• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

2nd grade math rant. what ever happend to just teaching math????

Page 2 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.
We did something similar to this when I was in elementary(Texas), but we never used that kind of terminology for the blocks, which probably creates all the confusion. It would make more sense if you could see the actual blocks they use.
 
Originally posted by: tweakmm
I'm not sure if I'd publicly admit to not being able to understand my child's 2nd grade math. 😉 😀
Click to expand...

I almost didnt but but after all the other people who responded said they havent heard of this either made me feel better.
 
Originally posted by: novasatori
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Hate to say it, but it made sense to me immediately.

A "bit" is a representation of 1
A "skinny" is a representation of 10
A "flat" is a representation of 100
A "pack" is a representation of 1000

Logically it operates on the same principle as the base-ten system, except that this provides a visual means of explaining it.

I'm not sure I think this is the best method, but it does get the general theory across rather elegantly.

That said, I tend to be hyper-rational and over-logical, so my understanding this may simply be a function of an abnormal mind.

ZV
Click to expand...

i didn't even have to read it all and understood after the 2nd sentence

its pretty logical, and gives you an idea of a lot of concepts

i used similar stuff in elementary school too, without the names i think they just said cubes or blocks
Click to expand...

yeah, i thought it wasnt that difficult to understand. i'd still prefer the old fashioned way of teaching math though. teach that first, then use this to reinforce.

judging by all the "i dont get it" responses in this thread.. ATOT's average IQ might not be very high.
 
They're just trying to teach them base 10 number system using candy. I can't imagine regular terms being any easier for them to understand.

1. 4 bits, 15 skinnies, 11 flats, 1 pack - 2254
2. 12 bits, 11 skinnies, 11 flats - 1222
3. 21 bits, 11 skinnies, 3 flats - 3131
 
Originally posted by: schneiderguy
We used the skinny bits and flats blocks when I was in elementary school. 😕
Click to expand...

funny

we just used actual numbers where i went and i cant recally anyone having problems with it

at least, not the kind of problems youd solve by adding throwable objects into the mix, anyway
 
Originally posted by: Malak
Originally posted by: Citrix
I know that. Its just that until about a hour ago I had never heard of these terms and i did graduate college
Click to expand...

I've graduated college too. Maybe you just didn't have this when you were younger, but I did. This was in Texas for me.
Click to expand...
Yep, we had this in Oregon too. That was 2 decades ago. I don't remember them using these terms though, just the blocks(though the school was never rich enough to afford enough flats for anyone to have a pack).
 
it makes sense when u figure out wtf a skinnie is...

but what happened to teaching kids about fractions and multiplication tables in the 2nd grade? 😕
 
makes sense to me. When i was in that grade we used this blocks that were pretty much they same thing. its to teach you how to think about division and numbers and such.
 
In second grade, I used a math book called Mathematics In Our World

It was just math, and the occasional BASIC program you can try out now and then.

If I remember, the hardest problems in the book were word problems regarding change. (Jack buys an apple for 39 cents and a candy bar for 49 cents. He pays with a dollar bill. How much does he have left?)
 
Originally posted by: brtspears2
In second grade, I used a math book called Mathematics In Our World

It was just math, and the occasional BASIC program you can try out now and then.

If I remember, the hardest problems in the book were word problems regarding change. (Jack buys an apple for 39 cents and a candy bar for 49 cents. He pays with a dollar bill. How much does he have left?)
Click to expand...

You f'ing kidding me? You remember the book you used in second grade?
 
what is the advantage of calling it a skinny/bit/flat, etc... rather than just calling it 10s, 100s, etc?
 
Dumb. This may speed up learning in the short term, but I can see it causing harm later on when they try to apply these "techniques" to higher level math.
 
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Hate to say it, but it made sense to me immediately.

A "bit" is a representation of 1
A "skinny" is a representation of 10
A "flat" is a representation of 100
A "pack" is a representation of 1000

Logically it operates on the same principle as the base-ten system, except that this provides a visual means of explaining it.

I'm not sure I think this is the best method, but it does get the general theory across rather elegantly.

That said, I tend to be hyper-rational and over-logical, so my understanding this may simply be a function of an abnormal mind.

ZV
Click to expand...

Oh, it's understandable, but it's not so much "homework" as it is some arcane board game.
 
Math for the dyslexic? No wonder kids are bored to death in school, and what's with not enough books? All the money went to pay for the over-priced No Child Left Behind Teaching programs?
 
Well, now I understand what these all mean since I remember seeing the blocks when my mom was a math teacher. I think the point is just that is allows you to quantify an abstract concept like numbers into a physical entity such as blocks. I guess it has a use in so far as it is EXTREMELY important in math to understand that every usefull representation and calculation we do needs to be referenced back to the physical world. Having said that, I would just hope you learn the basics at the same time since an abstract type excersize doesn't help you when you don't even know the concrete numerical manipulations.

I can't really remeber what all i did at that age. I know that in first grade we learned long division and multiplication and had to memorize the mulitiples of each number 12 or lower with the others (IE: 12*5, 5*9 ...) Can't remember what we did in second grade, but whatever it was once you have the basic operations (additon, subtraction, multiplication, division) down than a huge class of problems opens up to you. So I'd guess it was simply doing problems with these operation while increasing the difficulty. (word problems were always my enemy at that age).
 
Originally posted by: BrownTown
Well, now I understand what these all mean since I remember seeing the blocks when my mom was a math teacher. I think the point is just that is allows you to quantify an abstract concept like numbers into a physical entity such as blocks. I guess it has a use in so far as it is EXTREMELY important in math to understand that every usefull representation and calculation we do needs to be referenced back to the physical world. Having said that, I would just hope you learn the basics at the same time since an abstract type excersize doesn't help you when you don't even know the concrete numerical manipulations.

I can't really remeber what all i did at that age. I know that in first grade we learned long division and multiplication and had to memorize the mulitiples of each number 12 or lower with the others (IE: 12*5, 5*9 ...) Can't remember what we did in second grade, but whatever it was once you have the basic operations (additon, subtraction, multiplication, division) down than a huge class of problems opens up to you. So I'd guess it was simply doing problems with these operation while increasing the difficulty. (word problems were always my enemy at that age).
Click to expand...


you learned long division and multiplication in the first grade? wow that doesnt start for most kids until 4th grade.
 
Originally posted by: Citrix
Originally posted by: BrownTown
Well, now I understand what these all mean since I remember seeing the blocks when my mom was a math teacher. I think the point is just that is allows you to quantify an abstract concept like numbers into a physical entity such as blocks. I guess it has a use in so far as it is EXTREMELY important in math to understand that every usefull representation and calculation we do needs to be referenced back to the physical world. Having said that, I would just hope you learn the basics at the same time since an abstract type excersize doesn't help you when you don't even know the concrete numerical manipulations.

I can't really remeber what all i did at that age. I know that in first grade we learned long division and multiplication and had to memorize the mulitiples of each number 12 or lower with the others (IE: 12*5, 5*9 ...) Can't remember what we did in second grade, but whatever it was once you have the basic operations (additon, subtraction, multiplication, division) down than a huge class of problems opens up to you. So I'd guess it was simply doing problems with these operation while increasing the difficulty. (word problems were always my enemy at that age).
Click to expand...


you learned long division and multiplication in the first grade? wow that doesnt start for most kids until 4th grade.
Click to expand...

I remember that we had to have our multiplication tables learned up to 12 x 12 in early 3rd grade, I'm pretty sure we had done long division by then as well. That was advanced program though.
 
We used these, although I don't remember those names. Was over like 12 years ago though (not sure what age 2nd grade is, but I am assuming it was a while ago for me)
We also had names for different things (reddy tens, greenie units, something else for hundreds).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top