• Category: Common Core State Standards School
• Published Dated: November 8, 2013
• Written by: Susan

For the last year, many educational supply stores, particularly on the east coast of the U.S., have told me that unless my math workbooks have a Common Core State Standards label on the front cover, teachers would not be allowed to purchase the books for their classrooms.

Well, to begin with, I thought to myself, if in fact administrators really said that to their teachers, then this CCSS issue is not good. The CCSS are supposed to be guidelines, not curriculum. Many, many educational products are already excellent teaching resources, and do cover CCSS without having to say so, and for schools to discard good educational materials because they lack a sticker on the front cover, well, that is a good reason to not support paying higher taxes to benefit schools.

Because my workbooks DO support many CCSS in math, I did not have to make any interior changes to the books, and so far I added changes to one book’s cover and inside cover so that those teachers who needed this would have it. However, today, after I contacted a store owner who wouldn’t buy my books without the CCSS label, saying now Two Plus Two Is Not Five does have that CCSS statement, she wrote back saying that now their state doesn’t want CCSS! REALLY???

Do these educators making decisions have any idea how much effort and dollars the various educational publishers put into designing products for CCSS demands? Now, they changed their minds?

Lesson learned: Continue to create quality products based on what is I know to be educationally best for children, and practical for teachers and parents to use. Do not be swayed by NTLB or CCSS or other hot issues of the times.

I would love feedback on this blog.

• Category: addition and subtraction Common Core State Standards Two Plus Two Is Not Five Uncategorized
• Published Dated: October 18, 2013
• Written by: Susan

There is always a bit of stress awaiting the arrival of a printing of the books. In the past, the wrong books were sent, damaged books were sent, the cover color was off… However, having learned from those past experiences, I now ask for an advance copy before the truck leaves Michigan, and I give a reminder to the printer to not make the same mistakes as in the past.

Thankfully, all is well with this shipment. The books look good!

This printing says, “Supports Common Core State Standards” and on the inside of the front cover, there is a list of the standards that this book supports. Particularly, “By end of Grade 2, know from memory all sums of two one-digit numbers.”

That is basically what Two Plus Two Is Not Five covers on each of the workbook pages! The books also have some pages supporting Grade 1 standards too.

1.OA.3  Apply properties of operations as strategies to add and subtract. Examples: If 8 + 3 = 11   is known,  then 3 + 8 = 11 is also known. (Commutative property of addition.)
1.OA.4 Understand subtraction as an unknown-addend problem. For example, subtract 10 – 8 by finding the  number that makes 10 when added to 8.

1.OA.5  Relate counting to addition and subtraction (e.g., by counting on 2 to add 2).

1.OA.6  Add and subtract within 20, demonstrating fluency for addition and subtraction within 10. Use strategies such as the relationship between addition and subtraction (e.g., knowing that 8 + 4 = 12, one knows 12 – 8 = 4); and creating equivalent but easier or known sums (e.g., adding 6 + 7 by creating  the known equivalent 6 + 6 + 1 = 12 + 1 = 13).

If you need a copy with a list of the common core state standards printed inside the book, please request this when ordering!

• Category: addition and subtraction addition and subtraction facts CCTM math facts math facts fluency math facts mastery presentation
• Published Dated: September 20, 2013
• Written by: Susan

On Friday, October 11, 2013 from 3:30-4:40 pm at the Colorado Council of Teachers of Mathematics Fall 2013 Conference, I will be speaking on Math Fluency and Differentiation: Checklists, Assessments, Instruction, and Practice! 

How important is fluency of basic math facts for success in school, and for solving problems in everyday life? What must students know before mastering basic addition and subtraction facts? We will answer those questions, and see how checklists, assessments, instruction and structured practice can assist you in differentiating math lessons. Teachers in K-5 will find the presentation beneficial.

Have you ever attended a math conference? Are you planning to attend this conference, and if so, what are you most interested in learning about?

CCTM Location: The Denver Merchandise Mart

• Category: addition and subtraction Beyond Math Facts testimonials
• Published Dated: September 17, 2013
• Written by: Susan

Every since Addition and Subtraction: Beyond Math Facts was published in August of 2012, I have been waiting for feedback in the form of a testimonial. Just this last week, I received an email from a parent who wanted to know when I would have a workbook to cover fractions and division, and she also wrote:

“I’ve purchased all of your books and had much success with using them with my child. I’ve recommended them to other parents. Thank you so much for a great product.”

• Category: CCTM Colorado Council Teachers Mathematics presentation
• Published Dated: July 25, 2013
• Written by: Susan

My proposal was accepted for speaking at Colorado Council of Teachers of Mathematics Fall 2013 Conference. I will be speaking on Friday, October 11, 2013 from 3:30-4:40 pm in Room G 38 at the Denver Merchandise Mart. The last time I spoke for CCTM in Denver was in 2011.

The session is titled:

Math Fluency and Differentiation: Checklists, Assessments, Instruction, and Practice! Teachers in K-5 will find the presentation beneficial.

Have you ever attended a math conference? Are you planning to attend this conference, and if so, what are you most interested in learning about?

• Category: Common Core State Standards Two Plus Two Is Not Five
• Published Dated: July 10, 2013
• Written by: Susan

As the time was getting closer for Two Plus Two Is Not Five to be reprinted, I was becoming more and more nervous. I was hearing from some school supply store owners, “If it doesn’t have  a Common Core sticker or mention on the front cover, our teachers won’t buy it.”

What to put on the cover? Should I include anything about Common Core State Standards inside the book? Am I correct in claiming my workbooks cover some of the standards?

I did a lot of reading about the standards, and on information printed for publishers of curriculum, but nothing I read addressed workbooks such as mine, which are supplemental curriculum. After making numerous phone calls during the past few months, I finally connected with an Educational Consultant for Math and Common Core State Standards who could meet with me. After our meeting today, I had an enormous sigh of relief! She agreed with all the standards I believed my books covered, and even included a few more. I now, in good conscience, will be able to alter my cover design to state “Supports Common Core State Standards” and will include a list of those covered on the inside of the book.

For now, if anyone needs to see which ones a particular book cover, please send me an email with that request.

• Category: Doubles in addition Doubles with multiplication learning addition learning math facts math facts math facts mastery memorize multiplication multiplication facts Number in the Middle strategies Strategies to teach addition facts understanding what math facts mean using doubles addition
• Published Dated: July 8, 2013
• Written by: Susan

Once children understand and have memorized these Addition Doubles facts, 1+1, 2+2, 3+3, 4+4, 5+5, 6+6, 7+7, 8+8, and 9+9, you can introduce these strategies to teach the following addition and multiplication facts

1. Number in the Middle: 1+3, 3+1, 2+4, 4+2, 3+5, 5+3, 4+6, 6+4, 5+7, 7+5, 6+8, 8+6, 7+9, 9+7

2. Double +1: 2+3, 3+2, 3+4, 4+3, 4+5, 5+4, 5+6, 6+5, 6+7, 7+6, 7+8, 8+7, 8+9, 9+8

3. Doubles with multiplication: 2×2, 2×3, 3×2, 2×4, 4×2, 2×5, 5×2, 2×6, 6×2, 2×7, 7×2, 2×8, 8×2, 2×9, 9×2

4. 4 Fingers: 4×3, 3×4, 4×5, 5×4, 4×6, 6×4, 4×7, 7×4, 4×8, 8×4, 4×9, 9×4

Remember to always first make sure your student can show, by using counters or drawing lines or dots, what the math fact means.

Number in the Middle is explained in another post. Basically, ask the student, “What number fits between…?” For example: Once the student automatically knows 7+7 is 14, you can teach 6+8 and 8+6. Ask, “What number fits between 6 and 8?” 6, 7, 8.  7 fits in the middle. Double 7. 7+7 =14. 6+8 and 8+6 is 14.

Double +1 is demonstrated by showing the facts with counters or cubes. For example: After the student already memorized 4+4 is 8, teach 4+5 and 5+4. Line the 4 cubes next to the 5 cubes. Show that 4+4 is 8, and 1 more is 9. By doubling the lesser or smaller number, and then adding 1 more, the student will get the correct answer.
After the student memorized 8+8 is 16, show how 8+9 and 9+8 is 17. Line the 8 cubes next to 9 cubes. 8+8 is 16, 1 more is 17.

Doubles with multiplication is very simple after the addition Doubles are memorized. If you student only knows 2+2, 3+3, 4+4, 5+5, 8+8, then you can teach: 2×2, 3×2, 2×3, 4×2, 2×4, 5×2, 2×5, 8×2, 2×8.
I like to show this with two hands. For example: Have the student show two groups of 8. Ask them to place one group in each hand. Ask them to put their hands together and think about how much they have. 8+8 = 16. Two groups of 8 is the same as 8+8. Later, show that 2×8 is the same as 8 groups of 2, 8×2.

4 Fingers is fun to teach. Once your student memorized the Doubles facts, 3+3= 6, and 6+6 = 12, have your student show 4 groups of 3. Separate two of the groups to the left, and two of the groups to the right. Ask how much is on one side, (3+3 =6) and how much is on the other side, (also 3+3=6.) Then push the two groups together together. 6+6 =12. 4 groups of 3 =12. 4×3=12.

Then show that 3 groups of 4 is the same answer.

Another example using 4×7. 4 groups of 7. Students must first know 7+7 is 14, and 14+14=28. 4×7 and 7×4 =28.

• Category: 2 Ladder addition and subtraction addition and subtraction facts Count by 2s learning math facts math facts Strategies to teach addition facts subtraction Two Plus Two Is Not Five understanding what math facts mean
• Published Dated: July 8, 2013
• Written by: Susan

Once children can count by 2s to at least ten, teach them these addition facts:

• Category: homeschool Homeschool Events homeschool parents learning math facts testimonials Two Plus Two Is Not Five
• Published Dated: July 5, 2013
• Written by: Susan

While I was at the CHEC homeschool conference in Denver, CO last month, a woman stopped by and said she was using Two Plus Two Is Not Five with her children. I asked her if she would be willing to write a testimonial and this is what she gave me:

Testimonial for Two Plus Two Is Not Five: We are a homeschooling family and enjoy working a page a day along with our other math curriculum to keep the facts fresh in our children’s minds. The tricks they have learned have stuck with them and Mom has even learned a few!
Morgan 5 Homeschool

• Category: addition and subtraction addition and subtraction facts Five Times Five Is Not Ten Free shipping learning addition learning math facts memorize reproducible workbooks strategies Strategies to teach addition facts subtraction Two Plus Two Is Not Five understanding what math facts mean word math word math problems
• Published Dated: June 26, 2013
• Written by: Susan

Summer is a great time to help your children get ahead in math. Once they show understanding of what math facts mean, it’s time to help them memorize answers to math facts!

First check to make sure they can show understanding:

Give them the math fact 6+4 or a word problem story for 6 + 4.  They can take 6 counters and put them together with 4 more counters, and figure out that there are 10 in all. Or, they can tell you a word math problem such as there are 4 chickens sleeping and 6 chickens eating so there are 10 chickens altogether. Drawing dots or pictures to represent 4 and 6 is another way to show understanding.

To show 10 – 4, children can either draw 10 items and cross out or erase 4; show 10 counting items and take away 4; or think about “What plus 4= 10?” to get 6. Encourage interesting word math stories about their friends and family, pets, places visited, or things they like to do. Give them word math problems such as if there are 10 ice cream flavors. If 4 are have chocolate in them, how many do not have chocolate?

Counting items can be  simple Unifix cubes, M & Ms, buttons, crayons, pencils, pieces of paper, paper clips, or anything that you have at least 20 of.

My friend suggested I draw pictures to go with my blog posts. My friend is a talented artist and very able using graphics on the computer. I, however, am neither artistic nor very good with graphic design on the computer, so please use your own creativity  and resources to help your children learn!

When they are ready to memorize, use these strategy-filled reproducible workbooks! Two Plus Two Is Not Five and Five Times Five Is Not Ten.  Look for the FREE shipping offer on any purchase! It’s good through August 1, 2013 for orders in the U.S.