Many elementary studentsstruggle
with learning fractions. But with the right information and know-how, you can
instill a love of numbers in your child that will help them succeed both inside
and outside of the classroom. That's why it's so important to take an
individual approach when trying to teach them how to calculate fractions.
Consider
Their Interests
If you can find the place
where your child's interests meet the world of mathematics, they will take to
these new concepts like a fish to water. You can find ways to explain
fractions using an activity they have already shown an interest in, and then a
seemingly complicated concept like fractions is instantly more familiar and
comfortable to them.
1.
Legos
Maybe your child loves to
create things with Legos. If so, you can use this existing interest to easily
explain how fractions work. Use the different colors of their Lego set to give
them a visual representation of a fraction. Then, have them draw and label the
fraction on a blank sheet of paper.
2.
Baseball
If your child has an interest
in America's favorite pastime, you can use it to teach them about fractions.
For instance, you can play a game of catch as a fun way to demonstrate a
real-life example of this skill. Throw the ball x amount of
times – keeping track of the number of times you catch and throw the ball on a
sheet of paper. After you're done, help your child write down the fraction that
represents how many times they caught it compared to how many times it was
thrown.
3.
Dominoes
If your family loves game
night – dominoes might be the perfect tool to teach your child about fractions.
Make up your own domino game to sneak in a math lesson with game night.
4.
Pizza
Who doesn't love a hot,
cheesy pizza? But you probably didn't realize how easily you can use it to
teach your kid about fractions. Next time you order a pie, count how many
slices there are and have your child figure out the fractions as it disappears
slice by slice.
5.
Smartphones
Put the "smart" in
smartphone by using it to help your child understand the concept of fractions.
There are a lot of great apps designed to make math both fun and easy for young
students, such as Squeebles.
Bottom
Denominator
Regardless of what subject
you're teaching your child, it's important to make it relevant to their
everyday experiences. Find something they already enjoy doing, then find a way
to teach them about fractions using their unique and pre-existing interests. Elementary students at the Montessori School of Pleasanton are encouraged to use everyday activities to enhance their learning. To learn how to incorporate specific Montessori activities into your home life,contact ustoday to schedule an appointment with our teachers and staff.
Living in the Bay Area
provides a plethora of destinations to learn about history. Learning about the
past can be an exciting adventure for children, providing fodder for their
active imaginations. Take time this summer, while the children are off of
school to visit one or all of these historical places. 1. Drawbridge GhostTown Drawbridge is the San
Francisco Bay Area's only ghost town. Originally a hunting village, it became a
true ghost town in 1979 and is sinking into the marshlands. The only path that
leads into Drawbridge is an abandoned railroad track, which is somewhat
dangerous and means possible falling into waist-deep marsh for those who
attempt the trip. At one time 10 passenger trains stopped in Drawbridge every
day, and the one small cabin was for the operator of the railroad's two
drawbridges, which were removed long ago. 2. Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum The Essanay Studios was the
earliest home of California's motion picture industry. This is where Broncho
Billy and Charlie Chaplin made silent films between 1912 and 1916 -- remember
Chaplin’s “The Tramp”? The non-profit museum is in the century-old Nickelodeon
Edison Theater. Every Saturday evening there are screenings of those early films,
many of which were done locally. 3. Ardenwood Historic Farm Opened to the public on
July 28, 1985, the park includes a large forest, what is still a working farm
producing vegetables and wheat and a large pumpkin patch in the Fall, and a
mansion which was first constructed in 1857 by George Washington Patterson. He
called the estate "Ardenwood" after England’s forested area described
in Shakespeare's As You Like It. One large Queen Anne Victorian section was
added in 1889. In 1915, a remodel of the old farm house added a kitchen with a
large bedroom above it, a sun porch, a nursery, and a bathroom that had indoor
plumbing. The park’s Railroad Museum
operates the recreation of a narrow gauge horse-drawn railway and has a
collection of railroad cars and other artifacts. The park hosts many events
including a celebration on Independence Day, an antique fair on the last Sunday
every August, a Railroad Fair on Labor Day, a Harvest Festival in October,
numerous Halloween celebrations complete with a haunted railroad, and more. 4. Mayhew's Sulphur Spring This is located 600 feet
north of the Niles railroad depot. In September 1869, a short four months after
the famous Promontory Summit, Utah, golden spike ceremony, the Central Pacific
Railroad was able to complete the long-awaited transcontinental link between
the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento and finished the track through the nearby
Niles Canyon. 5. Mission San Jose in Fremont One of the oldest of the
California historic Spanish missions, the church building is a re-construction
dedicated in 1985 of the adobe church of 1809 that unfortunately was destroyed
in the Hayward-fault earthquake of 1868. The original quadrangle had one side
that remains and is a museum.
Schedule a tour atThe Montessori School in Newark applies the educational philosophy and methods of Maria Montessori, M.D., a renowned Italian physician and child educator. The Montessori concept of education allows children to experience the joy of learning at an early age. To learn more about our Montessori Primary and Kindergarten program contact us to schedule a tour.
Children
are active learners. Montessori principles encourage children to participate in
both outdoor and indoor activities as part of the hands-on approach to
learning. The use of herb garden adventures inspires children to learn about
nature and the natural world around them. From outdoor garden plots to small
containers within the classroom, children love to play in the dirt. Highly
trained Montessori instructors aid children’s natural curiosity by providing
the right tools to learn about the natural world. Starting from a simple seed
to watch the tiny sprouts, each step in the natural process is a chance to
learn. Starting with Seeds Seeds
are the best way to inspire children to learn about the growing process. The
germination of seeds can be done in a variety of ways to help children view the
emergence of a plant.
Begin by placing seeds on a wet folded paper towel or
cotton ball.
Gently place the seeds and water source into a plastic
bag.
Remember to place the seeds outward for optimal
viewing.
Keep seeds moist but remember not to overwater.
Depending on the amount of sun the seed bags can be
taped to the window to provide maximum exposure.
In
combination with the plastic bag process, seeds can be placed into planting
flats or small pots to ensure proper growth. The simple process can inspire
children to learn about the importance of the sun, water and soil to herb
plants. Each step allows children to pursue the activities further with more
opportunities to learn. The prepared learning environment may have books and
other activities relating to the care of plants. Care and Maintenance Along
with growing the seeds, incorporating care and maintenance of the plants can be
part of the learning experience.
Children can track the progress of plant growth.
Measuring the height of plants allows students to view how plants are
growing each day or week.
If transplanting the herbs outdoors, allow the children
a chance to track insects in the plant beds. Keeping a record of insects
gives children a chance to explore different species within the area.
The importance of worms is part of the herb garden
planting process. Worms help move the soil which increases air and water.
Children can learn the importance of keeping the soil
free from debris to allow for maximum plant growth.
The
ongoing teachable moments of herb garden adventures can only be enhanced by the
children’s natural desire to learn. Each step in the care and maintenance
process of the herb plants is a hands-on learning experience. Allowing the
children to learn through the use of their senses, aids in the development of
cognitive skills, physical growth, social interaction and critical thinking. Extension of the Herb Garden Adventures By
introducing herb gardening into the classroom curriculum, children will want to
continue to learn about plants and the natural world. The idea a small seed
produces a tasty herb, vegetable, fruit or a towering tree will peak children’s
curiosity to continuing learning. The introduction of composting and the care
of the environment can be part of the extended curriculum. The Montessori
instructors will observe each child’s interests to help build upon their natural
desire to learn about a specific area pertaining to the herb garden adventures.
As
a parent, if you would like more information on how gardening helps children
learn, please contact the Montessori School of Pleasanton for a tour. Our staff will be more than happy to answer
all your questions on how your child can benefit from our children's primary program.
