Mathematics at Home Summer Edition

Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction sent this bulletin at 06/04/2021 12:17 PM PDT

$Math Banner$ Math Newsletter at home!

June 2021

Students looking at a plant in the garden

Welcome to Mathematics at Home!

We are excited to share our Summer Mathematics at Home Newsletter.

Summer brings long sunny days and kids who are looking for things to keep them busy within a few weeks of school getting out. School may not be in session, but we still want our kids exploring their environment, investigating how things work, and learning about the world around them. In this newsletter we have choice boards filled with ideas involving water and chalk, we offer some investigations that combine math and science, and we share some reading ideas for those moments of downtime.

We hope that you enjoy the slower place of summer to connect with and engage your kids in math. We welcome your feedback and suggestions. Reach out to us anytime at Mathematics@k12.wa.us

Here is a PDF version of this Newsletter.

Math Resources

Math Choice Boards - Summer Edition

So often we get locked into the idea that math has to be taught by sitting down at a table and completing worksheets. We want to challenge that idea by providing you with some choice boards. These grids are filled with fun activities you can do at home or out in the community while playing with your kids. We like choice boards because they give children a choice while still setting specific parameters designed to encourage developmentally appropriate math skills.

We have set up the choice boards by grade bands, but don't feel limited. Enter the board at a place that best suits your child. Each column focuses on a different math concept, and the activities dive deeper into the skill as you work your way down the board.

Between school being out, the hot weather, and energetic kids; the goal is to get kids outside as much as possible. Use the activities in these boards to continue the learning over the summer while enjoying the sun and burning energy.

Download the PDF choice boards:

Exploring Math Through Stories

Book cover from Cao Chong Weighs an Elephant

Great stories are a wonderful way to get young people of all ages excited and interested in mathematics. The annual book prize, Mathical: Books for Kids from Tots to Teens, recognizes the most inspiring math-related fiction and nonfiction books that bring the wonder of math to life.

Cao Chong Weighs an Elephant (Mathical Honor Book)

Written by Songju Ma Daemicke • Illustrated by Christina Wald

Ages 5-8

How much does an elephant weigh? How do you know? How would you know if you didn’t have a modern scale? Six-year-old Cao Chong, the most famous child prodigy in Chinese history, faced just this problem! Chong watches as the prime minister’s most trusted and learned advisors debate different methods. The principle of buoyancy and a little bit of creative thinking help this boy come up with a solution.

Key Math Concepts

Math-Life connection
Problem Solving

Resources

Want to enjoy Mathical books with the children around you? Feeling uncertain about guiding them through the book?

Cao Chong Weighs an Elephant DREME Storybook Guide (PDF, © Stanford University, DREME Network)
For Creative Minds – Activity & Resource Guide (English PDF)
Para las mentes creativas – Activity & Resource Guide (Spanish PDF)
Teaching Activity Guide (PDF)
Online quizzes: Reading / For Creative Minds / Math
Author interview (PDF)

Summertime STEM

Three plants in pots growing at different heights

With summertime here, it means that it’s time to get outside and learn while playing with Summer STEM activities. The fresh air and freedom to investigate it makes it a great opportunity to explore based on kids interests.

Math is everywhere in the world around you. So are other content areas, and they work wonderfully together. In this issue, we offer an activity that blends math and science in several ways.

How Do Plants Grow?

Choose 3 or 4 plants that you can see regularly. They can be in your yard, in pots on your balcony or deck, or in your neighborhood. Look at them closely...(see more)

Mindset

The idea of a growth mindset was initially developed by Stanford Professor Carol Dweck, Ph.D., and since then a great deal of research has gone into its study and the implications it has on children and their learning. Whether you are new or experienced in the idea of a growth mindset, in each newsletter we provide resources to help deepen your understanding and give you tools to use with your kids in developing their belief in themselves as capable doers of math.

Parents’ Beliefs about Math Change Their Children’s Achievement

We now know that the messages we give students can change their performance dramatically, and that students need to know that the adults in their lives believe in them. Researchers are learning that students’ ideas about their ability and potential are extremely important, much more than previously understood. As well as the messages we give students about their potential, brain research is now showing that messages students pick up from their parents about math and their parents’ relationships with math can also change students’ math learning and achievement. Read the article in its entirety to learn more.

A Story of Growth Mindset

Making a Splash - Growth Mindset for Kids

Written by Carol E. Reiley • Illustrated by Jason Pastrana

Siblings Lisa and Johnny are both learning to swim. For Johnny it comes naturally and he doesn't have to work at it. Lisa has a more difficult time and becomes negative - Swimming is too hard, I CAN'T do this. Her coach teaches her the power of yet. You can't do this YET. When you practice hard, things get easier. That's how we learn. The illustrated pages tell the story of the two siblings and how they differ in their attitudes toward learning.

This book advocates the growth mindset philosophy that says intelligence is malleable and can be developed through dedication and hard work, as opposed to the belief you’re born with a fixed amount of smarts. The takeaway: It’s not how smart you are; it’s how smart you can become if you push yourself.

The book has a fun story for kids and a nonfiction part for parents.

Check out your local library.

Mathematics Office
mathematics@k12.wa.us

Arlene Crum, Director of Mathematics, OSPI
360-789-7143 | arlene.crum@k12.wa.us

Jennifer Cronquist, K-12 Math Specialist, OSPI
360-764-0309 | jennifer.cronquist@k12.wa.us

Holly Paul, Administrative Assistant for Mathematics, OSPI
360-464-0404 | holly.paul@k12.wa.us

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