Fun Freetime: Celebration of the Mind

October 21st marks Celebration of Mind, an observance that will have events around the world celebrating the amazing capabilities of our brain. I had an opportunity to interview Rich Rollo, author of Number Cross Puzzles, about the observance, improving numerical literacy, and the advantages of working with puzzles.

1) As a math teacher, I love math just for the sake of math. But Celebration of the Mind looks at "recreational math." Can you define that for me?
What you call "recreational Math" I call "Playing with Numbers". I have been using this technique in my classroom for 20 years. I provide kids the chance to find solutions to math problems by looking for patterns. I will ask them questions like, "What does subtraction look like?", What does multiplication look like?" "How you know that you have all the factors of 24?", or (When using Number Cross Puzzles), "Where is the best place to begin solving this puzzle?, "What makes the most sense?" And, if a student is still not sure, then I suggest just playing with it. Guess and test. And, after a few minutes of just playing with the numbers and where they might fit, usually a student will then find themselves in a good starting place and then the puzzle begins to come filled in. This when, I see some really big smiles from the kids.

2) What are some age-appropriate activities to help younger kids, older kids, teens, and adults all have fun with math?
Let's take this one group at a time.

Younger kids-I love using pattern blocks with this age group. At first, I have them explore with the blocks. They usually make some kind of picture or maybe they make a building. Sometimes, as they are building they will discover that the yellow hexagon is the same as two red trapezoids. Or that the blue diamond is the same as two green triangles. When this occurs, I then can ask some basic questions about these shapes and their relationships to each other. From here, we can then build the basics of Geometry language. (Again, most of this occurs with the kids "playing" in and with math materials.

Older Kids-I love using a lesson that deals with spatial relationships. For this the kids use blocks. The lesson has the kids build a building and then draw a top, side, and front view of the building. From here the kids are asked to construct a building from a set of drawings with only the top, front, and side views. Students are asked how many block are needed to construct the building and if there is more that one correct answer. Once, these activities are done the kids start using terms like, "bottom layer", "base blocks", and "point of view". At this point, they are ready for a game of 20 questions. I construct a hidden building (usually behind tissue boxes on my ELMO) and then I give three starting clues. At the point the students ask me questions that I will only answer yes or no to. The kids then, use the information gathered by listening to their classmates and they see if they can be the first to match what I have hidden.

Teens-I have two favorites here: First is a line game that I call "Bartelt Wins" It is a game with 12 lines (drawn on the board or on paper). The lines are set up in a row of three, a row of four, and a row of five. The rules are simple. When it is your turn you must take at least one line. You can however take more than one line if you choose. (But, you can't take from more that one row at a time.) The last one to take a line is NOT the winner. This is very fun, and the kids want to play until they can win. Secondly with teens---I will use problem solving questions that involve patterns, and with these patterns the kids are asked to answer questions that build the visual strength in math. From here the kids make generalizations about the patterns. Then they create formulas and then next thing they know....they are better at Algebra.

For Adults- I will use a combination of any and all of the previously mentioned. It all depends on where the adult is in their mathematical progression. Most adults that take my math classes are doing so because they have a great fear of math and they feel as if they were left behind at some point in their lives. Once I see where they are, then I know which activity will be the most useful. Also, for any student (over the age of 8) I will use my Number Cross Puzzles to help them feel more comfortable "playing with numbers"

3) What types of people would find number cross puzzles fun?
Just about anybody over the age of 8 can enjoy my puzzles. Here is a short list of types people who like my puzzles. Kids...because they are fun and challenging. The receptionist at my doctors office.... because they are fun and challenging. People who travel for work or fun....because they are fun and challenging. Teachers buy my books for their classroom because they want to provide their students with problem solving activities and....because they are fun and challenging. Senior like working my puzzles....because they are fun and challenging. Nurses who have clients who suffer from Alzheimer's and TBI will use my puzzles as another tool to help them. I have done my own research on these puzzles for 8 years. Basic results are this. 25% of kids love these puzzles right away. 55% of kids like the puzzles enough to ask for more that one. And the 20% of my kids will not ask for a second puzzle. They have decided, that it is just not fun for them. (Most of the time these students are in love with reading, spelling, and language.) ( I would say that are not visual learners, but I do not have any research to back this up at this time.) The main thing that I love as a classroom teacher is watching the middle 55% become better at Number Cross Puzzles as they work more and more of them. These middle kids are the ones that benefit the most from this exposure to "playing with numbers".

4) What are the advantages of doing puzzles like number crosses?
The advantages are simple. Kids that have fun with math decide that they like math. When kids believe that something is fun and challenging and they can figure it out on their own it builds lasting self confidence in the math ability. I have seen this occur for many years in my classroom. And in the last year, I have also seen it occur with adults as well.