Get Kids Excited About Math Right at the Beginning of the School Year!

I find my students that love math are always excited to do math, but the beginning of the school year presents an opportunity to get the kids that are not-so-crazy about math excited and interested right away. I play tons of little math games with my kids. One way kids can improve their math skills is by identifying patterns. After all, math is nothing but pattern recognition!

Kids love a challenge in which they can practice trial and error and hone their skills at solving a problem. For example, I play a game called "1 to 1,000". In the game, I think of a single number between 1 and 1,000. Students are allowed to ask up to 10 questions to help them determine what that number is. Give it a try in the classroom. The kids will eventually refine their skills to ask questions that narrow the window.

Two other games I play are:

Veintiuno is a challenging game that can be used in English or Spanish. Students need to problem solve and determine the pattern to win the game. It’s a difficult game because the kids must figure out the pattern in their minds without seeing any concrete objects. I use it at the end of the day or end of the class as a challenge. I, of course, claim that I’m just lucky when I win every time, but the kids don’t believe it and are motivated to look for the solution. 

21 Chips! Play this game with students while waiting in line for the bus or at recess. Your students will be looking for the pattern but it will take some time, days, maybe even weeks, to figure it out!

21 Chips is a fun classroom game where players alternate turns using strategy to be the last to take chips. 

I use 21 Chips it at the end of the day or end of the class as a challenge. I, of course, claim that I’m just lucky when I win every time, but the kids don’t believe it and are motivated to look for the solution. Play this game with students while waiting in line for the bus or at recess. Your students will be looking for the pattern but it will take some time, days, maybe even weeks, to figure it out!

Give these games a try and help your students improve their problem solving skills and have fun with math!

Maker Faire 2014 Detroit | Part 1

I attended the Maker Faire in Detroit this past weekend. What a sight! My next few posts will highlight some of the amazing creations I saw. 

I spent about 15 minutes speaking with some middle school students who had programmed a Lego NXT Rover to move around on a moonscape and complete tasks. These three gals gave me some ideas for my Lego Robotics course to my 8th graders this school year. I would like to create a Mars-scape that my students must navigate without seeing. The Mars-scape will simulate the time-lapse for a radio signal to travel from Earth to Mars before movement can take place. I plan on using satellite photography to record the position of the Rover and then have students plan their next move in completing their next move on Mars. Their passion and enthusiasm really inspired me.

Anybody out there tried something like this? 

If so, comment and connect with me. I'd love to hear how you accomplished it!

A Maker Space in Your Classroom | Promote STEAM or STEM in your Classroom or at home!

Here at Brain Brigade, we really believe in bringing hands-on, challenging and novel activities to all students. We just created a new download to help you create a Maker Space in your own classroom. These same concepts translate very well into a home school classroom too! Whether you have just a small corner big enough for a table or an entire dedicated classroom - you have the power to incorporate critical thinking, encourage creativity and curiosity, and even help students master the engineering design process through risk taking and failure. Your students will be asking "What If?" and you'll be helping them learn to problem solve, develop persistence, all while having fun in the classroom.

Wait! You ask, What IS a Maker Space? and Why should I implement a Maker Space in my classroom? Dig around on our site. Or download our free resource: A Maker Space in Every Classroom. We're so serious about promoting engineering, math, technology, science and art (STEM or STEAM) into the classroom that we're offering it up to you for FREE! It's easy to do and I think you will get just as much joy out of the space as your students do.

It's simple and inexpensive to do. Set aside an area in your classroom. Gather materials (a list is provided in the resource). Start challenging your students! Chances are, they'll start challenging you too.

Well, what are you waiting for?

***POST UPDATE: We've had such a phenomenal response to our free Maker Space guide that we have created a more in-depth resource for you. It discusses more of the nuts and bolts of Designing a Maker Space in your own classroom.***

Hot Air Balloons | Easy Activity for Your Classroom Maker Space

Do you want an exciting activity for your students?

Hot Air Balloons in the Classroom!

Try challenging them to build a tissue paper hot air balloon in the classroom! 

This is an inexpensive project for your classroom Maker Space. Students will learn that hot air is less dense, that something that is heated expands, and most of all they will have FUN!

We did these hot air balloons during a summer school class using just 7 sheets of tissue paper that were 24 inches square, a piece of tag board 1-inch wide and 20-inches long, and glue sticks. You probably have these materials already in your house or classroom.

Balloons can be inflated using a blow dryer set on high or I have a fancy contraption that uses a propane torch. Yeah, that's right. A torch. {The kids do not inflate the balloons. I do.*}

If you do this challenge in your classroom, the secret to making balloons fly is by inspecting each seam to make sure each is air tight. 

This set the record for altitude!

Even the smallest tear or open seam will allow too much hot air to escape causing a failure to fly. 

The second secret is to choose a day when there is very little wind and the air is cool (under 65 degrees). 

On windy days I'll inflate them in a gym. But as you can see from the photos, we had a calm day and successful flights!

The opening on the bottom should be about 6 inches in diameter and have a one-inch strip of tag board stapled to the tissue paper in the circular opening. This gives the bottom of the balloon a little more ballast and, thereby, holds it upright.

This balloon was our record for distance.

This simple activity is impressive and kids love it. Give it a try in your classroom!

*Safety precautions were taken when using hair dryer and torch. Students were instructed on safety and only I do the inflating.*