If you’ve read the recent article My Daughter’s Homework is Killing Me, then you know that parents all over our country are scratching their heads, wondering when homework got so dang hard.
I think that part of the reason is that complex concepts (like algebra) are being introduced in earlier grades.
In an ideal world, an early introduction to algebra would help prepare students to master advanced math in middle school and high school. It’s scaffolding for the future.
In the meantime, parents look at their kids’ homework and go “Whoa.”
Here’s a trick that might make homework easier. Add candy to the equation!
To show how this can work, I’m using an example similar to what you would find in the 5th grade Houghton Mifflin Math Expressions textbook, which the Edmonds School District uses.
Problem: Mrs. Garcia’s neighborhood has 28 pets. There are twice as many cats as hamsters and four times as many dogs as hamsters. How many of each pet are there?
You could use guess and check to figure this out, which would take forever. Or you could use algebra. Or you could use algebra and candy…even better!
(There’s more than one picture, so don’t forget to click.)
Let one piece of candy corn equal the number of hamsters. Two pieces of candy corn equals the number of cats, which is twice the number of hamsters. Four pieces of candy corn equals the number of dogs, which is four times the number of hamsters. In all, the total number of pets is 28. That would mean 4 hamsters, 8 cats, and 16 dogs in the neighborhood.
Once you introduce candy into the equation, math homework becomes more fun. Just don’t forget to have toothbrushes on the ready!
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