Math for Star Wars fans

Note: Littlest is now 4 and FINALLY potty trained so I will hereby refer to the children as Oldest and Youngest rather than Biggest and Littlest.

We started school last week. The math program we are using is a bit different than the standard school program in that it teaches to mastery at each step before moving on (as opposed to the spiral method). We have entered the tedious phase known as Addition Math Facts. This weeks lesson is the +2 facts and for some reason we are stuck on 2+3/ 3+2 and 2+4/ 4+2. 2+9 and 2+7? No problem the answers come flying out of his mouth. But 2+3 and 2+4 still require fingers or blocks. In an effort to keep this from being too painful for either of us I have been exploring various methods of memorization and review. We play flash card games, do worksheets, sing songs and do oral and online drill. I am also finding that using the different visual/oral formats is cementing the facts in memory as actual (searching for the word) computation rather than a visual recall of what the picture on the flash card means (does that makes sense?)

This morning I tried a new flash card game called Train. You place 10 cards in a row. The first card is the starting point; the last card is the end station. Beginning at the starting point, the child says aloud the answer to each fact. If correct, he continues to travel. If wrong he has to look at the answer, repeat the problem and answer and then go back to the starting point and begin his trip again.

I sat down and explained the game. I pulled out a Thomas the Tank Engine wooden train that we could use for our journey across the "tracks". I gleefully made the "whoo whoo" sound and pointed out in a very Thomas voice that "I am a very useful engine." Oldest was less than pleased. Apparently, being beyond Thomas, he had other ideas. Instead he pulled out his Star Wars Legos Boga Lizard (Episode 3) and made the "Lelelelele" sound (hmmm, a little like his mommy). His game was to leap from card to card on the lava planet of Mustafar without falling in and being burned to a crisp.(mommy defensive note: he has NOT seen episode 3 but has heard enough of the story to know about Mustafar and the lava.)

We had a great time. Unfortunately poor Boga Lizard got a bit singed whenever we hit 2+3 & 2+4 but at least Math Facts for today were a little more fun!