Math facts, older kids

[Jennifer Z]

Any good games (computer, video or board/card) or other activities, other than worksheets (he HATES the math problem worksheets I started trying) to help get the math facts memorized? He clearly understands the theory behind it very well, but not having it memorized is slowing down his ability to move forward.

[christinar]

My 8 year old daughter loves playing Bingo - it's her first choice most school mornings - even though she hates just looking at the flashcards. All I did was make a bunch of "boards" on the computer using this generator: http://www.teach-nology.com/web_tool...rials/bingo/5/. I plugged the numbers from the random # generator into a chart in Word so I could print 2/page. We use whatever flashcards we're working on and buttons as counters. Usually we play til someone gets three rows. And to start with, I set the timer for 1 minute and she does a minute of flaschards before the game. That way we get through a big pile, between the minute and the game, and we're all happy!

[Lillian J]

I don't actually think of 8 as older - I think of it as a time when those things begin to be picked up little by little, naturally - but you can find a lot of fun math sites linked to from my math page - look underneath the box that lists articles. Although, come to think of it, you'll find lots of ideas among the articles as well. I'd suggest scrolling through before beginning to click on things - that could save you a lot of time from wandering through cyberspace.

Lilian

[koru]

We have the Right Start math games & play a version of Go Fish using only cards 1-9 & the pairs have to add up to 10. For example, if you have a 4 you ask for a 6, etc. This obviously doesn't include all the math facts but it's a fun start! It can probably be adapted to include the other fact, too.

[Jennifer Z]

Originally Posted by Lillian J

I don't actually think of 8 as older - I think of it as a time when those things begin to be picked up little by little, naturally - but you can find a lot of fun math sites linked to from my math page - look underneath the box that lists articles. Although, come to think of it, you'll find lots of ideas among the articles as well. I'd suggest scrolling through before beginning to click on things - that could save you a lot of time from wandering through cyberspace.

Lilian

He isn't really "older", but he has been able to demonstrate understanding the process since he was about 3yo. He was doing math before he was talking...so he has been sort of "stuck" for a long time at the "not memorized" stage for a long, long time and I want to help him get past it so we can do stuff that I know will be more fun for him. There are a lot of things he doesn't pick up naturally, so when I see something he is stuck at, I try to find a way to make it work for him.

[Jennifer Z]

Thank you all for your ideas. It helps. Sometimes it is frustrating to come up with new approaches, so this helps me get unstuck.

[starlein26]

My kids like http://www.funbrain.com/ !

[PGTlatte]

For addition, Double Shutter Shut the Box is fun.

For multiplication, Timez Attack is great and free.

Originally Posted by Jennifer Z

There are a lot of things he doesn't pick up naturally, so when I see something he is stuck at, I try to find a way to make it work for him.

I have a similar situation with our son. Sometimes he just needs a way to get through something that is hard for him.

[dairy2dogs]

I second Timez Attack!

[Princess ConsuelaB]

Math Wrap-Ups!

[karne]

We have had great success with a game called Digitz by Educational Resources. A little pricey, but so far, the most effective thing we've tried.

[*Lisa*]

I don't know if your DS has a Nintendo DS, but my daughter LOVES this game:

http://www.amazon.com/Personal-Train.../dp/B001LNYM90

I don't know why, really, but she spends a lot of time on it (practicing those math facts).

[Citymomx3]

I'm recommending Times Tales for learning multiplication. My ds learned the "harder" multiplication tables (3,4,6,7,8,9) in less than a week. Now, about 6 months later - he still has them memorized. It's a strange little program (2 thin booklets) that uses picture association. It works. It cost about $30 online.

[Lisa1970]

We have Math Blaster. Math U See has a math drill area too.

[Lisa1970]

I have also used stuff from Citycreekpress.com

[kathymuggle]

Originally Posted by Jennifer Z

Any good games (computer, video or board/card) or other activities, other than worksheets (he HATES the math problem worksheets I started trying) to help get the math facts memorized? He clearly understands the theory behind it very well, but not having it memorized is slowing down his ability to move forward.

What exactly does he need help with? Multiplication?

Ideas for multiplication:

youtube finger method for multiplying

teach him the variety of nine tricks

Make a multiplication grid ( 10 by 10 )and have him colour in the numbers he knows. I be her knows or can easily learn: 0, 1, 2, 5, 9, and 10 times table. 3 and 4 are pretty easy, too. If he knows 2X9 is 18, then he can colour in 9X2 as well. Indeed, there are very few numbers he will have to memorise (probably 6X6 through 6X8, 7X6-7x8 and 8X6-8X8....only 9 facts to memorise!)

I do math games in the car. I have a captive audience, and my youngest is bored in the car and willing to do almost anything, lol. I ask her 8+5, then she usually asks me something like 102938 [phone] (lol), but she has fun and learns loads.

HTH

Kathy

[Jennifer Z]

Thank you for your help.

[Lillian J]

I didn't think of this earlier, but if you take a look through FUN-Books math page, you'll find a lot of interesting resources that might be very helpful.

Lillian

[TAKLinda]

Learning math facts

There are several strategies for those who have trouble memorizing math facts:
Count up if the number that is being added-on is less than 5.
Count down if the number that is being subtracted is less than 5.
Use a related fact that they already know to solve a math fact they don't know. eg., 7 + 6, use 6 + 6 = 12, so 7 + 6 = 13.
Regroup by rearrange the addition numbers, eg., 8 + 6 = 7 + 7 = 14.
Magic nine for subtracting 9s, use the magic nine trick which is to add the top two numbers together. eg., 16 - 9 = (1 + 6) = 7.
Use the math ladder for two-digit minus one-digit numbers.
That leaves five doubles to memorize, these can then be used as a related fact. eg., 5+5=10, 6+6=12, 7+7=14, 8+8=16 and 9+9=18.

Multiplication should be taught as a system:
Multiplying zero is always zero.
Multiplying by one*is the number .*
Multiplying by two is*a double. eg. 4 × 2 = 4 + 4 = 8
Multiplying by four*is a double plus a double. eg. 4 × 4 = 8 + 8 = 16
Multiplying by*five is best done by just counting by fives.*
Multiplying by nIne is*such a magical number, kids love it. Lay your hands on the desk, fold under a finger. The number of fingers on each side of the folded finger is the answer to times nine.
eg. 9 × 6. Fold under the sixth finger, the fingers left of the folded finger is the first number = 5, the fingers right of the folded finger is the last number = 4 so the answer to 9 × 6 = 54.
Multiplying by three is*just a double plus the number.*
Multiplying by eight*is times four plus times four.*
Multiplying by six is a double plus a double plus a double*or times five plus the number.

Linda.
www.teachallkids.com

[kittie313]

To help my 7yo with her basic addition and subtraction facts, I searched the web and printed off a facts sheet for her. She likes finding the numbers along the top and side of the chart and then sliding her fingers across and down to find the answer. She is VERY SLOWLY picking up her facts too, since starting the chart 2 weeks or so ago she's memorized 4 addition facts. I don't know why it is working for her, but for some reason it is so I'm going with it. I have one waiting for multiplication facts, and am trying to think of how to teach her to use that one for division later.