Lots of kids know that there are seeds inside of a pumpkin. They may have seen them if they carved Jack-o-Lanterns during October. They may have even toasted them and had a tasty treat. My older sister was allergic to pumpkin, so my dad tied garbage bags to her arms (all the way up to […]

Read this…. The Building Blocks of a Good Pre-K

Last week I wrote about a floor-sized number line that creates endless possibilities for mathematic-related activities in the classroom. Later that same day, I found this one that is just different enough that I thought I should write about it as well. It is pretty big just like the other one, but this one only […]

This morning’s Chicago Tribune reported the results of last spring’s ISAT tests (for those of you outside of Illinois these are the dreaded Illinois Standards Achievement Tests). Passing scores were increased recently supposedly to better prepare students for more difficult exams in the future. Just as expected, the passing rates fell just as the the […]

Any activity that can be taken from the table top to the floor, or from sitting and working with hands to using the whole body, is usually good for young children. I saw this jumbo floor number line and started imagining all of the ways I would use it. It is big enough that children […]

Did you know the Museum of Science and Industry has replaced the ancient “Petroleum” exhibit with a new exhibit called “Numbers in Nature”? Last week, this article in the Chicago Tribune described the new math space and it sounds fabulous. The Mirror Maze terrifies me, but I might drive on down to Hyde Park to […]

There is a man who lives in my neighborhood who walks his dog around the same time as I do each morning. This guy virtually drags his poor dog down the block at break-neck speed. It makes me so sad for his poor little companion. It reminds me of a cartoon I once saw of […]

This page has about 20 links to educational math websites focused on young and very young children. When you browse through the sites, you will find a variety of resources for teachers (AAA Math) as well as fun and interactive online math games for children (Math Game Time). Kidsites.com also has a ton of information […]

Last week I observed a couple of three-year olds working very intently at a table. They were playing so hard that they didn’t even notice me walking over to them. You know the kind of play I mean; head down, completely focused, and entirely engrossed. When I saw what they were playing with, I was […]

Math Perspectives is a website dedicated to providing tools, resources, and assessments to teachers of preschool to sixth grade. In an easy-to-navigate format, this site provides research-based articles about math education, online professional development training opportunities ($$), as well as videos of math practice in action. Take a look and let us know what you […]