Science for kids? Surely it begins at home. When kids grow up in science-friendly homes, they are encouraged to ask questions, think critically, experiment, explain their reasoning, read, write, create models, and watch science programs on TV. But what are the best activities and resources? And what about school? What do studies suggest about the … Continue reading
© 2009 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved Mancala games to motivate young mathematicians Looking for activities to motivate your school-aged kids to count and think strategically? Try out mancala. Also known as “count and capture” games, mancala games have an ancient pedigree. There is archeological evidence that these games existed in the Middle East … Continue reading
© 2008 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved In his excellent book, The Number Sense: How the Mind Creates Mathematics, Revised and Updated Edition, Stanislas Dehaene argues that kids go astray when teachers emphasize calculation over conceptual understanding. Left to their own devices, kids discover strategies that make math meaningful. Unfortunately, however, kids are often … Continue reading