7 Triangles of Reality!

After several separate lessons on lines and angles, we used discovery-learning to find the 7 Triangles of Reality.  The kids used the Geometric Stick Box to see if they could create our grid of angles and lines.  Is a right, scalene triangle possible? Yes! How about an obtuse equilateral? No! Our "Presentation of the Stars" helped provide the cultural context of angle measurement as a degree = a day on the path of a star...

Angles,angles and more angles!

In today's session, students were introduced to the concepts of whole, straight and right angles. A concrete representation of the angles with the sticks from our geometric stick box allowed us to manipulate the size of the angles with our hands. We also explored the concepts of acute and obtuse angles with the sticks and used our measuring angle to see if the angle was bigger or smaller than our right-angled "measurer." Later, we learned how the Montessori protractor puts the measurement of angles into historical perspective with the story of the ancient Babylonians' study of the stars! More importantly, the kids love our "Presentation of the Stars" impressionistic story.

An Innovative Approach to Education

Sir Ken Robinson is an author, speaker and international advisor on education in the arts to government, non-profits, education and arts bodies. He was Director of The Arts in Schools Project, Professor of Arts Education at the University of Warwick,and was knighted in 2003 for services to education.

This quick 10 minute video illustrates the fundamental flaw in our current system of education.  My innovative approach to education is one possible remedy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U

The Bank Game!

The Big Bank Game is an engaging, challenging material for practicing multiplication facts, place value and oral reading of large numbers.