Finding Math in Fun Places

I think we all agree that learning doesn't and shouldn't stop when the school doors close.  Kids continually introduced to tidbits of information will grow to be curious of the world around them.  The lazy days of summer are rich sources of learning material for your child. And anyone can be the teacher.

Math, and science for that matter, are easy teaches outside of the classroom.

Take making dinner, for example.

• If you have 2 pounds of hamburg and need to feed 8 people, how much will each burger weigh? How much is that in ounces? (1/4 pound each, 4 ounces)
• What if there is one pie already cut in 4 pieces, but 6 people showed up for dinner? (cut each piece in 2, giving 8 pieces, 2 will be left over OR cut each piece into 3 pieces and give each person 2 pieces)
• How do you cut a recipe in half that calls for 2/3 of a cup of sugar (1/3).  What if it calls for 3 1/2 C ?(1 3/4).

Use manipulatives or real food to prove the answers. Then eat it.

Shopping--for whatever gets your child interested.

• If ball caps are on sale 2 for $19.99, regular price 11.99, is this a bargain?  (yes) What is the savings? (about $2 per cap)
• If a 20 oz bag of  popcorn costs $4.50 at the movies, but a 15 oz bag of popcorn costs $3.00, which is the better deal? (at 4.50/20 oz, each ounce is $0.225, while 3.00/15 oz is only $0.20 per ounce and so is the better deal)
• If a car gets 20 mpg, uses 10 gallons per week and gas is $3.00 per gallon, how much is the weekly savings on a car that gets 30 mpg? (this is easier than it looks--the first car spends $3.00/gal X 10 gallons or $30 per week.  It goes 20 miles/gal X 10 gallons or 200 miles.  If a car gets 30 miles/gallon and goes the same 200 miles, you divide 200 miles by 30 and get 6.7 gallons.  $3.00 per gallon X 6.7 gallons is only $20.10!)
• Teach your child how to count out change! What's the change back for a $20 used to pay a $17.31 bill? Start by using the smallest piece of change and counting back to the next coin:  4 pennies makes 35 cents, a nickel makes 40 cents, a dime makes 50 cents and 2 quarters makes $18, then 2 $1 bills makes $20. Easy!

Science in summer is an easy one, too.

• Check the web for the night constellations visible at your location on a certain date.  Grab a blanket on a clear,  hot summer night, lay on your back and try to locate the constellations that should be visible.  Try to figure out where their name came from. Identify the stars in the constellation, if possible.

• An invaluable skill that is easily learned in summer is estimating.  Estimating is easy with the abundance in nature.  Guess the number of leaves on a branch.  Then count the number on a small length of branch and multiply by the length of the branch.  That is your estimation of the total number.  Count them to see how close you are.  Estimate the number of beans or strawberries or cucumbers in a garden by counting those on one plant and multiplying by the total number of plants in the garden.  Try it with a field of corn.  Put seashells in a jar.  Count the number in one layer.  Multiply by the number of layers. Count them and see how close your estimate was.