I just can't say enough about these gems! We love'em and they are so much help with those tedious basic math facts. We have the addition & subtraction ones, but they also have multiplication and division cubes too! http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?product_code=51564606 There are MANY places to find them (not just CompUSA) and the nice thing is that they are very affordable AND fun! Anyone else use them too?
My dd has always had trouble with her basic facts....still uses her fingers alot. This would be a really fun way to practice them......she HATES flash cards!! Thanks for sharing.
Deena, I think you roll them, then have to answer the problem that shows up front. Like 2-2 is what? they look cool
We toss one like a beach ball, and where-ever your left thumb lands when you catch it, that's the problem you have to read aloud and solve (or you could designate the right thumb). Now that she's mastered addition facts through 9, we expand upon the game. Now, instead of just solving the problem, after the "catcher" gives her answer, she waits to throw it back until the other player rephrases the same problem. Example: Cube is caught. Catcher reads aloud problem under left thumb and states the answer (6+2=8) Now the other player rephrases problem but keeping the same sum (2+6=8) or many other variations.... These are so much more fun (and TANGIBLE) than flash cards, and I can't say enough about 'em now that we've got the hang of how to use 'em!
Sounds cool! Wonder if that'd help my dd remember her multiplication tables? It may be worth a try! Wonder if there are any to be found around my neck of the woods?
For $0.88 I go to Walmart and get a regular BeachBall and write the math facts, myself, in Sharpie" (Black Marker). Cheaper than $6-$8 a pop. Especially for anything inflatable around this house! I see these and the Alphabet Balls around, but I would rather spend a few moments and a marker on making my own. (Anyone remember my AlphBalls from this past autumn?) Plus! You get to make all kinds, like "Write your own Science Questions!" Or whatever you are learning..... I mean, for $0.88 and customizable, it's hard to go wrong... Here is a link to the post of when the AlphaBall died.. Man, that was funny! http://homeschoolspot.com/showthread.php?t=3167 And yes, we just grabbed another beachball....
Well you could take a letter of the alphabet and you have to name something that begins with that letter. If they are old enough they have to spell it too.
What a great idea! Trouble is, I would probably never get around to "doing it myself" *LOL*! Does anyone else suffer from this vicious cycle? Have a GREAT idea! Perhaps even make out a detailed plan/list Gather/purchase ALL the supplies needed for "the GREAT idea"... Stash supplies in one place, lose the notes in a different place, forget all about 1st GREAT idea because #2 idea just crashed full-force into your brain cells and you get busy: Making out a detailed plan/list Gathering/purchasing/prepping all needed supplies, stash and dash once again.... Repeat :roll: It's very frustrating.
Another idea would be to write various digraphs (ch, sh, th, ck...) OR blends (st, pl, fr....) and have the catcher come up w/ a word containing the digraph/ blend the thumb lands on. Thanks for the inspiration, Kris! (BTW-You are still going to be with us on the forum even though you're moving, right? It wouldn't be the same w/o you!!!) :cry:
Shamrocks now Easter Eggs for math facts. We recently had success using holiday themed activities for math, so we are going to try again with Easter. For St. Patrick's we used a green had purchased for 1.00 at Target's dollar section and contruction paper shamrocks with numbers on them to randomly create math problems to practice simple math facts. For easter I will use the cheap plastic easter eggs. I think we will put little pieces of cardboard with numbers in the eggs, and pull them from an Easter basket. Jelly beans for counters might be employed as well during this time. I am also going to print out some paragraphs for my student to read, and put them in eggs one day, or roll them up and tape them to the backs of our collection of bunnies, ducks, chicks, and other Easter related small stuffed animals. We recycle this stuff each year and they love this stuff because they only see it at this time.
uhhhhhhmmmmm.......NO! Of course not.......... Okay, YES, I DO! It IS frustrating, but know you're not alone!
Great idea! Would you please share any 'games' you play with yours, and any other "AlphaBall information?" I think our boys would enjoy these! Thanks!
With a "Letters" ball or Alpha-ball: Toss the ball and the item that your left or right (Or whatever you want) thumb lands on . . . Tell me what the letter name is. Tell me what the letter says. Give me a word that starts with that letter. What letter comes before that letter, in the alphabet? What letter comes after that letter in the alphabet? Is it a vowel or a consonant? Out of the last three letters that we landed on, can you put them in alphabetical order? Number Balls.... (Digits written on the ball) What is that number? What comes before that number? What comes after that number? If I add two to that number, what number would it be? If I subtract 3 from that number, what would it be? Is it a prime number? What is half of that number? Word Balls....(My FAVorite) (Simple words taken from their spelling lists for about a months worth of spelling units.....) What is that word? Without looking (More than once to see which word it is) Can you spell it? What is the first letter of that word? What is the last letter of that word? Is it a verb, noun, pronoun, adjective, adverb, preposition, conjunction or interjection? Use the word in a sentence. Out of the last two or three words that we landed on, can you put them in alphabetical order? How many syllables in that word? Give me an antonym of that word. Give me a synonym of that word. I do not know how to play with just one child, but the parent can be a team player and work something out. We have three children, but two are 1st grade and one is just learning to read and add... so... When she plays with us, we adjust our questions to suit her level... Otherwise, we simply play by tossing the ball int he air, back and forth until Mom says, "STOP"!.The person with the ball, then answers. Sometimes it is the same person twice. (Which means that if I think some one needs more work I can try to get them to answer more questions.... sneaky) I'm sure there are more creative ways out there, this is just what WE do........ Have fun!
