December Math Box Homework

You may have heard your child say, “Five and five are ten,” and assume that your child knows how to add. The process of Addition and Subtraction entails much more than memorizing the facts. Hands-on experiences help your child understand the why and how of addition and subtraction. It’s important to have your child explain to you what is happening in a problem and use various math terms (add, plus, makes, equals, subtract, minus, take away, leaves, etc.) so it will connect math to real-life problems The shift is away from endless “drill & kill” worksheets. Experts say that children learn better by working with objects and discovering various ways to find answers. Last month we worked on facts to 7, so these problems will reflect what we learned. (You may work on higher numbers if your child is ready to go on).


1. Make a list of all the people who you want to Christmas presents (in two columns—family and friends) Count the names in each column and write the numbers on a paper. How many in all?

2. Estimate how much you spend for each person and write the number by the name. Use a CALCULATOR (don’t use decimals—just the nearest dollar amount) to find out how much you need to save for Christmas.

3. Count how many days until Christmas. Count how many days until the New Year. Can you count by twos? (Count the two’s song to the tune of Yankee Doodle.)

4. Use a wire hanger and 5 (or more) clip type clothespins. Cut apart the ADDITION FACT CARDS and choose on from the pile. If it said 1+3, you would clip 1 clothespin to the bottom left side of the hanger. Then, clip 3 more to the bottom right side of the hanger. Say 1+3=, and then slide the clothespins together into the center. Count the combined total to get the answer. Do this with all the addition facts.

5. Use the same idea, but use the SUBTRACTION FACT CARDS. If a card says 5-2, put 5 clothespins to the bottom left of the hanger and then slide 2 over to see how many are left. Say the equation and then the answer.

6. Use the GAMEBOARD & ADDITION FACT CARDS and find a partner. Use a button as a marker. Draw a card and move your button 3+2 or whatever the card says. Say the whole equation (3+2=5) and move that number of spaces. The winner is the one who gets to the end first.

7. Use the GAMEBOAD & SUBTRACTION FACT CARDS and find a partner. Choose a fact card and if it says 5-1, then move you button 5 spaces and back one. Say the equation and answer.

8. Using the TANGRAM, try making a triangle with just 2 pieces. See if you can make a triangle with 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 pieces. Is the more than one way to solve it? Draw a picture if you favorite.

9. PENTOMINOES are made from 5 squares attached together by a full side. Check this by getting 5 orange squares from the PATTERN BLOCKS bag. Spread out each pentomino shape and try to make it on the table with the 5 orange squares.
10. Practice number 5 Fax=ct Families: (1,4,5) (2,3,5) (0,5,5) Using 2 blobs of CLAY and 5 TOOTHPICKS, stick 1 toothpick straight up in one blob and 4 in the other blob. As you say 1+4=5, 4+1=5, 5-1=4, 5-4=1…manipulate the blobs together or apart to show the equation. Write them on a PAPER as you do each one.

11. Graph the presents opened for Christmas in you family: Clothes, toys, sports, books, food, misc.

12. Cut out magazine pictures that show 2 to 7 objects. On each picture, draw one ring around some of the objects, leaving either 1 or 2 objects outside the ring. If a picture shows a5 ducks, you might want to draw a ring around 3 of them. Make up an addition story about the ducks. (2 ducks came to visit their 3 friends. How many are there in all?) Write it on a piece of PAPER.

13. Have you child practice addition facts as you ride in a car, take a walk or do chores. Say a number from 1 through 5. Have you child mentally add 2 to your number and say the answer.

14. Write the equation at the bottom of a PAPER. Above each addition fact, draw two groups of objects to show the numbers that are being added. The child should fill in the answers to the problems using the pictures to help. (Do several equations)

15. Separate seven BEANS into a group of 3 and a group of 4. Write an addition fact using the number of beans in each group: 3+4=7. Now switch the positions of the bean groups and write the related addition fact: 4+3=7. Repeat the activity by using different numbers of beans.

16. Help mom and put away groceries. Have 7 items on the counter and put away 1. Say the subtraction fact that relates to what you did. Now put 2 more away. Say the fact…and so on.

17. Help mom and dad put away laundry. Stack up 7 towels. Put away 3. Say the subtraction fact that relates to what you did. Now put away 2, now 1… Put away other things in the same way.

18. It’ important to understand what it means to subtract zero. Collect groups of 3 to 7 items such as books, spoons, or stuff animals. Count the objects and take a zero. Talk about it.

19. FACT FAMILIES are facts that have three numbers in common. Usually we have 2 addition and 2 subtraction facts in a fact family. An example is 2+4=6, 4+2=6, 6-4=1, 6-2=4. Choose several and write them on a piece of PAPER. For a challenge, throw in a fact that has different numbers (1+5=6) and see if you child can tell you why it doesn’t belong.

20. Time yourself doing your math facts. Each time, try to beat your first time! Continue improving your score!

*If you have a COMPUTER GAME or a BOARD GAME that practices math facts, that can certainly be counted as a math activity. Remember to adapt it to the level of your child’s needs.