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- Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
- Kategorie: Bildung
- Sprache: Englisch
Help your child unlock their math potential with this intuitive guide to teaching new math Teaching Your Kids New Math, K-5 For Dummies makes it easy to understand the new math being taught to students in kindergarten to Grade 5, showing parents and guardians how to help their kids with the new methods and concepts that have been introduced since they finished school. You'll discover the math-teaching basics you need to help your kids with their math homework while becoming familiar with the grids, arrays, diagrams, and arrows that math students use today. You'll also get: * A step-by-step walkthrough for teaching young students essential math concepts, even if you think you're not a "math person" * Best practices, example problems, and tips and tricks about specific math topics that will help your youngster move forward * Ways to avoid common and typical math pitfalls and frustrations that trap math students and teachers Full of real-world examples and applications, Teaching Kids New Math, K-5, For Dummies is your essential companion to helping your child master their math assignments and have fun while you're doing it!
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Seitenzahl: 350
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022
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Teaching Your Kids New Math, K–5 For Dummies®
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Copyright © 2022 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey
Published simultaneously in Canada
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Library of Congress Control Number: 2022934351
ISBN: 978-1-119-86709-8 (pbk); 978-1-119-86710-4 (ebk); 978-1-119-86711-1 (ebk)
Teaching Your Kids New Math, K-5 For Dummies®
To view this book's Cheat Sheet, simply go to www.dummies.com and search for “Teaching Your Kids New Math, K-5 For Dummies Cheat Sheet” in the Search box.
Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Introduction
About This Book
Foolish Assumptions
Icons Used in This Book
Beyond the Book
Where to Go from Here
Part 1: Laying Down the Basics with Kindergarten Math
Chapter 1: Unleashing Your Inner Math Teacher
I’m Not Sure I Remember “Old Math,” and Now There Is “New Math”
Old Math, New Math, Common Core Math
It’s Not Too Late to Get Started
Your Return on Investment
Establish Your Routine
Keep a Positive Attitude
Chapter 2: Knowing the Number Names 1 to 9
Preparing for a Lesson
Practicing Counting with Flash Cards
Writing the Numbers 1 through 9
Counting Objects and Writing the Corresponding Number
Identifying Numbers on Playing Cards
Counting Numbers on a Number Line
Learning Your Phone Number
Chapter 3: Moving on up to 20
Tiptoeing into the Teens
Reviewing Your Phone Number
Going All the Way to 20
Learning the Relationship between Numbers 1 through 10 and 11 through 20
Counting by Twos through 20
Where To? Knowing Your Address
Chapter 4: Comparing Numbers: Understanding More and Less
Understanding More, Less, and Equal
Learning the Greater-than, Less-than, and Equal Symbols
Knowing and Counting the Numbers 1 through 30
Chapter 5: Understanding Positions, Sorts, and Categorization of Objects
Understanding In Front, Behind, and Next To
Categorizing Objects
Working up to Fabulous 40
Identifying Missing Numbers from 1 through 40
Moving on to Fantastic 50
Identifying Missing Numbers from 1 through 50
Comparing Numbers from 1 through 50
Chapter 6: Getting Specific about Size and Shape
Knowing the Concepts of Bigger, Smaller, and the Same
Learning to Measure
Weighing Different Objects
Edging up to 80
Evaluating Common Shapes
Knowing the Numbers 1 through 100
Chapter 7: Adding and Subtracting the Numbers 1 through 10
Starting with Basic Addition
Take It Away! Understanding Subtraction
Mixing It Up: Doing Addition and Subtraction
Understanding the Concept of Zero
Part 2: Figuring Out First Grade Math
Chapter 8: Adding and Subtracting through 100 without Regrouping
Identifying the Tens and Ones Places
Adding and Subtracting Numbers through 100 without Regrouping
Reviewing Flash Cards for Addition and Subtraction through 10
Completing a Timed Worksheet
Chapter 9: Pairing Numbers with Telling Time
Understanding the Concept of Time
Counting by Fives
Telling Time Using an Analog Clock
Working on Addition and Subtraction through 20
Counting by 2 through 100
Reviewing Counting by 10 through 100
Chapter 10: Getting a Feel for Fractions
Understanding Fractions
Identifying the Parts of a Fraction
Drawing Equivalent Fractions
Understanding Mixed Numbers
Recognizing Equivalent Fractions
Measuring Using Fractions
Comparing Fractions
Chapter 11: Introducing Charts, Graphs, and Word Problems
Reading Simple Charts
Creating Their Own Chart
Starting with Simple Word Problems
Part 3: Advancing with Second Grade Math
Chapter 12: Starting to Do Math in Their Head
Beginning to Add and Subtract Mentally
Counting to 1,000 by One Hundreds
Reviewing the Tens and Ones Places
Knowing the Hundreds, Tens, and Ones Places
Identifying Missing Numbers from 1 to 1,000
Adding and Subtracting Large Numbers without Regrouping
Revisiting Mental Addition and Subtraction
Comparing Large Numbers
Chapter 13: Having Some Fun with Money and Calendars
Counting Change
Understanding Calendars
Chapter 14: Revisiting Fractions
Reviewing Fractions
Mixing Things up with Mixed Numbers
Understanding What Equivalent Fractions Are
Comparing Fractions
Creating Equivalent Expressions
Creating Equivalent Expressions Using Addition and Subtraction
Chapter 15: Adding and Subtracting with Regrouping
Reviewing Addition without Regrouping
Using Boxes to Solve Addition Problems that Require Regrouping
Solving Addition Problems that Require Regrouping without Boxes
Adding Numbers Using Decomposition
Reviewing Subtraction without Regrouping
Understanding the Concept of “Borrowing”
Learning to Check Their Work
Using New Math to Add and Subtract Large Numbers
Checking Their Work Using a Number Line
Part 4: Tackling Third Grade Math
Chapter 16: Introducing Basic Multiplication and Division
Understanding the Multiplication Process
Understanding the Division Process
Checking Their Work
Chapter 17: Multiplying and Dividing Large Numbers
Reviewing Multiplication through 10 and Preparing for Timed Tests
Multiplying Two-Digit Numbers by Single-Digit Numbers (Old School)
Multiplying Numbers Using the Box Method (New Math)
Revisiting Division through 100 and Preparing for Timed Tests
Recognizing the Second Format for Division
Dividing with a Remainder
Dividing Larger Numbers
Dividing Large Numbers with a Remainder
Reviewing How to Check Work
Chapter 18: Going Deeper with Charts, Fractions, and Word Problems
Rounding Numbers
Reviewing Charts
Adding Like Fractions
Subtracting Like Fractions
Reducing Fractions
Revisiting Word Problems
Part 5: Focusing on Fourth Grade Math
Chapter 19: Mixing and Matching Operations
Working with Complex Expressions
Performing Multiplication and Division before Addition and Subtraction
Performing Operations within Parentheses First
Chapter 20: Understanding Factors through 100 and Numbers through 1,000,000
Factoring a Number
Understanding and Recognizing Prime Numbers
Creating a Factor Tree
Recognizing Place Values through 1,000,000
Placing a Comma in Big Numbers
Chapter 21: Pressing on with Even and Odd Numbers and Number Patterns
Knowing Even and Odd Numbers
Recognizing Number Patterns
Chapter 22: Doing Math with Multi-digit Numbers
Reviewing Addition with Regrouping
Adding Three Rows of Multi-digit Numbers
Adding Numbers through 1,000 (Old School)
Adding Multi-digit Numbers through 10,000
Adding Multi-digit Numbers Using a Number Line (New School)
Adding Numbers Using Rounding
Subtracting Multi-digit Numbers
Multiplying Multi-digit Numbers (Old School)
Multiplying Multi-digit Numbers Using the Box Method (New School)
Dividing Multi-digit Numbers
Chapter 23: Going Deeper with Fractions
Reviewing Adding Fractions
Reviewing Subtracting Fractions
Revisiting Fractions and Mixed Numbers
Reducing Improper Fractions
Reducing Fractions
Solving Word Problems That Use Fractions
Part 6: Advancing to Fifth Grade Math
Chapter 25: Revisiting Fractions, One More Time
Comparing Fractions
Adding Unlike Fractions
Subtracting Unlike Fractions
Multiplying Fractions
Dividing Fractions
Working with Mixed Numbers
Chapter 26: Knowing the Point of Decimals
Revisiting Money
Knowing the Tenths and Hundredths Places
Adding Numbers with Decimal Points
Subtracting Numbers with Decimal Points
Multiplying Numbers with Decimal Points
Recognizing Equivalent Decimals
Dividing Numbers with Decimal Points
Chapter 27: Looking at Lines, Angles, Areas, and Perimeters
Recognizing Parallel and Perpendicular Lines
Recognizing Common Angles
Calculating the Perimeter of a Rectangle
Understanding the Special Rectangle: The Square
Calculating the Perimeter of a Triangle
Knowing the Parts of a Circle
Calculating the Circumference of a Circle
Calculating the Area of a Shape
Part 7: The Part of Tens
Chapter 28: Top Ten Things to Remember about Teaching Your Child Math
Establish Your Child’s Baseline
Set Aside 15 Minutes a Day, Every Day
Keep the Focus on Your Child
Be Patient
Use Additional Resources
Take Time to Master Each Grade Level
Point Out Math in the Real World
Praise the Things Your Child Does Well
Talk with Your Child’s Teacher
Keep It Fun
Chapter 29: Ten Next Steps in Your Child’s Education
Read with Your Child
Be Involved
Keep Video Games to a Reasonable Amount
Help Your Child Learn Computer Skills
Implement a Word of the Day
Ensure Adequate Sleep Time
Encourage Learning a Musical Instrument
Learn a Second Language Together
Listen and Talk to Your Child
Involve Your Child
Index
About the Author
Advertisement Page
Connect with Dummies
End User License Agreement
List of Illustrations
Chapter 2
FIGURE 2-1: Use a worksheet to practice writing the numbers 1 through 9.
Chapter 6
FIGURE 6-1: Common shapes.
FIGURE 6-2: Tracing and drawing common shapes.
FIGURE 6-3: Advanced shapes.
Chapter 9
FIGURE 9-1: Hours and minutes on digital clocks.
FIGURE 9-2: Clocks with different hours and minutes.
FIGURE 9-3: A clock with hour and minute hands.
Chapter 10
FIGURE 10-1: Slicing a sandwich in half.
FIGURE 10-2: Slicing a pizza into four equal parts.
FIGURE 10-3: Dividing a rectangle into portions.
FIGURE 10-4: Shading the portions for five-sixths.
FIGURE 10-5: Mixed numbers shown as shapes.
FIGURE 10-6: A portion of a circle represented as one-half and two-fourths.
FIGURE 10-7: A portion of a rectangle represented as one-half and three-sixths.
FIGURE 10-8: Comparing fractions using >, <, and =.
Chapter 11
FIGURE 11-1: A chart showing the number of books read.
FIGURE 11-2: A chart showing lemonade sales.
FIGURE 11-3: A chart showing the number of apples picked.
FIGURE 11-4: A chart showing votes for class president.
FIGURE 11-5: A partially complete chart.
FIGURE 11-6: A completed chart showing the number of books each person read.
FIGURE 11-7: The start of a chart to track the number of books read over one we...
FIGURE 11-8: A simple word problem.
FIGURE 11-9: A second word problem.
FIGURE 11-10: A story problem about the ever-popular pizza.
FIGURE 11-11: A word problem to be solved with a chart.
FIGURE 11-12: A chart to track the number of books read.
Chapter 14
FIGURE 14-1: Shaded whole shapes and pieces to illustrate mixed numbers.
FIGURE 14-2: The numbers are different, but the shaded area is the same.
FIGURE 14-3: Comparing two fractions.
Chapter 27
FIGURE 27-1: A protractor measures angles.
FIGURE 27-2: Common angles and their degrees.
Guide
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Table of Contents
Begin Reading
Index
About the Author
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Introduction
People use math every day: to shop, to decide when they need to stop for gas, to know when to tune in to watch their favorite team play their division rivals, to pinch pennies, and more.
Math is not new. Newton used math to understand gravity. Columbus used math to find a new world, and Einstein used math to explain the workings of the universe. Don’t worry; all those topics are covered in different books. This one is focused strictly on math.
With all the great things that math has given us throughout history, you may be asking, “Why do we need new math?”
It turns out that math, like a fine wine, improves over time. New math, therefore, is a result of finding better ways to solve problems.
The good news is that we call it “new math,” not “hard math.” New math techniques for solving addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division problems are easier for kids (and parents) to learn and master.
This book provides step-by-step instructions for how to use both old and new math to solve problems that kindergartners through fifth-graders must know. It also provides instructions, examples, and practice problems, and sometimes suggests what you should say as you teach your child.
About This Book
There are many reasons why you may have chosen this book. Perhaps your child just asked you for help with their math homework and you experienced a new math “uh-oh” moment. Maybe you just left a parent-teacher conference with practice problems you don’t understand, or perhaps, your little math whiz is ready for math at the next grade level.
Regardless of your reasons, you’ve got the right book.
This book presents the math your child must know from kindergarten through fifth grade, with each chapter focusing on specific key concepts. If your child needs help with only fractions or telling time, you can turn to a specific chapter that addresses that topic. If your child is struggling at their current grade level, you can take a step back and strengthen their foundation, knowledge, and confidence from previous grades.
Within each chapter, you will find step-by-step instructions for how to teach each concept. I’ve also provided many example problems for you to work through with your child. Let them solve the problems right on the book’s pages if you want — it’s your book after all.
Foolish Assumptions
I like math — math works! I usually get correct change at the grocery store, I can identify the largest slice of pizza, and I know when the bathroom scale must be broken. That said, I recognize that math may not be everyone’s favorite thing to do!
Relax. If it’s been a while since you’ve done math without the help of your phone’s calculator app, you’ll be fine. In fact, you may surprise yourself with what you remember!
Don’t let the phrase “new math” intimidate you. This book covers good ol’ addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, just in new ways. You can teach an old dog new tricks, and you can quickly learn new ways to solve old problems!
Icons Used in This Book
The Tip icon marks tips (duh!) and shortcuts that you can use to make learning new math easier, and sometimes when to know that it’s time to take a break!
The Remember icon points out things that you should, uh, remember! You and your child will examine a lot of topics throughout this book. I include this icon for those things you should keep in the back of your mind as you move forward.
Beyond the Book
Becoming a “math whiz” requires practice. I’ve sprinkled many math problems your child can complete throughout this book. But because I know “practice makes perfect,” I’ve provided many worksheets of problems on this book’s companion website at www.dummies.com/go/teachingyourkidsnewmathfd. As you and your child work your way through this book, you should take the time to download and print the corresponding practice worksheets.
In addition, should you need quick help on a math process and you don’t have this book handy, I’ve created a cheat sheet you can download and print that will help you with many key concepts. You’ll also find it at www.dummies.com/go/teachingyourkidsnewmathfd.
Where to Go from Here
This book’s chapters present kindergarten through fifth-grade math in order. However, many math problems occur because kids don’t have a strong foundation in concepts taught prior to their current grade levels. I recommend that you review the math from earlier grade levels with your child. In so doing, you will strengthen their knowledge and build their confidence in what they know! In fact, it may even make math fun!
Lastly, if you are pressed for time and your child just placed the homework due today next to your coffee and orange juice, you can jump directly to the corresponding topic in this book to save the day. Later, when you have a few more minutes, you and your child can review the rest of the chapter.
Part 1
Laying Down the Basics with Kindergarten Math
IN THIS PART …
Putting on your “math teacher” hat
Recognizing, counting, and writing the digits 1 through 9
Counting through 20 and using a number line
Counting and comparing numbers through 30
Sorting and categorizing objects
Measuring and weighing objects and learning common shapes
Adding and subtracting numbers through 10
Chapter 1
Unleashing Your Inner Math Teacher
IN THIS CHAPTER…
Building your teaching confidence
Taking a deep breath and getting started
Justifying your investment of time
Establishing a teaching plan
Planning your teaching road map
People buy books to help their kids with homework for many reasons. Some want to give their child an advantage, some are tired of the daily homework struggles, and many, who didn’t even want to remember “old math,” find “new math” unrecognizable. Whatever your reason for buying this book, relax! If you fall into this last category, then this book is your guide. In it, I sometimes tell you what to say, not just to teach your child “new math,” but also to build their confidence along the way!
People often say they don’t like math because they have never really understood it, but you don’t need to be a math scholar to teach your child kindergarten through fifth-grade math. Perhaps Albert Einstein said it best:
Do not worry too much about your difficulties in mathematics. I can assure you that mine are still greater.
I’m Not Sure I Remember “Old Math,” and Now There Is “New Math”
If you are like most people, you use the calculator app on your phone to add, subtract, multiply, and divide, and it’s been a while since you had to perform long division or reduce fractions. Don’t worry. In this book, I walk you through each process so you can present and teach it to your child with confidence. You’ll probably amaze your friends and family with your newfound expertise, and you may even surprise yourself!
If you were born before 2010, you learned to add numbers by carrying, subtract numbers by borrowing, and multiply numbers without the use of boxes. Here’s an example of old-school multiplication:
You’ve likely used these techniques successfully throughout your adult life — that is, until your child asked you for help with their homework! Carrying and borrowing aren’t how your child adds and subtracts. Instead, they use approaches that may seem more confusing than a foreign language. Here’s the same multiplication problem solved with “new math” boxes:
30
7
20
600
140
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21
Take a deep breath! I like old-school math, and it has worked well for me. But, unlike an old dog, I am willing to learn new tricks, and I must admit that the “new math” techniques are easy, accurate, and fast! In this book, I present you with how to teach your child not only the old-school techniques, but also how to master the new math as well.
Traditions die slowly. That said, you need to be open to the new ways of learning — especially if you want to help your child master math. My goal with the techniques in this book is to make it enjoyable for your child to learn new math with you. The bond you will create with your child is possibly more important than establishing their math foundation for future success.
Old Math, New Math, Common Core Math
Years ago, smart people in each state would get together and establish the state’s learning curriculum — the things teachers in that state would teach. The problem was that each state’s curriculum was different. What a first-grader learned in California might be different from what a first-grader learned in Alaska or Wyoming. Simultaneously, math scores within the United States were falling. In fact, as of 2015, math scores in the United States had fallen from first to thirty-fifth in the world!
In 2009, the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers got together to create the Common Core State Standards Association. From that group, Common Core Math was born.
If you ask a roomful of educators to comment on Common Core, you will hear a wide range of opinions. Some love it! They want to see standards across grade levels and across the country. Others hate it. They want the government to leave curriculum decisions to the individual states. This book does not debate for either side. Instead, I simply present the math skills these groups identified as important for your child to know and for teachers to teach.
It’s Not Too Late to Get Started
It’s great that you’ve picked this book. If your child is struggling with math or you are struggling to help them, this book can help solve the problem. If your goal is to help your child get ahead, you can help them master the skills for their current grade level and then move on.
If your child is struggling today, it’s likely because they didn’t master the skills in a previous grade level. That problem is easy to solve. This book starts with kindergarten math. You may want to start there regardless of your child’s current grade level. Depending on your child’s age and current skills, you may move through that content quickly. The successes your child will experience will give them greater confidence in their knowledge, and you may find that you’re able to fill in a few key gaps.
In any case, if your child is having trouble at their current grade level, you can simply turn back a few pages to a previous grade level and lay a better foundation. Remember, you paid for the entire book. Use it!
You may be worried that you are too busy to help your child with math or that you can’t learn new math. Relax. You have the right book. Raising kids can be hard. The good news is that teaching math is not. You can do this!
Your Return on Investment
Kids who do well in math tend to do well in school. Conversely, kids who struggle in math often struggle in school. Math is important. That’s why schools teach math every day and in every grade.
Students who do well in school tend to go to college, and college graduates tend to earn more than $1 million more in their lifetimes than workers without a college degree. The time investment to work through this book is about 15 minutes per day. With the potential for an extra $1 million at stake, that’s a great return on the investment of your time!
Establish Your Routine
A key to your success in teaching your child math is to establish a daily routine that works for both of you. You might, for example, practice flash cards before breakfast and work on other math problems before dinner.
By establishing a routine, you will find that you can make time and that your child has the expectation that you will be working together. Knowing that you care about their success is important to your child.
Keep a Positive Attitude
Mathematical problems have a right and wrong answer, and your child will sometimes make math errors. The key is how you respond in such situations. Be positive about the problems your child gets right, and remain positive about what they can learn from the problems they get wrong. You will find that a positive attitude about math is contagious, and being positive will help your child succeed.
Have fun! You are setting out on an adventure that will forever change your child’s life.
Chapter 2
Knowing the Number Names 1 to 9
IN THIS CHAPTER…
Counting by the numbers 1 through 9
Writing numbers 1 through 9
Learning your phone number
Numbers and counting are important. Without them, musicians could not keep the beat, sports teams could not keep score, and Neil Armstrong could not have taken “One small step for man.” Without numbers, there’d be no speed limits — wait, that might be kind of cool, not that you want to tell your kids that. But anyway, counting requires numbers, and in this chapter, your child is going to start learning them. So, let’s get going; it will be as easy as 1, 2, 3!
Before you get started, you’ll want to have the following supplies on hand:
Box of 100 straws
Deck of 3x5 index cards
Deck of playing cards
Preparing for a Lesson
Before you start teaching your child, first prepare a few key teaching tools. To start, write the numbers 1 through 9 on individual 3x5 index cards, as shown below:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
If you don’t have 3x5 index cards, sheets of paper will do — however, because you’ll be practicing daily, the index cards may be more durable and easier to store. Next, I recommend using straws as objects your child can count. They’re also sturdy, and colorful straws can make the activity more fun. You can buy boxes of 100 (or more) straws from the grocery story, a wholesale store, or an online retailer such as Amazon.com. If you don’t have straws, you can substitute pennies or any other small objects. Later, I suggest that you use playing cards, so if you don’t already have some, you may want to pick some up while you are shopping.
Try to pick a quiet location where you and your child can work without distraction such as the kitchen table away from a TV.
Place the index card with the number 1 face up on the table and give your child one straw.
Tell your child, “This is the number 1, and you have one straw.”
Repeat this process with the index card with the number 2, and place the second straw in front of your child on the table.
Place the card with the number 1 next to the card with the number 2:
1
2
Ask your child to point to the number that matches the number of straws they have.
They should point to the number 2. If not, take one straw away from them and say, “You pointed to the number 1. You had two straws, but now you have one.”
Place the card with the number 3 on the table and pick up three straws:
1
2
3
Count the straws out loud, “one, two, three,” as you place them in front of your child.
Point to each card, again counting out loud.
Ask your child to point to the number 3.
Repeat this process for the numbers 4 and then 5:
1
2
3
4
5
Ask your child to point to the number 1 and ask them to pick up one straw.
As they pick up the straw, have them count out loud. Repeat this process for two straws, then three, four, and five. Then ask your child to put down the straws.
Point to any number and ask your child to pick up the corresponding number of straws, counting the straws out loud as they take them.
With the five index cards facing up, present one to five straws to your child, allowing them to count them out loud.
Then have your child point to the corresponding number on the index cards.
Repeat this process until your child masters the numbers 1 through 5 — which may take a few lessons.
As your child starts with counting, count the numbers out loud with your child as they count.
Learning math takes time and patience. Pay attention to when your child has had enough, and always try to end the lesson on a successful note. As a general rule, 10-minute sessions work well for most concepts.
In your next lesson, you can add the numbers 6 and 7:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
After your child masters the numbers 1 through 7, you can repeat this process for the numbers 8 and 9.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Practicing Counting with Flash Cards
One of the best ways to master essential math skills is to practice them regularly. Flash cards are a great learning tool.
Using the numbered index cards, place the cards in order from 1 through 9.
Start with the number 1 and present the card to your child, having them say the number out loud.
Repeat the process one or two times as you present the cards in order.
After your child has mastered the ordered numbers, shuffle the cards and present the cards one at a time out of order.
If you do not have index cards, you can point to the numbers printed here, first in order and then out of order:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Also, if you happen to have the Uno card game, you can use the cards to practice counting with your child.
Counting different objects
Throughout the day, there are many opportunities for your child to master counting through the numbers you have practiced thus far. You might, for example, count your child’s books, the number of socks in the laundry, the number of plates on the table, and so on. Find opportunities for your child to count. The more you practice with your child, the stronger their counting skills will become.
Pointing out numbers
As you encounter numbers throughout your day, point out the numbers to your child and have them say the numbers out loud. You might count the numbers on your phone, prices at the grocery store, gas prices at the pump, or even the page numbers of this book. When you encounter large numbers, such as a price ($19.95), have your child say the numbers one at a time: “One, nine, nine, five.”
Writing the Numbers 1 through 9
After your child can read and recognize the numbers 1 through 9, they can learn to write each of them. Worksheet 2-1 at this book’s companion website (www.dummies.com/go/teachingyourkidsnewmathfd) is good practice for tracing and printing the numbers 1 through 9, as shown in Figure 2-1.
FIGURE 2-1: Use a worksheet to practice writing the numbers 1 through 9.
Allow your child to write the numbers within this book. Also, as your child traces the numbers on worksheets you print, your focus should be on whether they draw the correct number rather than on using perfect handwriting.
Counting Objects and Writing the Corresponding Number
After your child knows the numbers 1 through 9, they should demonstrate that they can transfer their understanding by counting objects on a worksheet and writing the corresponding number.
Download and print Worksheet 2-2 from this book’s companion website and help your child count the pictures out loud and write the corresponding number.
Identifying Numbers on Playing Cards
Throughout this book, you will use a deck of playing cards for different purposes. Here’s one example of how you can use playing cards to practice with your child:
Remove the face cards and the ‘10’ card from the deck of cards, leaving the rest, aces through nine.
Explain to your child that in most card games, the ace card counts as 1.
Mix up the cards in your hand, flip them over one at a time, and ask your child to name the corresponding number.
If your child misses a number, have them count the number of objects on the card and name it again.
Repeat the process until your child masters the numbers 1 through 9.
Then place your cards face down on the table (hiding the numbers), and tell your child that you are going to play a game like so:
Tell your child that they will turn over a card.
If your child can name the number correctly, they get to keep the card. Otherwise, you get to keep the card.
Tell your child that they can count the objects on the card to help.
After your child names the last card, the one with the most cards wins!
If your child has difficulty with all the numbers in the card deck, work first with the cards for the numbers 1 through 5. After your child has mastered those numbers, you can move on to additional numbers, adding first the cards for 6, then 7, and so on.
Counting Numbers on a Number Line
Later in this book, you will use number lines to teach your child to add and subtract. When your child knows the numbers by sight, it’s a great time to introduce a number line, as shown here:
Introduce the number line to your child by telling them that a number line shows the numbers 1 through 9 in numerical order and that they can use it to help them count.
As your child works with the number line, have them touch the corresponding numbers on the line as they count.
Have your child count the numbers 1 through 9 using the number line.
Point to a number and ask your child to start counting from that number through 9.
For example, point to the number 4 and ask your child to start counting from there.
After your child can successfully count to 9 from different numbers, say to your child, “Let’s try counting without using the number line.”
Start by saying “one” out loud with your child. Then say, “one, two.”
Repeat this process until your child can count from 1 through 9.
If your child can’t remember a number, allow them to look on the number line.
The next step is to present number lines with missing numbers, like the one I show here, and to explain that the missing numbers need to be filled in. Help your child with the first few and then allow them to complete the rest.
If your child has difficulty with a number, have him or her count from 1 up to the missing number.
Learning Your Phone Number
For safety reasons, it’s very good for your child to know your phone number. Also, your child will find it great fun to know that they know your number!
Many phone numbers have the number zero, a concept covered in Chapter 7. For now, simply introduce the number to your child by name: “This number is zero; you will learn more about it soon.”
Write your phone number (including the area code) on a piece of paper.
Have your child start at the first number and say the digits of your phone number as they are written.
Say the first three numbers out loud and have your child repeat them without looking at the paper.
Repeat this process several times.
When your child has mastered the three digits of the area code, focus on the next three numbers by saying and repeating them.
Have your child say the first three numbers from memory and then read the three numbers that follow from the paper. Repeat this process a few times and then say the numbers from memory with your child.
Repeat this process with the last four digits.
If you have a second phone available, allow your child to type in the numbers and call you!
Allow your child to keep the paper with your phone number. Repeat this process for several lessons until your child has memorized your number.
