Coins (was Re: [Unschooling-dotcom] Re: Getting math)
Nora or Devereaux Cannon
I love having wretched excess around for the kids to learn with.
We have that same "tub" of coins - and had a lot of fun with it
during the election cycle. The basic shtick was that 516 pennies
will have a specific height when stacked - and that a PVC pipe
will hold that stack up. Whichever candidate's "pipe" got full
first was the winner. We were having some friends with young
kids up to watch the returns; I was mainly looking for an
entertaining way to occupy them, while keeping them involved in
the events.
First you have to make several stacks of 10 pennies and measure
them. Average the measurements. Multiply the average by 51.6
(for the 4 yo, that was KEWL - her own first calculator, with her
own name on it!!!). Cut the PVC pipe to length; label each.
Build a base for the 2 pipes (1x 8, 8 inches long, with a 2x4 cut
6 inches long and drilled with a hole saw to hold the pipes up,
glued together and all decorated with stars and "stuff"). Take a
BIG map of the United States and a list of the electoral votes
for each state. Find each state and label with the number of
votes. DD is pretty kinesthetic, so we prepared for that part by
going to a nearby school parking lot that has a US map painted on
it, sized maybe 50 x 125 feet. Having "walked" the locations of
each state, she didn't have to have much help finding them on the
map and marking the number of votes. Counted out a 1000 plus
pennies (where upon I was informed that it would have been a heck
of a lot easier to take $10 to the bank and get rolls.
Put markers by the map on the floor and a bowl of the pennies.
They colored in each state as it was called, counted out the
pennies and put them in the right tube, which meant there were
several tasks for each event, letting everybody have turns at
everything. Of course this particular election ended up
providing more that the usual opportunities; enough so we could
have developed a HS commune by the time it was done, but the kids
were tuckered and sleeping before it got too crazy.
We have that same "tub" of coins - and had a lot of fun with it
during the election cycle. The basic shtick was that 516 pennies
will have a specific height when stacked - and that a PVC pipe
will hold that stack up. Whichever candidate's "pipe" got full
first was the winner. We were having some friends with young
kids up to watch the returns; I was mainly looking for an
entertaining way to occupy them, while keeping them involved in
the events.
First you have to make several stacks of 10 pennies and measure
them. Average the measurements. Multiply the average by 51.6
(for the 4 yo, that was KEWL - her own first calculator, with her
own name on it!!!). Cut the PVC pipe to length; label each.
Build a base for the 2 pipes (1x 8, 8 inches long, with a 2x4 cut
6 inches long and drilled with a hole saw to hold the pipes up,
glued together and all decorated with stars and "stuff"). Take a
BIG map of the United States and a list of the electoral votes
for each state. Find each state and label with the number of
votes. DD is pretty kinesthetic, so we prepared for that part by
going to a nearby school parking lot that has a US map painted on
it, sized maybe 50 x 125 feet. Having "walked" the locations of
each state, she didn't have to have much help finding them on the
map and marking the number of votes. Counted out a 1000 plus
pennies (where upon I was informed that it would have been a heck
of a lot easier to take $10 to the bank and get rolls.
Put markers by the map on the floor and a bowl of the pennies.
They colored in each state as it was called, counted out the
pennies and put them in the right tube, which meant there were
several tasks for each event, letting everybody have turns at
everything. Of course this particular election ended up
providing more that the usual opportunities; enough so we could
have developed a HS commune by the time it was done, but the kids
were tuckered and sleeping before it got too crazy.
----- Original Message -----
From: <dacunefare@...>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, April 22, 2002 12:33 AM
Subject: [Unschooling-dotcom] Re: Getting math (was Math
experiences)
| **Even better than plastic counters are *real* things! :-)
Leaves. Rocks.
| Acorns. Hot wheels! ;-) Anything specifically designed for
sorting and
| counting has built in ways the kids are "supposed" to sort.
They are
| deliberately limited so as not to be "confusing". That way when
kids come up
| with the built in right answer teachers can check off that
they've
| demonstrated an understanding of the concept.**
|
| My personal favorite collection is my coins.