Dreambox is a great way to engage your students, in math they need! You don't have to do anything but monitor. As we are doing math, with our students at home, it is important we remember, they need to make sense out of the math themselves. Watch the YouTube video above, for a fantastic analogy of the dangers of telling students too soon, which applies in any teaching situation, at home or at school.
Example of what a Dreambox lesson looks like in 2nd Grade. *Screenshot taken directly from Dreambox.
Check out some fun math games (either use this link or play below) that you can play online, with your child! Make sure you click the correct grade level tab on the left, to access the games that apply to your child. Why should my student play math games? Read these two short articles. Article 1 Article 2
When you're playing games or simply talking about math in your everyday life, encourage your child to use strategies to figure out their "math facts", vs. having them memorize them. Example: What is 8+7? Most basic way to solve: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7...14,15 (using fingers, number line, etc.) More sophisticated way to solve: 9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17 (they can still use their fingers or a number line, etc. but they can usually start with the greater number and "count on") More sophisticated: If they know their "doubles", 7+7= 14, so 8+7 is one more, so 8+7=15 OR 8+8= 16, so 8+7 is one less, so 8+7= 15
Once they know their combinations to ten, then you can explore different ways to solve harder problems, such as 9+7. A student could take one from the 7, because they know 6+1 is 7, to join with the 9, to make 10. 9+1 is 10, and I have 6 left, so 10+6=16. 9+7=16!
Visit the Blythe Elementary website, to find out more information about our school.