Tape Measure Maths Fun!!

With everything that is going on around the world, we are at the point where our children will be doing a great deal of home schooling.

There is so much in the press and media about families feeling not that confident about teaching their kids, as they feel that they do not have the teaching skills, they may not know the approaches being used at school, or just not knowing what to teach their children and how to extend them.

These activities will, I hope, alleviate most of your worries, as I will focus on things that are common at home and won't feel that that you are doing something 'different'.

My approach is to do maths, without the kids really knowing that they are 'doing maths'.

Too often we hear about kids (and adults!) tuning out at the very word 'maths', so I endeavour to put an element of fun and exploration into it so that they will keep coming back to it.

Much of the work here is open ended (not providing just the one answer) and covers a wide range of mathematical concepts rather than just one or two. They also leave the option open for the children to take it further depending on their age and ability.

Importantly, they can all be done as a family, thus keeping you involved and letting the children see you as an active learner too.

So, give these a try, and leave some comments as to how you went. This is great for me, and others as we work on creating the best options for all at this time.

3 In A Row

Materials:

- Tape Measure

- Paper clips/clothes pegs

- 2-3 dice (depending on the number range you are using) I prefer 10 sided

To Play:

This is if using the number range 0-100

Player 1 rolls the two dice. (Rolls a 6 and a 4)

"What two numbers can you make?" Get them to say the two numbers. "46 or 64"

Player 1 chooses one of the numbers, and places a clothes peg on it on the tape measure.

Player 2 now has their turn and does likewise.

If a number is used, it can't be used by the other player.

The first player to get 3 consecutive numbers wins eg. 63, 64, 65

I get one player to place their pegs on the left side of the tape measure, and the other on the right so they know who the pegs belong to. Another option is to use two different colours of pegs.

Other Options to make the game more exciting!!

Play the same way and keep aiming for 3 in a row...

BUT...

If Player 2 rolls a number, and Player 1 already has a peg on it...SORRY!!! Player 2 can take Player 1's peg off and put their peg on that number instead. The same occurs if Player 1 rolls a number that Player 2 already has pegged.

In this way, players may give up the opportunity to place a peg somewhere, and choose to block their opponent if it looks like they are getting close to 3 in a row.

You could use 3 dice and choose other '3 In A Row' options

* Numbers in the range 100-199, 200-299, 300-399 etc

* 3 consecutive odd/even numbers (once again using a range that suits their age and ability)

* 3 consecutive multiples of 3, 4, 5, 6 etc. ( eg 144, 150, 156)

* 3 consecutive multiples of 20, 10, 15 etc

Tape Measure Bingo

The focus of this activity is to find numbers in the house. Not just finding them though, but also saying how they are being used, and what information they are giving us.

As a number is found, place a peg on the tape measure.

Time yourself. "How many numbers can you find in 15 minutes?"

Set yourself a number range. eg 0-50, 0-100, 100- 999 etc

Be the first to find 3 consecutive numbers (or other options already listed in '3 In A Row')

Further Options

As you find each number, write down what the number was being used for.

- 16cm The height of a can of baked beans

- 12cm The circumference of a bottle of shampoo (use a piece of string to get these measurements, another skill and concept being developed)

- 45g. The weight of an apple

- 320cm The length of our bathroom

- 184 The ages of all our family added together

- Find the numbers 1-100 using weight/volume/capacity only.

- Find the numbers 1-100 using height/length only

In doing this we are now incorporating many other areas of the maths curriculum within a rich and purposeful context. We are not just finding numbers, but developing an understanding of the intent and purpose of those numbers being used.

Number Bingo

Choose a number range to work with for the day ( 0-20, 0-50, 0-100 etc)

Put your numbers on a grid.

During the course of the day, tick off each number as you hear/see/use that number (But make sure you are not deliberately influencing the outcome by making up a reason to generate certain numbers - keep it real and natural) Or put a counter of some sort on each number each time it is used.

Which numbers come up the least/most? Why?

Is it a similar result each day?

Where/when do you encounter numbers the most?

In what context are they used? (time, weight, measurement etc)

Create a Slide Show

Go around your house and take photos of numbers at work.

Set yourself a target range suitable to the age and ability levels of your children.

If using an iPad, open the iMovie app and import your photos, it is a very easy process to follow, and a great activity for the kids to experiment with.

On each photo they can add text to say what the number is telling us.

They can also add their own voice as an overlay to explain how the numbers are being used.

This is a great learning tool, as they will need to work with time and measurement in order to give themselves time to speak about each photo. Photos can be stretched to give more/less time in the display.

Can they create a 0-20, 0-50, 0-100 slideshow?

This will help the children to search for numbers within a given context. eg Where will they expect to find single digit numbers? 3 digit numbers?