One Grain Of Rice
One Grain of Rice: A Mathematical Folktale, by Demi, is a beautifully illustrated book that demonstrates a simple mathematical concept. Is it a fairy tale, or a math lesson? I'd say it's both.
January 28, 2007
December 27, 2006
Family Math
In the introduction, the authors say that teachers were asking for resources they could give to parents "to use at home to help their children in mathematics. They told us that parent were frustrated in not knowing enough about their children's math program to help them or in not understanding the mathematics their children were studying". With a grant from the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education, the authors developed the activities in Family Math.
The activities are hands-on, with objects like blocks and beans. As the authors say "traditionally, these materials are used mostly in the early elementary years and paper-and-pencil mathematics becomes the rule after second or third grade. This is unfortunate, since much of mathematics can best be explained and understood using the tools of manipulative materials and models; and, in fact, many research and applied mathematicians do just that."
Also in the series:
Family Math
Family Math for Young Children: Comparing
Family Math - The Middle School Years: Algebraic Reasoning and Number Sense
The Penguin Family Book
"The Animal Family books are not just written by their authors. They are studied and researched and lived into existence. Each book helps to make the world of nature that much more real, more understandable, and more valuable to children." ~Description from Stacey's website
December 02, 2006
Radio Receiver & Morse Code Kits
Up for a little time travel? Let's way go back to days of morse-code and the early "wireless". I haven't tried these kits yet, but they look very interesting: Radio Receiver and Morse Code Kit
The product description says that they're best for ages 10 and up. However, they also say, with adult supervision, they're good for ages 3 and up. Cool! Sounds like a family activity to me!
Staple-Less Stapler
Cool little stocking-stuffer: Staple-Less Stapler
Robot Lamps
These Robot Lamps are great! It's very cool that they've designed a version in "girly" colors too. It's sad that so many girls don't get to have robot toys, just because they don't come in pink. Well, now they can!
December 01, 2006
Travel Spin Doodles
Very handy for road trips, or any other time a kid (young or old) needs something distracting. It's all inside the travel box: gears, pens, paper. Nice and compact.
Curiosity Kits Travel Spin Doodles Travel Spin Doodles
Pip-Sqeak Markers
These little markers are fantastic. Did I mention they're washable? Always a plus with art supplies for kids. They're also not as bulky as regular sized markers.
Crayola Pip-Squeaks Markers set of 16
November 11, 2006
One Night in the Coral Sea
Robin Brickman steals the show with her illustrations of One Night in the Coral Sea. She creates intricate textures and forms with paper cutting, paint, and glue. Just stunning!
November 01, 2006
Giant Plush Microbes!
Phyllis pointed out these ultra-geeky plush toys. Who could resist them?
To keep away the real bugs, be sure to wash your hands frequently. ThinkGeek has a fun soap dispenser too!
October 31, 2006
Chocolate Chemistry T-Shirt
This design is based on our click-n-spell with the elements game. Chocolate is spelled out with symbols from the periodic table of elements.
October 30, 2006
Carnivorous Plants Kit
With this kit, you can grow your own venus fly trap...from seeds! The kit contains seeds for other carnivorous plants, and a little terrarium to grow them in.
October 01, 2006
Plesiosaur T-shirt
Plesiosaurs aren't actually dinosaurs; they lived in the Jurassic seas. Mary Anning, discovered the first complete plesiosaur fossil in the early 1820s.
I designed this specially for my daughter, who dressed up as Mary Anning for halloween one year.
Deinonychus T-shirts
These Deinonychus fossils look like they're chasing each other around in a circle. Ah, the beauty of geometry and radial symmetry!
Stegosaurus T-shirt
Stegosaurus was one of my favorite dinosaurs, as a kid. So I had to include one in our new line of Dinosaur t-shirts.
August 10, 2006
The Cell T-Shirt
A GalaxyGoo original...The Cell! A great t-shirt for any Biology or Science Geek. The design is inspired by The Cell Project at GalaxyGoo.
Block Buddies
3D Tangrams
Marble Run
Gears! Gears! Gears!
Pattern Play