Math Monday - Family Math Took Kits

Welcome and thanks for stopping by for Math Monday!

My very first year of teaching, I was introduced to the idea of Family Math and have had it be part of our learning and community ever since.  I use games to practice and reinforce math content we are learning.  Each week we learn at least one new game within the classroom.  Then on Fridays the game is sent home for my students to teach and play with someone at home.  This is math homework, relevant and engaging for two people.  For a long time I never sent anything home to help supplement our Family Math program but a folder each week with the directions and a communication sheet where they could share observations or ask me questions.  Then I learned sometimes a family might not have a pair of dice.  We receive a portion of each child's student fee money to be spent on consumables the student can take home.  So, I started to buy each student a pack of playing cards and a pair of dice.  Then last year I read Franki's post Home Math Learning Boxes.  I loved the idea of more tools to support Family Math and a the box was a better idea than my zip lock baggie storage system.

This past Friday I had the students help create the Family Math Tool Kits and they were excited.  They loved putting everything together!  In looking at my new second grade curriculum I've purchased playing cards, measuring tape, six inch ruler, 4 regular dice, 2 - 10 sided dice for each, an eighth of a cup of beans, and plastic moveable hands clock. I made and laminated two versions of a hundreds chart and an addition fact chart.  You might ask, why two versions of the hundreds chart.  To promote flexible thinking one starts at the bottom row and moves up, increasing in numbers.  As the year goes on, we might add more things.  They wanted to label and created the name, Math Tool Kit for their boxes.  You can easily do Family Math games without creating Math Tool Kits, I did for years.  It really just calls for typical household items.

If you have ways you promote math discussions and/or learning at home I'd love to hear about them in the comment section.  Thank you for stopping by and I hope you will consider joining us with your own post or joining the conversation within the comments.  

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