August 23, 2005

  • Fascinating little piece of math today with Kaylin.   She's ahead of Samuel a bit.  I'll be intrigued to see if Samuel struggles with it or not.


    3 circles 4 triangles.  How many more triangles.


    4 circles 2 triangles.  How many more circles.


     


    There was umm 9 of these questions?   And instead of the word triangle it was a picture of.  Kaylin loves subtraction, but this didn't "look" like subtraction...and suddenly she just couldn't get it.


    We got the manipulative triangles and circles out, and she just couldn't answer how many more.  I'd match them up and ask how many are left over, and she could do that, but only if I did the matching.


    So after a wee break to regroup...I got popcorn out (or snack this morning)   And gave Zeria 5 pieces and Kaylin 2.   "How many more does Zeria have?"   I asked.   She could answer immediately.


    HMMM, so we went back to the circles and triangles.    Still she couldn't do it immediately.   I had to help her match them up, and then she could get the leftovers.


    So, I sat back and thought about what was different.   A one was food.  And B it was all the same item when I used the popcorn.  


    We did get answers so we won't do anymore for awhile.   But now I'm curious.   If I put 5 apples, and 3 oranges out would she be able to do it.   And what kind of wonky little gap in her reasoning power is this.


    Wommie any comments?  I so wanted to talk to you this morning and ask questions as I struggled through your expertise....


    Edit;  She can't.  She can do How many more without much struggle with its two like items.   But if its 5 rocks and 2 shoes.   She can't.


    Very fascinating.....

Comments (3)

  • Actually, very normal for her age.  Subtraction with different items takes more logic then subtraction with same objects.  She'll get it though... Don't worry. :heartbeat:

  • Hey...

    I wouldn't be too concerned about that. It's an interesting exercise actually... subtracting one thing from another type of thing... like how often do you say to yourself "Here's $10 and 6 rocks, how many more dollars do I have than rocks?" Generally it makes more sense to subtract the same sort of thing from itself...
    I am sure she will be able to answer questions like that in time. I wouldn't be concerned.

    I really only thing any exercise or learning activity is as good as how much it applies to real life.

  • Oh thanks for the reminder...its what I tell myself over and over, but was finding myself getting hung up on it somehow.  

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