Maria's Math News, April 2015
Hello!

Various news items and tidbits this month... I hope you enjoy the April math calendar and the video of using pies to calculate the value of Pi as much as I did! smile

~Maria
  1. Math Mammoth news
  2. Calculating Pi with real pies (grades 6-12)
  3. April math calendar (grades 5-10)
  4. Kindergarten math placement test? (grades K-1)
  5. Music


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1. Math Mammoth news

  1. I'm really excited about this! Rainbow Resource will soon have a FULL COLOR printed version of Math Mammoth grade 1. You can already order it on back order. The page claims it's "out of stock" but really they just haven't received their stock yet. They are slightly more expensive than the black and white versions.

    Math Mammoth Grade 1-A
    Math Mammoth Grade 1-B
    Grade 1 Tests & Cumulative Reviews
    Grade 1 Answer Keys

    Rainbow Resource will decide whether or not to carry the color versions for other grade levels based on how well grade 1 sells. It could also help if people ask them about the other grades, as they tend to go by customer requests.
  2. Some have asked about grade 7-B (once again...)

    I'm currently writing lessons for the last chapter (statistics & probability) AND writing the answer key for the second to last chapter (on the Pythagorean Theorem). And two people are proofreading the geometry chapter (in different sections). So it's coming along just fine. ;^) I'm hoping to have it ready in late May or early June.
     
  3. Math Mammoth Percent math book cover Math Mammoth Percent is a worktext (including both instruction & exercises) for grades 6-8 that teaches students the concept of percent, how to calculate the percentage of a number, to figure discounts, sales tax, and interest, to draw circle graphs, to differentiate between a percent of change and a percent of comparison, and to know how to calculate both.

    This book has been now updated to include many new lessons that will ALSO be in the upcoming Math Mammoth grade 7-B. This means that you can use it to continue pre-algebra studies after 7-A.

    See also these free sample pages (PDF):

    Contents and Introduction
    Review
    What Percentage...?
    Percentage of a Number
    Discounts
    Percent of Change

  4. Comment I got:
    I wish you had the non-Common Core books available. Our family refuses Common Core books.

    Kelly
    Kelly didn't leave her email address so I'll post the answer here - who knows, maybe someone else is wondering too.

    The earlier, non-common core versions ARE available. The bundles of grades 1-3, 4-6, and 1-6 are available at Kagi store as downloads. Choose the Light Blue series, OLD VERSION.

    The old versions are also available as printed books at Lulu. They're titled "original" version.

    However, since I have improved upon my older work in the new, revised versions, I don't feel the old versions are as good as the new.

    Please see also Math Mammoth & Common Core FAQ for more information about the changes.

2. Calculating Pi with real pies

This is a neat video, showing how to calculate the value of Pi using real pies (yum!). It might help your youngsters remember the definition of Pi better as they remember the visual pic of pies around the big circle and pies going across. smile



3. April math calendar

I just printed this math calendar out for my girls and they liked it! Something a bit intriguing and fun to look at as the month progresses -- and it can help them to learn a bit of math at the same time. :)

4. Kindergarten math placement test?

Someone asked me a question about kindergarten math

Hello! Is there a placement test to see if a child is ready for 1A? We went over the kindergarten review and she did well with that, but I'd hate for her to get started and then discouraged. Is there a kindergarten curriculum that you'd recommend? My goal has been to not do anything formal for kindergarten math, but she wants it and is ready. Thanks!

That is indeed a valid concern. Sometimes children start with Math Mammoth 1-A and there's one topic there that can become a frustration point if the child is not ready for it. It's the topic of "missing items" or missing numbers in addition problems, such as

2 + ___ = 5

The idea is to ask the child to think, "2 and how many more makes 5?"

Or even simpler:

2 + ___ = 3

"2 and how many more makes 3?"

Objects can also be used.

This lesson, "Missing Items," is fairly early in 1-A. You can start with MM 1-A, and if this particular lesson presents problems for your child, then the child is not ready for 1st grade math and should continue studying kindergarten-level math for a little longer.



For a kindergarten math workbook, I'd like to recommend Evan Moore's workbook or Singapore Math's kindergarten curriculum if you want something substantial.

See also
http://www.mathmammoth.com/complete/kindergarten.php

Hope this helps!

5. Music...



24K Gold Music Inspirational/Gospel show, Part 1 — a compilation of segments

This video features the songs "I'll Fly Away", "Glory to God in the Highest", "His Eye is On the Sparrow", (tune of Last Date with gospel words), "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World", "Daddy's Hands", "Home", "Sinner Saved By Grace", "Just a Closer Walk With Thee", and "Precious Memories".

See also part 2 — featuring the songs "Put Your Hand In The Hand", "Amazing Grace", "Safe From All Harm (24K Gold Music's ORIGINAL song), "In The Valley (He Restoreth My Soul)", "Love Will Roll The Clouds Away", "Down From His Glory (set the tune of "Ole Solo Mio")", "My God Is Real", and "Impossible Dream".


That's it this time! I hope you found something helpful. smile

Feel free to forward this issue to a friend/colleague! Subscribe here.

Till next month,
Maria Miller
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