Bedtime Math

One of the most effective ways to help your children with math is to talk with them about the numbers and math they see every day.

Research from the University of Chicago showed that family use of Bedtime Math 

significantly boosts kids’ math performance. Within just one school year, kids who did Bedtime Math improved their math achievement on average by three months more than children who didn’t. Better yet, kids of the most math-anxious parents who chose to do Bedtime Math had gains of half a school year.

Bedtime Math helps parents talk to kids about math in a fun and engaging way. They post zany daily math riddles for kids aged 3-9, with different levels of math. No logins. No drilling. No scores. Whether it’s flamingos, ninjas or pillow forts, kids can see the math in their favorite topics. It’s fun and it’s easy - even for parents who don’t like math themselves! 

It is free to get the app, receive daily emails of problems, follow on facebook or twitter.

Bedtimemath.org

Fermi Off the Wall Math League

Some students in 2nd, 4th & 5th grade are working on Fermi Math problems during WIN time. 

So what is Fermi Math all about? What makes it Fermi?

A Fermi question is posed with limited information given.

• How many water balloons would it take fill grandma's bathtub?
• How many rubber duckies will fill the trunk of a VW Beetle?
• How much fabric would it take to make jeans for Paul Bunyan?
• How many eggs would fit in the Trojan Horse's body?

A Fermi question requires that students ask many more questions.

• What are the approximate dimensions of the bathtub?
• What kind of duckies? Babies? Ernie's? Mallard?... 
• Do you want those jeans with or without five pockets?
• What kind of eggs? Dinosaur eggs? Wren eggs? Duck eggs?... The list goes on.

A Fermi question emphasizes process rather than the answer.

• A Fermi question demands communication and writing.
• A Fermi question utilizes estimation, rounding numbers and guess

How does Fermi work?

• After reading about the challenge, students estimate an answer to the problem.
  Next, students generate a list of 10 questions (at least) about the problem. 
  Then, they decide which questions are important to solve the problem. 
  They figure out how to answer those questions to come to a conclusion.
• Finally,  they prepare a poster to explain their process. 

How does the competition work?

• Hall students are not participating in the international competition this year. 
• Their teachers and peers are evaluating their work in class. 

Where can I see the problems on which my child is working?

• Click the word "Fermi" in the list of labels on the sidebar --->

For more information about Fermi Math click here

2nd Grade Fermi Math Problem 1 - Fire Safety

 November 9-November 15 -- Fire Safety -- 2nd Grade

We are thinking about Fire safety. Our problem asks How long it takes to do 5 fire drills at home or at school. 

First students estimate how long a fire drill would take, then they use that estimate to figure out how long 5 fire drills would take. 

Students may choose to work alone, or in teams. 
Students may work at home with families to devise a way to solve the problem and bring their data & models to school to continue, or they can work in class.