In this free math video, I introduce my 8 and 6-year-old to decimal notation using money, Base Ten Blocks and Cuisenaire Rods. The money provides the reference point for how to write decimals since they are already familiar with writing dollars and cents, and the Base Ten Blocks and Cuisenaire Rods provide a way to transfer their knowledge of regular fractions to decimal fractions.
Tag Archives: hands-on
Subtracting a Fraction from a Mixed Number
This free math video offers more practice in using two different ways to subtract a fraction from a mixed number. Those familiar with mental math strategies will find this very easy to pick up as it uses the same type of process. There is no need to make the mixed number into an improper fraction! That just makes more work! Leave it as a mixed number and work with the two parts separately. So much easier!
Fractions and Missing Factors
The lesson in this free math video was a little, um…rough. In hindsight, I see that I should have done several problems in a row with a numerator of one so she could get used to that idea before throwing in larger numerators. It all turned out well in the end, though, and learning to sit comfortably with confusion for a while is an important skill, in my opinion.
This type of lesson may be best done when the logic part of a child’s brain is more mature. It’s quite an abstract concept. There is no way she would have understood this without the Cuisenaire Rods as a visual.
Try this type of problem if you’re looking for a brain stretching exercise for your elementary school aged child!