So, we’re working on adding and subtracting with regrouping yesterday. I have out my nifty table-top easel that has a chalkboard on one side and a whiteboard on the other.
We’d just finished playing Hangman with his spelling words on the chalkboard side (using our new box of brightly colored chalk—fun!). So I flipped it around and we got out the markers to work on his regrouping skills.
I was using the model of teaching that says the tens and ones are like “houses” next to each other, and that no number higher than 9 can be in the house. If we get 10 or more, the “extra” number has to move next door. His math book shows a little box on the tens column where they can write the carried number.
So, after one or two of these, my right-brained creative boy added his own spin to it all.
“Hey, I KNOW! The box is the attic in the house, and the “1” is a crazy hobo that goes to live in the attic!”
Later, the crazy hobo became the crazy cousin who got sent next door because he was driving the rest of the family nuts.
(If you knew my extended family—OH how I could elaborate on that!)
Homeschooling: never a dull moment with Eli!
Oh how precious! He’s growing too fast! Miss you my friend!