Finding the Area of a Triangle

Here's a fun website that helps children not just with the math but with the concept of area.  Level 1 is easy because all the triangles are right triangles.  Levels 2 and 3, however, require them to take more steps to solve the problem.  Check it out at http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/activities/TriangleExplorer/

Ms. Susan

Dissect a Frog Online

I learned about this website last year and used it with a couple of fifth graders who were doing frog dissections.  It's literally a virtual frog you can dissect online.  Great to prepare students who are getting ready to dissect their first frog, or for review after their dissection is complete.

If you object to animal dissection in ethical grounds, which I certainly understand, please don't go here!  If you are okay with it, visit http://dissect.froguts.com/ and select demo.

Ms. Susan

Help with Multiplication

Several of our older students love playing a computer game call Timez Attack.  We love it because it operates like a real video game but incorporates drills on all the times tables from 2 through 12. To defeat the monsters and move up in game levels, kids must give math facts within a time limit.  You can see a demo at http://www.bigbrainz.com/.  They are developing addition, subtraction and division versions as well!

Ms. Susan

Polygon Vocabulary

I was working with a student on learning the names for different polygons.  When we finished the worksheet, I opened a game online at http://www.mathplayground.com/matching_shapes.html.  It's a memory matching game where you can turn over only two cards at a time.  Under the cards are the names of the polygons, like octagon, parallelogram, rhombus, etc. and drawings of these figures.  As you match the words with the drawings, the matched cards remain uncovered until you finish the game.  We played the game twice--it was much easier than reviewing the worksheet even once!

Ms. Susan

Welcome to the GAP Blog!

Because Garrison Afterschool Program has a strong focus on structure and academics, we spend an hour a day helping children learn.  Our first focus during this hour is getting homework and assigned reading done, and then we provide enrichment activities to reinforce learning.  Often we utilize resources on the computer and online, and we would like to share some of these resources with our parents and other interested parents and teachers in the community.