I know that 1 Minute Math Addition for first graders seems like a strange concept. While timed math tests are not mentioned in the curriculum guide for your kid's school, they are a way for teachers to find out if their students have mastered basic math facts. This is very important today when teachers and schools are expected to have students meet certain standards. If your child had been able to complete the 20 problems in one minute, they would have demonstrated that they had a mastery of the facts on the timed test. A child is considered to have learned a math fact when they can give an answer in less than 3 seconds. Sadly, these timed tests can cause students a lot of anxiety. That is the main reason that I feel it is important to help them in advance of them needing the school lesson. Making it fun and some sort of game means you can help them learn and take away the anxiety! The transition from kindergarten to first grade is a big step for a child. A child is now … [Read more...]

This Color By Shape exercise is a great way to not only teach the littles their shapes, but helps their manual dexterity with their coloring. That builds on their writing skills for down the road. Why is it important to learn shapes? Color and shape are ways children observe and categorize what they see. These very recognizable characteristics encourage children to define and organize the diverse world around them. These first teachings in preschool and kindergarten are basics that your child needs to know before she learns the "other basics" of reading, writing, and math. Understanding color and shape is a tool for learning many skills in all curriculum areas, from math and science to language and reading. For example, when your child learns to discern the similarities and differences between colors and shapes, she is using the same skills she needs to recognize the differences between letters and numerals. Now, do you have to explain all of that to your little one … [Read more...]