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September 11, 2008
Making math fun
So first grade, math-wise, does offer some fun for Ethan. The first day, they got a "fun packet" of worksheets, including a word search, some counting exercises, a few addition problems. On the first page of addition problems (generally adding two numbers between 1 and 10), Ethan noticed a little label at the bottom that said "Score" with a line after it. (Probably for teacher use.) He decided, logically enough, to add up all the answers to the addition problems, and put the total there. 61.
Then today, they were playing a 'game' of trying to find as many ways as they could to add up to different numbers - 4 through 8 - in a limited amount of time. 5 was last. Apparently Ethan finished with plenty of time to spare, because after putting in 1+4, 5+0, and 2+3, he got creative. "I found SO MANY!" he told me. "I put 10/2, and also 15/3! AND 5+5+5-5-5! Then the time ran out, but I thought of another one: 100/20!"
Posted by ktingey at September 11, 2008 02:45 PM