Date One-On-One (DOO) with Daddy - LEG LEGO® ARKITEKT

It was the school autumn holidays. Mommy FECS had to work. Our LittleFECS had no school, thus it was the perfect opportunity for DOO (Date One-On-One) with Daddy FECS.

First, they did some practical things - running to the car mechanic to change the car's tyres into winter tyres. 

Then they took the train into Copenhagen for the building with LEGO activity for kids by the Architect Center. 

It cost 95 DKK per person to participate. There are thousands of white and transparent bricks to build from. The architecture university students were walking around for assistance (but to be honest, they didn't offer much help, so that was a little disappointing, after paying so much for this event). It were mainly parents who were building with their children. 

But there were lots of LEGO building models for inspiration, and my, some of them were really impressive. There were many parents there with their children, but as you could see, it seemed that the parents were having so much fun building the LEGO architect models, they looked more engrossed and absorbed than their children - some very lucky children here with such wonderful parents indeed :-) 

Daddy FECS built 4 houses. As Daddy FECS completed a house, our Little FECS copied and follow and build the exact copy. Then they put the 4 houses together and a top tower structure. Our FECS model paled in comparison, but it was the fun and the process that count :-) Our Little FECS learned to build a house.

Thereafter, Daddy FECS and our Little FECS shared a burger for snacks at Copenhagen Street Food located at the trendy PapirØen before heading home after a long cozy but wet day. Daddy FECS got home very tired. 

At dinner time, I asked Daddy FECS a wicked question: Which is more tiring, to go to work or to go out with our Little FECS? Daddy FECS said going out with our Little FECS is more tiring. It is more relaxing to work in the office. Now Daddy FECS knows how it is for full-time moms with kids 24/7 :-) But then our Little FECS burst into tears. He felt hurt. He said I asked a very dumb question.

Montessori Activity: Division Board - Dynamic Division (With Remainder)

AGE: 5.5 years (after the child is familiar with the Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication Stamp Game)

OBJECTIVE(S):

To illustrate the concept of division in a concrete and easy to understand way.

MATERIALS:

1. Division Board
2. Division worksheet
3. Pencil and eraser
4. 1 mat (optional)

PRESENTATION:

1. Read the question i.e. 30 ÷ 8 = ?

2. Pretend that the skittles represent people and the beads represent green apples.

3. Explain that 30 is called the dividend [红利] and it represents the total number of "apples" to be shared.

4. Explain that 8 is called the divisor [除数] and it represents the number of people to share the apples equally.

5. Explain that you are trying to find out how many "apples" each "person" will have, and the answer to this is called the quotient [商数].

6. Count out 30 beads ("apples") and put them into a small bowl.

7. Place 8 skittles ("people") across the top of the board, counting as you go along, and say, "these are people to share those apples in the tray."

8. Distribute the beads ("apples") from the bowl to each skittle one at a time row by row until there are not enough skittles to complete a row.

9.  Ask your child to count the beads ("apples") under each skittle ("person") and your child should answer 3. Explain that this is the quotient and it means that each person will get 3 "apples".

10. Ask your child how many apples are left in the tray that cannot fill a row of people. Your child will count and answer 6.

11. Ask your child to write the answer 3 on the worksheet.

12. Ask your child to write the remainder 6 on the worksheet.

13. Ask your child to repeat the question, count and write the answer 3 on the paper i.e. 30 ÷ 8 = 3 with remainder 6.

14. Invite your child to try the next question.

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION:

https://youtu.be/o2KWXGdBmpE

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

J (6Y5M6D) tried this on 11 August 2015. He could do so mentally without using the beads.

Substituting with LEGO

Montessori Album has a fantastic idea - if you don't have this Montessori materials, not to worry, you can use LEGO man and LEGO - see here:

http://www.montessorialbum.com/montessori/index.php?title=Division_Board

REFERENCES:

http://www.montessorialbum.com/montessori/index.php?title=Division_Board
http://www.infomontessori.com/mathematics/tables-of-arithmetic-unit-division-board.htm
Shu-Chen Jenny Yen's On-line Montessori Album

The division board is available from Amazon:

  

1. Read the question i.e. 30 ÷ 8 = ?

2. Pretend that the skittles represent people and the beads represent green apples.

3. Explain that 30 is called the dividend [红利] and it represents the total number of "apples" to be shared.

4. Explain that 8 is called the divisor [除数] and it represents the number of people to share the apples equally.

5. Explain that you are trying to find out how many "apples" each "person" will have, and the answer to this is called the quotient [商数].

6. Count out 30 beads ("apples") and put them into a small tray.

7. Place 8 skittles ("people") across the top of the board, counting as you go along, and say, "these are people to share those apples in the tray."

8. Distribute the beads ("apples") from the tray to each skittle one at a time row by row until there are not enough skittles to complete a row.

9.  Ask your child to count the beads ("apples") under each skittle ("person") and your child should answer 3. Explain that this is the quotient and it means that each person will get 3 "apples".

10. Ask your child how many apples are left in the tray that cannot fill a row of people. Your child will count and answer 6. 

11. Ask your child to write the answer 3 on the worksheet. 

12. Ask your child to write the remainder 6 on the worksheet.

13. Ask your child to repeat the question, count and write the answer 3 on the paper i.e. 30 ÷ 8 = 3 with remainder 6.

13 August 2015 (6Y5M8D)

Montessori Activity: Division Board - Static Division (Without Remainder)

AGE: 5.5 years (after the child is familiar with the Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication Stamp Game)

OBJECTIVE(S):

To illustrate the concept of division in a concrete and easy to understand way.

MATERIALS:

1. Division Board
2. Division worksheet
3. Pencil and eraser
4. 1 mat (optional)

PRESENTATION:

1. Read the question i.e. 16 ÷ 4 = ?

2. Pretend that the skittles represent people and the beads represent green apples.

3. Explain that 16 is called the dividend [红利] and it represents the total number of "apples" to be shared.

4. Explain that 4 is called the divisor [除数] and it represents the number of people to share the apples equally.

5. Explain that you are trying to find out how many "apples" each "person" will have, and the answer to this is called the quotient [商数].

6. Count out 16 beads (representing the "apples") and put them into a small bowl.

7. Place 4 skittles (you can also use LEGO figurines) across the top of the board, counting as you go along, and say, "these are people to share those apples in the bowl."

8. Distribute the beads ("apples") from the bowl to each skittle one at a time until there are no beads remaining in the bowl.

9.  Ask your child to count the beads ("apples") under each skittle ("person") and your child should answer 4. Explain that this is the quotient and it means that each person will get 4 "apples".

10. Ask your child to repeat the question, count and write the answer 4 on the paper i.e. 16 ÷ 4 = 4.

11. Invite your child to try the next question.

TIPS:

Start with an easy question first i.e. 8 ÷ 2.

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION:

https://youtu.be/wjvfV0Q4AIs

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Over breakfast this morning, Daddy practised division with our Little FECS (5Y10M2D) using LEGO figurines and 4-in-a-line game chips. J is grasping the concept well, but still needed practice counting out the answer. J asked how much the figurines are wearing funny costume. We explained that it was because they are celebrating "Fastelavn" - a Danish tradition once a year, whereby the children turned up in kindergarten in fancy-dress.

Substituting with LEGO

Montessori Album has a fantastic idea - if you don't have this Montessori materials, not to worry, you can use LEGO man and LEGO - see here:

http://www.montessorialbum.com/montessori/index.php?title=Division_Board

REFERENCES:

http://www.montessorialbum.com/montessori/index.php?title=Division_Board
http://www.infomontessori.com/mathematics/tables-of-arithmetic-unit-division-board.htm
Shu-Chen Jenny Yen's On-line Montessori Album

The division board is available from Amazon:

 

0. Bring the tray over and set up materials as shown above

1. Read the question i.e. 16 ÷ 4 = ?
2. Pretend that the skittles represent people and the beads represent green apples.
3. Explain that 16 is called the dividend and it represents the total number of "apples" to be shared.
4. Explain that 4 is called the divisor and it represents the number of "people" to share the "apples" equally.
5. Explain that you are trying to find out how many "apples" each "person" will have, and the answer to this is called the quotient.

6. Count out 16 beads (representing the "apples") and put them into a small bowl.

7. Place 4 skittles (you can also use LEGO figurines) across the top of the board, counting as you go along, and say, "these are people to share those apples in the bowl."

8. Distribute the beads ("apples") from the bowl to each skittle one at a time until there are no beads remaining in the bowl.

8.  Ask your child to count the beads ("apples") under each skittle ("person") and your child should answer 4. Explain that this is the quotient and it means that each person will get 4 "apples".

10. Ask your child to repeat the question, count and write the answer 4 on the paper i.e. 16 ÷ 4 = 4.
11. Invite your child to try the next question.

You can also use LEGO figures and LEGO bricks in place of the skittles and beads respectively.

If you don't have the division board, don't worry, but keep it simple like the above placing the LEGO bricks directly on the table below each LEGO figure.

If you have the 4-in-a-line game at home, you can also use its chips in place of the beads or...

any other counters such as smileys in place of the beads :-)

You can also use coins, teaching how to share money equally among the LEGO figures.

Here are more pictures of Division using LEGO figures and 4-in-a-line chips

26 Jan 2015 (5Y10M21D) - J trying out the division board with LEGO and 4-in-a-line game chips with Daddy over breakfast this morning

11 Aug 2015 (6Y5M6D) - Division without remainder