Yesterday we made more headway in addition and subtraction practice in an hour with a game then we did in a month of curriculum. We played Math Card War, a game that Denise from Let's Play Math claims is worth 1,000 worksheets. I have to agree with her. Catherine was adding and subtracting like a pro and having a ball doing it.
In playing Math Card War I think I have an inkling of the balance I could strike between curriculum and my radical unschooling ideals. The introduction of skills and strategies is something out math curriculum does very well. The practicing of those skills is something Catherine does best when it's unstructured fun. So to the desk for worksheets when it's a new skill and to the living room with the games when it's practice?
The other really fun thing we did yesterday involved a book called Detective Dave's Mad Mysteries. That was fun. It's really a book of logic puzzles all wrapped up in a story that engaged us more then a simple puzzle book would normally. We spent about an hour curled up on the couch with it. It's only $4.99 and the one I've got my little Amazon link to is a collection of 6 books so it's a pretty damn good value.
4 comments:
Hey Dawn.
We finally finished up our annual proof of progress testing. It was the math that held us back. Ugh.
I tried to send you an email to the address in your profile and it said your mailbox exceeds size.
You can try my yahoo account...wishbonedawn at yahoo dot com.
Thanks Dawn. I sent it.
Enjoy your vacation!!!
I enjoyed your post.
We have fun playing multiplication bingo which also forced the practice. It is a bit hard for me as I have two children and try to play one game with both but the older son has an advantage as he has had three more years of life to help his memory for math facts, LOL.
One day I took out the Logic Links and played around with it for about 45 minutes until the kids said "enough is enough".
I try to do more than the Math U See curriculum we use but sometimes it can just be a pain trying to think of what game to play or how to infuse additional things in the middle of our days. I am imperfect in that way. When we are busy it is so much easier to just go to the next page in the math curriculum then for me to map out a whole plan of doing X game on Monday etc. I am more spontaneous in nature and hate that kind of scheduling. However in busy times or when under stress from real life issues the fun, spur of the moment type of stuff goes down the drain with me. Signs of imperfection. LOL. Oh well.
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