4's multiplication trick

The 4 Times Table

If you know how to double a number, this one is easy.

• Simply, double a number and then double it again!

4 x 3 is      3 doubled = 6, then double 6 = 12,             4x3=12
                 2x3=6             6+6=12     (or 2x6=12)
4x5            2x5=10            10+10=20  (or 2x10=20)      4x5=20
4x7            2x7=14           14+14=28   (or 2x14=28)      4x7=28
4x12           2x12=24          24+24=48  (or 2x24=48)     4x12=48

if you think about it 2x2=4, that is why this works.

6's multiplication trick

When multiplying 6's by even numbers they both end with the same number.

6x2=12, 6x4=24, 6x6=36, 6x8=48 6x10=60, 6x12=72, 6x14=84 and so on.

11's Multiplication tricks

There are two rules when multiplying by 11 (eleven).

The first 11 Times Rule:
This is for the numbers 1-9

When multiplying any single digit number by 11 you just write that number twice.

Multiply 11 by 3 to get 33, multiply 11 by 4 to get 44. Each number to 10 is just duplicated.

The second 11 Times Rule:
This is for any two digit number

You are going to take the two digits of your number add them together, and put the sum in between the two digits you started with.  
For example: if you take 11 x 18. Jot down 1 and 8 with a space between it. 1  8.
The sum of 1+8=9, do put the 9 in between the 1 and 8.
so you get 198. 


12 x 11            1    2     1+2=3            132       12 x 11=132
15 x 11            1    5     1+5=6            165       15 x 11=16511's

Education With Wes

9's Multiplication trick

So we need to learn our nines times tables.  Well here is a little trick that might help. 

•  Hold your hands in front of you with your fingers spread out, your palm toward you.

•  For whichever number you are multiplying by 9, count over that many fingers.  For 9 X 3 count from the left and bend your third finger (your left middle finger) down.  9 X 4 would be the fourth finger (left hand ring finger), 9 X 7 would be the 7th finger (ring finger on your right hand) etc.)

• Now count the fingers that are up before the finger you bent over, that's your tens place, and the fingers up on the right side of your finger bent over is in the ones place.  For 3 X 9 you have 2 fingers in front of the bent finger and 7 after the bent finger. (7 X 9, you have 6 fingers in front of the bent finger and 3 after the bent finger.)
• Thus the answer must be 27.  (Answer, 63)

This will work up to 9 X 10.

Education With Wes

Multiplication, times table practice

So you want to have your students practice their times tables but need a way to do it? Here is 7 different ways to practice.  Someone who is just starting out may need 6-8 minutes or more.  But someone who is getting good should be pushing 5 mins.  Get your free math worksheets here.
Multiplication worksheets

First day of school jitters

There are normally a lot of jittery stomachs the first day of school.  New teacher, new class, new school.  There is an unknown in that.  And then for some students there is total readiness.  But in both cases there is feeling that students like and need.  A feeling that may not be there for the summer.  

It is the knowledge that there is structure.  They know what they are doing during the whole day.  They know what comes first then next and so on.  They know what is expected at school, and for the most part strive to to do.  There is a schedule posted, (hopefully, a good teacher would have one up) which brings comfort to the students.  

As I write this that might be why kids miss school during the summer.  They may not say it, but inside somewhere they do.  Even for us adults we like to know what is going on and when it is taking place.  Kids lose that structure during the summer, (for the most part.)  And more than likely don't have a schedule posted of their summer day.

Are kids ready for school to start?  Maybe more so than adults.  Structure is a big thing.  Just the other day I had a student tell me they were ready for school because of just this reason.  Structure

Wes

At the beginning again.

Here we are again.

So thinking about school and what the best thing to help us be prepared is: well from 4th and on (mostly 4th & 5th) is knowing the times table facts.

And READ. Read, read, read.

School is almost upon most of us, and if we haven't been having our kids read, now would be a good time to start.

Enjoy your last few days or weeks.

Wes

educationwithwes.weebly.com

reading vowels

Something that I do in my class is have the students read the vowel sounds that they would come across while they read.  

No, not just the vowels, a, e, i, o, u and y.  That doesn’t really help.  But the vowel sounds.  ai, au, ou, oa, ea, ee and so forth.  

So here is a little thing that you could do to help your child become a better reader.  Before you have them start reading, go through the words pointing to the vowels and have them tell you what sound each vowel sound makes.

Here is an example.

“When the rain started falling, it fell fast and hard.”

So you would point to each of the vowel sounds and your child would say the sound.  Then go back and read.  Don’t make them sound out the vowel sounds too much.  You should know about how long they can take it.  30 seconds to a minute should be plenty.
 

I have seen some improvement here at home with this.

Wes

Win an iPad

Would you like to win  an iPad?  Here is your chance.
Go to this url and enter.  You can enter everyday until the end of September.
iPad giveaway

Ok ok, I may had said it before that I have never read Harry Potter, and have only watched the first 2 movies.  And I am a school teacher.  

Well that was before 3 weeks ago.  

I now am on the 3rd book.  I have been going through them about 1 in a week and a half.  I had vaguely remembered some of the story from the movies, but now I am into part of the story that I have no idea about.  I may not be able to read them as fast now as they are getting bigger.  My plan is to get at least 5 of them read before school starts.  Hope the Prisoner of Azkaban doesn't take me out.

Behind the boat? well the video will tell you. 

Back to school

School is just about upon us now, and the first few days and weeks of school can really make or brake the whole year.  As parents there is something that we can do to help our kids be totally prepared for school this month.

1. Schedule -School schedule and summer schedule always seem to be different, no matter how hard we try to keep some structure through the summer.  Make sure we are getting to bed early and getting up at the time we would during school.  This way we will be ready for school to start.

2. Learn about the teacher- Most teachers have websites and information that you could learn about the teacher and the class.  There is normally a link on the school website to their (the teachers) site.  Check it out you might find some interesting things.

3. Read- It is amazing how much kids slip in their reading levels when they DON'T read during the summer.  If they haven't been reading much during the summer, get them reading 30 mins. a day.  This will help them get "tuned" up for the start of school.

4. Practice Math skills- Same thing with our math facts, if we haven't been practicing our speed at recall is not going to be were they need to be when we get back to school.
Here is a site that they can play games and practice there math facts, along with a few other things.  multiplication.com

Enjoy the last part of summer

Wes

Hawaiian roller coaster ride.

Well for the last day of school our school had a dance festival and one of dances that we did the Hawaiian roller coaster. For those of you that don't know what that is, I didn't, it is surfing. So there is the connection to the picture. School has been out for a week now for us enough playing and back to work. Well ok we have been reading and a little math every day. That's all it will take to keep your child upon their reading and math. One book or chapter a day and practice of math skills and you kid will rock and roll when school starts again.

Get to bed Wes

It is all of a sudden 12:24 and I am so tired I can't keep my eyes open, and falling asleep at the computer.  I bet the kids never feel that way.  Ha ha.   It is amazing what a little bit of sleep can do for you.

1. Sleep Keeps Your Heart Healthy
2. Sleep May Prevent Cancer
3. Sleep Reduces Stress
4. Sleep Reduces Inflammation
5. Sleep Makes You More Alert
6. Sleep Bolsters Your Memory
7. Sleep May Help You Lose Weight
8. Naps Make You Smarter
9. Sleep May Reduce Your Risk for Depression
10. Sleep Helps the Body Make Repairs

Now how many of these make a difference of how we perform at school?  We will talk about it over the next couple of days.

 http://longevity.about.com/od/longevity101/a/why_we_age.htm 

Good night,

Wes

Common core

There is a lot of people that think the common core has come down from the federal government and that they are making us do it. Well that is just not the case. It has come from states that got together and agreed on a few things that need improvempent. And any state can leave the common core at any time that they think it is not good. Do I think that this is going to be good, I do, I think that it will be good for the kids. And that is what is is all about any way, the kids!
Check out my other site
Fungieducation.weebly.com

Here is our writing list for the Holidays
added to and updated.

things we are grateful for
things we remember about grandma and grandpa
santa
clothes, this could be a good thing or a bad thing depending on which angle you were looking at it.
christmas tree in the house and its affects if it has any.
what we want for Christmas and WHY, this could be a good persuasive piece.
does santa still use the same sleigh that he has had for hundreds of years or does he have a new updated sleigh that is all hi tech.
animals, likes don't likes
what if santa used different animals besides reindeer to pull his sled.
a ride on the polar express
snow storm that we had to stay home because of
snow storm during school so that we weren't able to go home because it was so bad
the turkey wasn't dead when we started to cook it
christmas songs, favorite, worst, write one
christmas movies, favorite, worst,
what we should eat instead of the traditional thanksgiving dinner
instead of wearing a red suit what color should santa's suit be
how people from 100 years ago react if they tried to play with the Xbox Kinect
funny or sad christmas and thanksgiving memories.
santa only brought me clothes
if I were santa's head elf




I will be adding to the list and re-posting it through the christmas season.  Please leave more writing ideas in the comments and I will add it to the list when I re-post.

Have a great Thanksgiving and a fantastic Christmas season.

wes

a Water Cycle song

We have started the water cycle in science in my class and I found a cool song, video on you tube.

here it is.

Holiday writing (Thanksgiving through Christmas)

There is something that we always forget when it comes to learning, or doing homework at home.  I have even done it with my kids.  We are working so hard on math and reading that it gets forgotten.  Writing.  And then we come to a holiday like Thanksgiving and homework gets kind of forgotten.  Well we could do some homework without the kids even knowing that it is homework.
So here is some thoughts on things to write about during holidays, Thanksgiving in particular.

things we are grateful for
things we remember about grandma and grandpa
santa
clothes, this could be a good thing or a bad thing depending on which angle you were looking at it.
christmas tree in the house and its affects if it has any.
what we want for Christmas and WHY, this could be a good persuasive piece.
does santa still use the same sleigh that he has had for hundreds of years or does he have a new updated sleigh that is all hi tech.
animals, likes don't likes
what if santa used different animals besides reindeer to pull his sled.
a ride on the polar express
snow storm that we had to stay home because of
snow storm during school so that we weren't able to go home because it was so bad
the turkey wasn't dead when we started to cook it
christmas songs, favorite, worst, write one
christmas movies, favorite, worst,
what we should eat instead of the traditional thanksgiving dinner
instead of wearing a red suit what color should santa's suit be
how people from 100 years ago react if they tried to play with the Xbox Kinect


Yes my kids helped me with part of the list.
I will be adding to the list and re-posting it through the christmas season.  Please leave more writing ideas in the comments and I will add it to the list when I re-post.

Have a great Thanksgiving and a fantastic Christmas season.

wes

Does your kid struggle with 2 digit by 2 digit multiplication?

Here is a little idea that might give some help.
We can call it box multiplication, and it will give us our partial products.
partial=part
Product= the answer to a multiplication problem.

So we will get the Partial products and then add them together.

Here is the link to the video. Click here

Dino pee? Yes

So take a second and think how logical this is.  Why did dino's pee?  They drank water, they drank it from some source; river, lake, pond, somewhere.  Then it came out and landed on the ground.  The water then permeated through the ground.  From there it evaporated out of the ground or a plant used it, or it ends up in some underground water collection.  Then back to a river, or water vapor and then condenses into a cloud, or back to a plant or animal, and then into a lake and then evaporated and then to the ocean and then...  The water cycle process isn't much like a circle, it is a here and there and then back over here then there and back over there.
    The other thing we need to remember is that you can't get rid of water.  When you boil water does it disappear?  No the water that was in the pot is now water vapor in the air.   Water is matter that can not be destroyed it just changes stages.

Enjoy drinking that dinosaur pee.
(of course it is not the exact same, but the water particles are the same.)


wes

Dino pee

Check back next week to hear thoughts and facts about the water cycle.