I heard of this contest in an e-mail from ClickSchooling:
Kids, share your creative math ideas! Describe how you use math in any activity you love to do — a sport, game, craft, hobby, or anything else.
Send in a description of the activity and it uses math, as well as any drawing(s) or diagram(s). There are many great prizes to be won. Please ensure you’ve read and understand our contest’s rules and regulations before entering.
Sounds like fun! If you want to enter, act quickly. Entries must be submitted online by July 30th. Visit Crazy4Math.com for more information and to check out the winners from previous years.
School’s out — and what could be more fun in the lazy, hazy days of summer than to study math? Check out these articles from Maria Miller of Homeschool Math Blog:
Math concepts: mental calculations, math vocabulary, and anything else you want to include Number of players: any number, but I think it works best with two players who alternate asking questions Equipment: imagination and, if necessary, scratch paper
Many years ago, I read a magazine article by mathematical music critic Edward Rothstein, wherein he described a game he invented for his daughter:
“What number am I? If you add me to myself, you get four.”
Rather than explaining the rules of the game, let me tell you a story…
Math concepts: addition, subtraction, negative numbers, mental math, absolute value Number of players: any number Equipment:math cards (two decks may be needed for a large group)
Math concepts: odd numbers, even numbers, greater-than/less-than, rounding off, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, negative numbers, prime numbers, square numbers, problem solving, mental math Number of players: two or more Equipment: pencil (or pen) and paper for every player
The cold came back and knocked me flat, but there are compensations. The downtime gave me a chance to browse my overflowing bookmarks folder, and I found something to add to my resource page. Princess Kitten and I enjoyed exploring these games and quizzes from Ambleweb.
Math games by elementary students
Each game was designed by (or at least with the help of) 4th-6th grade students at Ambleside CE Primary School.
Help me teach fractions! My son can do long subtraction problems that involve borrowing, and he can handle basic fraction math, but problems like give him a brain freeze. To me, this is an easy problem, but he can’t grasp the concept of borrowing from the whole number. It is even worse when the math book moves on to .
Several people replied to this question, offering advice about various fraction manipulatives that might be used to demonstrate the concept. I am not sure that manipulatives are needed or helpful in this case. The boy seems to have the basic concept of subtraction down, but he gets flustered and is unsure of what to do in the more complicated mixed-number problems.
Let’s take a quick look at what is involved in a calculation like this…
Are your students doing anything special for Day? After two months with no significant break, we are going stir crazy. We need a day off — and what better way could we spend it than to play math all afternoon?
I have been busy with the end of Math Olympiad season and getting ready for the MathCounts state test this weekend, but I wanted to post this link before it’s too late. You have until Sunday evening to send in your answer to the first…
Have you and your students enjoyed a project, game, or handout from my blog? If you would like to say "Thank you," you can buy me a cup of coffee (send a small donation) via Paypal or make a purchase at one of my Amazon.com bookstores:
give him a brain freeze. To me, this is an easy problem, but he can’t grasp the concept of borrowing from the whole number. It is even worse when the math book moves on to 
. 
Day? After two months with no significant break, we are going stir crazy. We need a day off — and what better way could we spend it than to play math all afternoon?
