderson (Gryphon House). Investigate patterns and puzzles, add and subtract, make maps and more; ages 3-6. n 10 Minutes a Day Math (DK Publishing). These fun
and colorful workbooks (for different age groups) are filled with activities that support the National Council of Teachers’ math standards. Available for ages 3-5; 5-7; 7-9; 9-11.
Websites n xtramath.org – Online practice for basic math facts. n everydaymath.uchicago.edu – Loads of ideas and
online games to keep math skills sharp, organized by grade level and topic. n figurethis.org – Find lots of math challenges for
middle-school students. n marblesthebrainstore.com – Curiously
addictive Aba-Conundrums, a kit that includes one brightly colored abacus and 120 puzzles, this site is educational and entertaining.
imagine Your Child? What do you want for
IMAGINE A SCHOOL WHERE YOUR CHILD LEARNS…
• By Individual Instruction • A Love of Learning An Authentic • To Think Outside the Box AMI Accredited • Independence Montessori School • Respect for Others • A Solid Foundation • Foreign Language, Music, Cooking, Gardening and More HALF OR FULL DAY, YEAR ROUND PROGRAMS
Montessori School at Emory 3021 N. Decatur Rd., Decatur 30033
404-634-5777
Montessori School of Cumming 4601 Post Rd., Cumming 30040
770-205-6773
Montessori School of Alpharetta 3290 Old Alabama Rd., Alpharetta 30022
770-667-1277
Now enrolling children ages 15 months – 12 years • www.MontessoriSchoolsofGeorgia.com atlantaparent.com
June 2013 Atlanta Parent 49