My dd is entering 3rd grade. We're using MUS, but she gets board of workbooks on a daily basis. What does everyone here do to make this subject more enjoyable? I found big brainz timez attack to download. Has anyone used this?
I've used TimezAttack, but my kids didn't like it. abcteach has some interesting games and tables and charts to break up the tedium of memorizing tables, but for the most part, multiplication is just boring. I spent an entire school year last year on multiplication and got so sick of the repetition, but I was determined that my kids would memorize them if it took them 5 years! I'm not sure there is any way to make it more fun. sorry I couldn't be more help.
fun4thebrain.com and coolmath4kids.com are great math sites. They have awesome games and really seem to help
For random field trips: We listened to the schoolhouse rock songs. The four times song says "we went to the four-footed zoo/and counted our four-legged friends" or something like that. So we went to the zoo and practiced multiplication. Same with the real world applications. I want to make all of you 5 cookies, how many cookies do I need to make. My daughter complained about memorizing 6s and 7s and whatnot, but taught herself to memorize 12s because apparently they were more interesting....
Have you tried teaching her with multiple arrays? I found it helpful to get the ball rolling and also we used lego bricks as a manipulative.
Have a look at the lattice method of multiplication. Go to youtube and watch a few videos on the lattice method. When once children have mastered it they can multiply large numbers together, and they think it's fun.
Tara My DS11 has been using TimeZAttack. It is a game that he somewhat likes. He doesn't balk at having to play it. I have him play approx 30 mins. at a time. It is getting good results. DS9 doesn't like it. But I haven't found anything he has liked to learn his mult. facts. Maybe I'll try lattice method with DS9 Debbie
Give Math-It Timzit and/or Life of Fred a try. They both have very interesting and unique ways of memorizing the facts. I actually was able to learn some the best "tricks" about multiplication facts from Math-It....like when multiplying by 9, the 1st number is one less number than the number you are using to multiply by 9 and then the 2nd # is whatever # needed to equal 9. Sounds confusing, but basically 9x8=72....1st # is one less number than 9. 7 plux 2 equals 9, so the anwer is 72. Try it for any of the 9's. Then for the 11's, you put the sum of the 2 #'s in between the 2 #'s. For example, 11x24=264 because 2 plus 4 equals 6 and the 6 goes in between the 2 and the 4. Those are just a few examples of what he has listed for cool tricks that are pretty fun and very very quick to learn once you see the pattern. He has some games to go with it as well. Christianbook.com has a really, really good pre-view of his book on their site. It's a bit pricey though. I did see where Rainbow resources has the student pack online for $28, but doesn't include the instructions with the cool tricks on it. Life of Fred now has an elementary series out that is just wonderful. He has finished the 1st 4 of the 12 book elementary series....not sure if he has completed all the multiplication yet though, but his methods are great.
Math games are great. Do you have a concrete driveway, porch, or garage? Your kiddo can work the problems out with sidewalk chalk. Ems loved doing this in 3rd grade. She also likes to write math problems out on the glass door with whiteboard markers.
