Moms Inspire Learning

When Lemonade, Math, and Creativity Collide

Economics and entrepreneurship aren't the only things you can learn with lemonade. In Barbara deRubertis' early reader, LULU'S LEMONADE (Math Matters), children (between the ages of 5 and 8) learn not only about measuring liquids, but how to turn a boring day into a creatively delicious one.

As Mattie and Martin toss around ideas in an effort to cure their boredom, they decide to enter a cooking contest. But who wants to cook on such a hot day? The solution is to make lemonade. What a perfect way to spend a hot summer day. And no stove is needed!

Learning with Lemonade

As children start to head back to school, I wonder how many of them saved up some money this summer. I saw a few lemonade stands, which always bring me back to the time when I was a child. My lemonade stand was actually a homemade cookie stand!

Nonfiction Monday: Connecting the Patterns of Math, Literacy, Science, and Art

Welcome to Nonfiction Monday! If you'd like to participate, please leave the link to your post in the comments, and I will add it to the post, Nonfiction Monday Roundup of Book Reviews, sometime between 9 am and 5 pm ET. If you're new to this weekly blog event, please check that post later tonight or tomorrow for a complete list of this week's great links to nonfiction book reviews.

Today, I'd like to return to the subject of math, which often seems to take a back seat to the teaching of reading during the early years of a child's life. It doesn't have to be that way.

Teachable Moments for World Maths Day!

Welcome to World Maths Day! Right now, children around the world are playing mental math games online.

So, I thought I'd just write a very quick post about how to extend the learning by finding the teachable moments that surround you every single day. Here are just a few off the top of my head:

Finding the Math in Every Day, Part 3

How do we make math not only fun, but real and relevant to our children? We can help them to learn in the way they love most: through play.

Finding the Math in Every Day, Part 2

Math is an intimidating subject for people of all ages.

It doesn't have to be.

A Trip to Philadelphia, Part 3

It was Ben Franklin who said:

"A penny saved is a penny earned."

His resting place is right next to The US Mint, and people leave pennies on it. Did you know, though, that Benjamin Franklin did not live to see an actual U.S. penny? He died in 1790, which was 2 years before The Mint in Philadelphia was built. According to The US Mint timeline, it was the first Federal building erected under the Constitution, and the very first US penny was not ready for circulation until 1793.

A Trip to Philadelphia, Part 2

Photo taken at The Franklin Institute.

One of the highlights of my summer was our family trip to Philadelphia. If ever there was a perfect place to immerse yourself in American history, this city has got to be it!

With everything our country is going through right now, I can't help but think that we all need to just rewind for a few moments and think about why we're all here. When we bump into a Ben Franklin statue a few times, just the thought of all he did for this country should help us put things back into perspective.

Nonfiction Monday: All About Money, Part 1

In picking up where I left off with my When Coins and Picture Books Collide series, I'd like to continue on with a picture book and a chapter book that will prompt you and your children to think critically AND creatively about the topic of money. I will tell you about our trip to the US Mint in Philadelphia sometime later this week.

You all know that I LOVE books that wrap many different subjects into one creative package. Well, I was able to find two such books which integrate the subjects of math, literacy, art, science, AND social studies!

If you ask your children what money has to do with social studies or science, what do you think they'll say? What would YOU say? Take a moment to think about it...

Nonfiction Monday: All About Money, Part 2

Did you ever take a close look at a dollar bill? A $5 bill? A $20 bill? It's hard to believe that we all carry around so much history with us every day, but many of us barely even notice it!

Get out those American bills and coins and read Money $ense for Kids!, by Hollis Page Harman, along with your 9 to 12 year old child. This wonderful resource will inspire you and your child to enjoy many hands-on math activities together, while learning a lot about history along the way.