Homeschool Math Newsletter, Vol. 8
April 20, 2007
Hello and good spring! This is Maria Miller from HomeschoolMath.net and MathMammoth.com.
This newsletter starts out with some news concerning Winterpromise and my books. Then we also have an article about how acceptable it is to be bad at math, math in books (but not math books!), and of course many juicy tidbits.
In this month's newsletter:
1. Math Mammoth books and Winterpromise: a COMPLETE math curriculum offered
2. I'm bad at math... and fine with that!
3. Math in books (not math books!)
4. Tidbits
1. Math Mammoth complete curriculum for grades 1-3 at WinterPromise store
What I am about to explain you might have already found out. It has been BIG NEWS to me - and lots of work (which hasn't ended... I'm still working on it!).
Namely...
Starting in June 2007, WinterPromise will carry a Math Mammoth complete curriculum for grades 1-3!
These new books constitute a complete mathematics curriculum for grades 1, 2, and 3, and will be offered exclusively via WinterPromise during year 2007 (not even sold on my website for that period).
Each grade level will be offered as a printed textbook and a CD, or a CD alone. The entirety of the textbook is on the CD, and can be printed for use within a family for unlimited use.
The CD will also contain answer keys, tests, and an easy access to script-made free worksheets.
Read more here and see some samples.
As a "side effect", I will also have two new workbooks to sell as part of the Blue Series: one about clock, and the other about measuring and early geometry concepts.
2. I'm bad at math... and fine with that!
You may have noticed how it seems to be socially acceptable to admit how bad you're at math... while no one would comfortably admit that they can't read.
The following is a nice article from Jim Stone, a math teacher at Global Institute of Mathematics.
"For the past eighteen years I've been reading articles and editorials lamenting the mathematical performance of America's school children. It has become an annual ritual for politicians and educators alike to bemoan the results of the latest tests showing American kids falling behind their international counterparts.
What is the problem? More importantly, what is the solution?"
Continue reading the article "I'm Bad At Math And Okay With It"
3. Math in books (not math books!)
I was recently notified that a publisher wants to send me some books to review. Those books sounded interesting:
- Crimes and Mathdemeanors
A collection of short detective stories for young adults who are interested in applying high school level mathematics and physics to solve mysteries.
- The Cryptoclub: Using Mathematics to Make and Break Secret Codes.
Join the Cryptokids as they apply basic mathematics to make and break secret codes. This book has many hands-on activities that have been tested in both classrooms and informal settings.
I am not so much mentioning these books to promote them (I haven't even seen them!) but to note them as examples of math in a somewhat entertaining or interesting context, aimed at high school or middle-school level.
You know, to so many people math remains a "dull" school subject only. And that is so far from truth. It is some of those same people, I'm sure, who confess to the "I'm bad at math and that's okay" attitude as mentioned above.
I, for sure, intend for my kids to learn the beauty of math, to learn about some of these interesting subjects such as basic cryptography, to learn even of math history.
You can do the same too - and you don't need to buy those books. Your libary probaly already has a bunch.
Continue reading.
4. Tidbits
Till next time,
Maria Miller
|