STEAM Saturday

Here at STEAM Saturday, our wish is to make science fun. What could be more fun than mini-marshmallows and toothpicks? Making stuff out of mini-marshmallows and toothpicks!

The directions can be found here. While the directions call for teams, this project can be done individually. There is no end to the creative structures your child can make. If you are concerned about the safety issues that go with toothpicks, simply use uncooked spaghetti noodles broken down to the length of a toothpick.

Have fun with this full-STEAM ahead activity.

Math Awareness Month

Did you know that April is math awareness month?  Why not take some time to explore some fun arithmetic books with your young reader today!  Here's a handful to get you started:


Bedtime Math and Bedtime Math 2: This Time It's Personal by Laura Overdeck, for ages 3 to 7
Each of these books contain over 100 kid-friendly math problems on topics such as jalapenos, submarines, roller coasters, flamingos, missing socks, and glitter.  After spending time with either of these books, kids will discover that math surrounds them in their everyday lives.

The Wing Wing Brothers Math Spectacular by Ethan Long, for ages 3-7
In this picture book, The Wing Wing brothers put on a show complete with their silly antics that illustrates how to compare numbers, add, and subtract.  These guys are absolutely hillarious!

The Boy Who Loved Math: The Improbably Life of Paul Erdos by Deborah Helligman, for ages 3 to 8
This juvenile biography tells about the life of Paul Erdos, who grew up in Hungary during WWI.  He  He was fascinated by numbers from an early age, and by the time he was 20, he was known as "The Magician from Budapest".

Blockhead: The Life of Fibonacci by Joseph D'Agnese, for ages 6 to 9
Here's another juvenile biography about a mathematician.  Leonardo Fibonacci was a 12th century mathematician who discovered the numerical sequence that was named for him.

Zero the Hero by Joan Holub for ages 6 to 10
In this picture book, Zero believes that he is a hero, but the counting numbers think he is worthless until they get into trouble with some Roman numerals, and only Zero can help

7 X 9 = Trouble and Fractions = Trouble by Claudia Mills, for ages 7 to 10.
In 7 X 9 = Trouble, Third-grader Wilson struggles with his times-tables in order to beat the class deadline, which will be an ice-cream party.  In it's companion book, Fractions = Trouble Wilson struggles with with fractions and, much to his embarrassment, his parents sign him up to work with a math tutor.  These two easy chapter books are great choices for transitional readers making the leap from early readers.

That's a Possibility by Bruce Goldstone, for ages 7 to 10
Colorful photographs and interactive examples introduces children to the ideas of something being possible, probable, or impossible. It contains easy-to-understand, fun scenarios such as dice rolling and bowling, complete with questions about probable outcomes and simple explanations. Plus the gumball machine on the front cover looks really cool too!

Supporting Math at Home

Did you know that you can support your child in learning math with everyday materials found in your home, such as shoelaces, canned food, cotton balls, and muffin pans?  Recent research shows that children who are ready to learn math are likely to do better in school.  Here's a listing of six math activities you can do with your child from the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

 

Common Core State Standards

Many schools in the Tigard area are focusing their attention on curriculum that meets the Oregon Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English language arts and mathematics.  While the school year is already half over, perhaps you may still need to find a way to better understand what CCSS means and the implications it has for your school child.

The National PTA and the Council of Great City Schools offer FREE downloadable brochures that provide CCSS information that is organized by grade level.  Each one of the following brochures and  roadmaps give some background about the Common Core, offer specific examples of skills and expectations for that grade level, and suggest ways parents can help their children succeed. As a bonus, the roadmaps specifically advise parents to “be sure your child has a library card. Children should select books they are interested in to develop a passion for reading. Many libraries have book clubs and family activities that make reading fun for the entire family.” Stop by the library today to get a library card, absolutely FREE!

PTA English and Math  Guide to Student Success

Common Core Roadmaps, Supporting Your Child with English
 

Common Core Roadmaps, Supporting Your Child with Math

The Oregon Department of Education also features these and other resources in their CCSS Toolkit for Parents.  They also have Parent Guides According to Grade Level.