New Math Adventures: So Far, So Good

I just have to write down (after my post the other day) how I "snuck" math in the past couple of days!  :-)

I'm trying to get a timeline all across our wall downstairs, something we can add throughout the years.  It's not fancy . . .just a long piece of paper stapled to the wall! 

So, yesterday the girls helped me finish it and we added our first events.  Here's the math:

We had to measure the walls to figure out how much space we had to divide.  I had A adding up one wall measurement to another wall measurement and then B would divide that number by the number of spaces we needed.  Next, they each got to write the years on the timeline, thus learning about centuries and writing larger numbers. 

Okay, so nothing spectacular, but mathematical nontheless!

Oh, and our first entries on the timeline:  the birth & death of Marie Antoinette, the birth of Mozart, the birth of Jesus (in the center) and the creation (as the beginning). 

Then, today I bought calculators at the $1 store for the kids  (we've had several but they keep getting lost!).  When we got home I heard A ask B, "Do you want to go play 'Cash Register'?'  They skipped joyfully downstairs and played for a good hour.  Then, later A came up to me and said, "Mom!  I'm going to make a math book!  I'm going to do problems on my calculator and write them down!" 

I don't know why I keep going back to the drudgery work when I am constantly reminded that leaving their minds free to roam does way more for them than I even could.  A is my daughter who "hates" math, but when I let her be creative, she'll do it on her own.  This reminds me of the time we  had journal writing time and JW taunted, "I bet I can write more than you!"  We sit and wrote for a good half hour or more.  He beat me!  But that was another moment where I let go and didn't push, simply inspired. 

So, pat on the back for me.  I've been spending the time planning and plotting some fun math & reading games and activities to pull out of my hat when the need arises. I'm so excited!

And, to top it all off, I just checked out the book, Math and the Mona Lisa.  I've been wanting to read it for a long time.  No better time than now!