Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Back to School Math Warm Ups


Athletes know that it is hard to start running hard from a “cold start.” One should stretch and warm up before beginning any athletic exercise. Getting kids ready for school is really no different. Sending them back into school with a cold start can be very hard on many students. Give them a positive start to the school year with some warm ups.

Find age appropriate natural ways to reintroduce or continue to practice summer math activities. There are many household activities that require math. Shopping, cooking, cleaning, and house repairs are the most obvious. Many children’s games quickly fall into math practice. Children can be helped to remember math facts, measurement, fractions, geometry, and yes even algebra with some creative approaches.

Consider using math websites or other games to give children a chance to review or preview next year’s coming math attractions. This isn’t about drill and kill but more of that athletic stretch and preparation. The mind is reacquainting itself with old material and previewing new material that is coming. This is a chance for parents to find sites that will be useful in the coming year should your child need additional practice or challenges to stay motivated in learning.

This need not be a long procedure but a short time spent can produce dividends.

The following links are to areas on this blog that have math links sorted that you can use with your child to review, preview, or teach new math lessons.
Math Links

Multi Age Sites

Early Childhood Sites


Photo credit: whgrad flickr.com

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