Giveaway: Dinah Zike's Fractions & Measurement

Here is my contribution to Homeschool Creations' "Curriculum Clean-Out!"*

I am holding a giveaway for one of Dinah Zike's books (out-of-print, I believe...used but in great condition) called Cross-Curricular Classrooms Thematic Manipulatives: Fractions & Measurement.  This is a "series of illustrated manipulatives." It mentions using them in conjunction with Zike's Big Book of Books, but if you're into lapbooking or fold-it books, you already know how. Blacklines are included in the book for publishing centers. Making a layered book with fractional parts. A trifold pizza book. Question and answer books for fractions. Pop-up book pictures...and lots more. Basically gives you all kinds of blacklines to make hands-on paper visuals (think lapbooking) while studying fractions & measurement.


Four ways to enter. You need to post a comment for each entry.

1. Please comment, sharing how you use (or want to use) paper folding, mini books, hands-on learning in math.

2. Enter a second time if you are a follower of love2learn2day.

3. Tell about my giveaway on your blog and link back to here.

4. Enter again if you contribute to this week's Math Monday Blog Hop. :) 

U.S. Shipping only. Be sure to leave contact information in case you're the winner. (jane doe at gmail dot com) I'll announce the winner at next week's Math Monday Blog Hop.

*Also, if you want to join in on the Curriculum Clean-Out, you can post something on your own blog to give away OR you can enter contests on a whole host of blogs to win items that others are giving away. Link-up at Homeschool Creations. I won a couple neat things last year! You do not have to host a giveaway to enter other contests.

Fall Curriculum Clean Out: Living Math Book Giveaway

My Living Math bookshelf could use a little lightening. Here's one for a giveaway:


Pigs in the Corner, hardcover, ex-library in good condition.

Leave a comment with the title of your FAVORITE LIVING MATH BOOK. If you're not sure what a "living math book" is, you'll find some ideas here. I'll choose a winner at random on Sunday the 29th. Please leave a way to reach you or I'll need to pick an alternate winner. Sorry, but only U.S. shipping. Thanks for visiting! :) And thanks to Joyful Learner for alerting me to the Curriculum Clean-Out!

***It's Sunday, August 29, and the Giveaway is now closed. Thanks for entering. Winner is #22, Brandi! 

Math App Saturday (#1, Number Line)

Ever consider the educational possibilities for an iTouch or iPhone? Using educational apps?

A good friend is set to begin teaching 3rd grade this fall. The district received a grant, enabling every third grade student to have an iTouch. She (and I) are looking for apps to promote skills practice and concept development in math. She'll be using them in her classroom. I'll be giving them to my student when we're sitting at an appointment or standing in line at the grocery store. Over time I will post apps that appeal to a variety of ages and ability levels. I'm less interested in drill/flashcard/traditional "story problem" material than I am in games and activities that present skill practice and/or concept development in a unique (fun!) way.

As long as I continue to find quality apps, I'll post a couple new links each Saturday, usually by math topic.

I'd love your help! Please comment with names of your favorites; I'm looking for FREE or very inexpensive apps. Many free apps seem to be slowly adding advertisements, although I haven't found it to be a major problem. Yet.

Let's begin with two number line apps (at posting they are both FREE):

Number Line
Player drags circles containing a fraction, decimal or percent onto the number line in order from lowest to highest. Here's a demo.






Pearl Diver

I listed this earlier this week, but want to mention it again.  I've played it several times since then and marvel at it's design.

In this game, available on the iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch (or play online) the "pearl diver" must swim to the bottom of the sea, while avoiding electronic eels. The "sea" is a number line with increasing levels of difficulty. I played with numberlines that included: 1-10, negative to positive numbers, fractions, etc. One time I made it to the sixth level or so (my excuse is that I was interrupted by a little helper!) and could barely figure out the mixed fractions fast enough to survive. My 7yo enjoys the first several levels; he isn't ready for the more difficult problems. He loves the "cutting Sushi" activity between levels. Players cut Sushi into fractional parts and are rewarded points based on how close they get to the target. Very fun, interesting game for numberline skills practice and development of number sense. [Note: you can play online -OR- download for iPod]

Lesson Pathways - Free, See it to Believe it!

Are you a homeschooler? A teacher? Have you seen Lesson Pathways? Wow.

You join the website for free. Upon joining, you have access to "pathways" in every subject (science, history, reading/phonics, language arts, math), grades K-5. Let's say you are looking for a curricular pathway for first grade history. You go to that pathway and then access 36 weeks worth of lesson plans and links. Tons of hands-on projects, links to readings, games, and videos... Here's a summary from the site:

    A Guided Journey is a 36 week learning plan in one of the core subject areas, for a specific year or grade level (ie. Year 1 Science).  A Guided Journey is made of individual Pathways. You may follow our recommended Guided Journeys or mix and match Pathways to create your own 36 week course.
    A Pathway is a single unit on a given topic. (ie. Animal Life Cycles)  Each Pathway contains content for one week of instruction, depending on how often you teach a given subject.  Each Pathway is made of multiple Stepping Stones.
    A Stepping Stone is a single resource.  This may be a lesson, video, worksheet, hands-on project, ebook, online game, or other activity.  (ie. Create a Spider Life Cycle Poster). Multiple Stepping Stones make up a Pathway.

They are doing this for free with the hopes that revenue will come from ad related links. I am very impressed with the navigation/layout and am amazed that this is all available for free. The site allows you to customize the pathways using a planner that's also free on the site. You can add multiple students with individual planners for each. Totally flexible. Lots of hands-on, "living" material. Seriously, check this out. You have to see it to believe it!

Free DVD--America the Story of US--teachers/homeschoolers

Find the link on the the History Channel website. From the website:

America The Story of US — premiering on HISTORY™ April 25 at 9pm/8c — is a six week event that provides a fascinating look at the stories of the people, events, and innovations that forged our nation. It will provide you with an unprecedented opportunity to bring our nation’s history to life for your students. This 12-hour series will be supported by educational materials tied to curriculum standards and is copyright cleared for Fair Use in the classroom by instructors or pupils in the course of face-to-face teaching activities.

* HISTORY is offering America The Story of US on DVD to every school in the United States. School must be an accredited public, private or home school, grades K-12 and college. In order to receive your school's DVD, your school principal (grades K-12) or Dean of Students (college) should fill out the request form below. HISTORY strictly limits each school to one request. DVD requests must be made prior to July 1, 2010. DVDs will be mailed around August 2010, and free shipping is included in this offer.

Thanks again to my friend for alerting me! If you know of freebies you'd like to alert homeschoolers/teachers about, let me know. ;)

Free LEGO Kit for Creativity Contest

If you are a teacher or a home educator, you are eligible... Go to the LEGO Education site for more information.

The 2010 LEGO® Smart™ Creativity Contest requires the use of a LEGO® Smart™ kit. Kits are available, free of charge, to the first 10,000 new, registered, and qualified contestants.

Here are some ideas that won in 2009 that would be fantastic to use at home or at school. Other great educational uses for Lego may be found here.

Thank you to a friend for alerting me to this opportunity!

If you're visiting for the first time, I hope you'll take a peek at the rest of my blog! :)

Free Stuff! (Math Practice Books)

I've added a tab called "Free Stuff" to highlight some of the free educational goodies to be found on the web. Here's my first post. You can print FREE full size math practice books for grades K-5. Seriously.

Bridges Practice Books
Go to the link above and look in the lower right hand corner for green lettering (cause it's St. Patrick's Day??) that says "Practice Books" and click on the grade level you desire. The consumable books are available for purchase, but you can download the FULL set of blacklines (pdf files) for FREE.

Written to  address the NCTM Focal Points, Bridges Practice Books provide activities  and worksheets for additional skill review, informal paper-and-pencil  assessment, preparation for standardized testing, and differentiated  instruction. These books may be used with any math program  to provide practice with skills targeted for mastery at each grade  level.

The blacklines include the answer keys. Also, each book is indexed by skill so it's easy to find multi-digit addition & subtraction, fractions, decimals, problem solving, etc...

Grade K Skills:  Numbers to 30, comparing and ordering sets, skip  counting, early addition and subtraction, story problems.

Grade 1 Skills:  Numbers to 100 and beyond, number patterns, place  value, facts to 10, money, time, graphing, and problem solving.

Grade 2 Skills:  Numbers to 1,000, skip counting and number patterns,  facts to 18, place value, double-digit computation, money, time, and  problem solving.

Grade 3 Skills:  Numbers to 10,000, multi-digit addition and  subtraction, multiplication and division concepts, fractions, equations,  perimeter, time, money, and problem solving.

Grade 4 Skills:  Multiplication and division facts, multi-digit  addition, subtraction and multiplication, fractions and decimals,  patterns and equations, area and perimeter, data analysis, and problem  solving.

Grade 5 Skills:  Multiplication and division facts, multi-digit  addition, subtraction and multiplication, fractions and decimals,  patterns and equations, area and perimeter, data analysis, and problem  solving.