Family Math : The Middle School Years, Algebraic Reasoning and Number Sense [Paperback]

Virginia Thompson (Author), Karen Mayfield-Ingram (Author), Ann Humphrey Williams (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 3, 1998

Ages ten to fourteen are the gateway years to high school and college and are crucial to our children's advanced mathematics education. FAMILY MATH: Middle School Years contains provocative investigations to captivate older students. Together, families unlock the mystery of algebra with entertaining, nonthreatening activities. One favorite activity is called Flowerpots. By creating a garden with beans, squares, triangles, and circles, families practice the algebraic topic of solving simultaneous equations in two and three unknowns. Everyone will enjoy activities such as Maya Mathematics, Postage Problems, Four-Sock Drawers, and Math Behind the Trick Using this book will increase student readiness for high school mathematics course work. Parents will learn the answers to: Are there ways to help my children without being a math expert? and What are the implications of taking or not taking eighth grade algebra? For families, classroom teachers, and anyone interested ! in setting up a FAMILY MATH class. Grades 5-8.

Editorial Reviews

Review

I'd learned about Lawrence Hall of Science's FAMILY MATH books. I jumped at the opportunity to review The Middle School Years version. My 10-year-old son has decreed it to be a cool looking book, with fun illustrations throughout. For our first activity, we chose "Ten, Twenty, Thirty," a mental math game using playing cards. As far as my son is concerned, anything that uses playing cards simply cannot be math! I could see the wheels grinding and had the pants beat off me each time we played. If you tire of one version, the authors list variations.

The book is filled with quick, punchy, eye-catching one- and two-page activities. Extensions help expand the activity and spark creativity. Some of the concepts include variables, graphing, price comparison, fractions, and adding decimals. -- Reviewed by Cathy Koos Breazeal. Excerpts from California HomeSchooler, April 1999, Vol 7, No 2

About the Author

Virginia Thompson and Karen Mayfield-Ingram are innovative educators and curriculum developers. Virginia Thompson founded the FAMILY MATH program at The Lawrence Hall of Science.

Product Details

• Paperback: 280 pages
• Publisher: Lawrence Hall of Science; 3 edition (December 3, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 091251129X
• ISBN-13: 978-0912511290
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #132,555 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book makes math both fun and challenging!, October 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Family Math : The Middle School Years, Algebraic Reasoning and Number Sense (Paperback)

My family really enjoyed playing the math games and doing the activities in this book. We had to put on our thinking caps and discover different math strategies. My kids loved the art in this book. There was also a lot of useful information on how much math my kids need to get into college.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Math Resource, October 30, 2008

By 

Frankie Lynn Harvey "FrankieMaMa" (New York city, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Family Math : The Middle School Years, Algebraic Reasoning and Number Sense (Paperback)

Family Math is an excellent guide to use in preparing Family Math Nights and giving support to parents of Middle School students who need a little refresher on math topics in order to help their children. Family Math Nights are especially helpful when students and parents work on math-related activities together. Students can take the lead in guiding their families toward solutions to fun problems. This empowers the students and allows them to show their math savviness in hands-on ways that can't be explained during a parent-teacher conferences or in report cards. Family Math Nights are great motivators that allow teachers to watch students and parents interact. This book provides all a teacher needs to prepare for these valuable events. I highly recommend it.

5.0 out of 5 stars Family Math is Funtastic, February 8, 2010

By 

TCS - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Family Math : The Middle School Years, Algebraic Reasoning and Number Sense (Paperback)

We have been using Family Math for several years and love the fun ways to present math concepts. The kids dont even realize that they are "doing math"!! Gone are the "aw mom do we have to". With Family Math my kids are really eager to learn math the fun way. This series gets a definite two thumbs up!!