Numb fingers...

...how cold has it been this week? - too cold! trying to embroider with icicles for fingers isn't easy, i tried everything - tucking them in my armpits; holding my cup of tea; huddling round the radiator; holding onto the shade of my anglepoise and slipping them into a freshly ironed little t-shirt! but, by doing one of these every few minutes i did manage to get a mammoth amount of stitching done...

...image deleted...

...one of my favourite groups for a while (even though i'm not so keen on the purples), i really like the simplicity and contrast of the colours and i think that little fox is so cute :)

...

...how spooky is this...

...it's one of the best pumpkins i think i've ever seen! it's the iron man mask, there are a few others here...
...but if you really want a fright take a look at this. James Kuhn is painting himself a new face every day for a year, but be warned - if you don't like clowns this is not the link for you...

...for a dose of halloween colour that's far more elegant and less spooky than these visit ivy's blog to see her most recent treasury, just gorgeous - as is her jewellery :)

...happy halloween...

emma
x

Let the Trick or Treat Fun Begin!

PART ONE

I sent my little Storm Trooper off to school wearing one of his many Halloween costumes. You see, this year he could not decide what he wanted to be, so we bought three costumes. Yea I know, spoiled, spoiled, spoiled! Anyway, the costume came with a mask but it is bulky and hard for Max to see through. I was able to get him to leave the mask at home with the promise of wearing Star Wars tattoos on his face and hands. He loved them! Oh yea, he has a Storm Trooper gun but I thought it wise not to take a gun to school. Gosh, couldn't you see the headlines...."Preschooler is Expelled from School for Bringing Toy Gun"...eeek, everyone is hyper sensitive these days...not like the old days, right?

Candy! Candy! Candy! I have a sugar high just thinking about tonight's Halloween party and Trick or Treating! Life is so much fun with a four year old!


Until I post Part 2, have a Spooky Day!

PART TWO

Byron's Costume...


Max and Emme

Max Trick or Treating at our neighbor's Houses

Our Scary Mummy in the window!!

I hope everyone had a great Halloween...we did!!

Onegai My Melody: Kurumi Nui

It’s someone’s birthday today in Sanrio, and I know just the present to send her.

Kurumi Nui is actually Kuromi’s human form. It’s incredibly rare to find good cosplays of Kurumi/Kuromi, but this is my pick from the bunch. She even has Kuromi’s Notebook in the corner.

Happy birthday, Kuromi! I hope you’re not too mad at Hello Kitty anymore. At least there are a lot of people cosplaying you, right? You’re quite pretty as a human, no wonder Hiiragi Keiichi fell in love with you!

Technorati Tags: nanao, research, cosplay, cosplayer, onegai my melody, onegai, my melody, kuromi, kurumi, nui, sanrio, hiiragi, keiichi, human, rabbit, bunny, love, birthday, notebook

A contest

Choosy Homeschooler is holding a little contest where you can win $50 worth of my Math Mammoth books.

Click here to enter.

This, in fact, has given me an idea to hold a contest of my own. I think I'll do it as a Thanksgiving contest, sometime in November.

A contest

Choosy Homeschooler is holding a little contest where you can win $50 worth of my Math Mammoth books.

Click here to enter.

This, in fact, has given me an idea to hold a contest of my own. I think I'll do it as a Thanksgiving contest, sometime in November.

Lucky Star: Takara Miyuki

The well-mannered young lady of the Lucky Star group, Takara Miyuki was the class president for her grade level in her first year. She prefers glasses over contact lenses because she’s afraid of putting the lenses into her eyes. Konata often teases her for embodying a large number of moe archetypes.

She makes a cute Miyuki, don’t you think? It’s interesting to note that she even colored her eyebrows for this cosplay. Nice work! I love her choice in eye glass frames too.

Technorati Tags: nanao, research, cosplay, cosplayer, lucky star, takara, miyuki, konata, izumi, well-mannered, class, president, glasses, meganekko, contact lens, moe, achetype, frames, anime, manga

Final Fantasy VII Advent Children: Cloud Strife 03

This is the third Cloud cosplayer I’ve seen that’s taken my breath away.

It’s a simple shot, but very artistic. Cloud does have a tendency to go about by himself to think things through, and this is why I think this photo captures Cloud’s personality perfectly.

Nice work on this! I wonder if he used hair cement too?

Technorati Tags: nanao, research, cosplay, cosplayer, final fantasy, vii, 7, advent children, cloud, strife, contemplate, thinking, personality, hair cement, reflection

Sailor Moon S: Sailor Neptune 02

The “Miss Congeniality” of the Sailor Senshi, Kaioh Michiru, whom is commonly referred as Sailor Neptune is a polite, calm, and sophisticated person who is very intelligent and gifted in art and music. She is often seen along side Teno Haruka (Sailor Uranus) to which several controversies have sprung from.

It’s been a while since I’ve seen pretty Senshi cosplayers. I’ve only got to see a couple of episodes of Sailormoon S, but I heard it was the best of the series. Anyway, great work on this! I really like her wig and eyes. It’s quite perfect, don’t you think?

Technorati Tags: nanao, research, cosplay, cosplayer, sailormoon, sailor, moon, neptune, uranus, kaioh, michiru, miss congeniality, congenial, social, polite, calm, sophisticated, art, music, violin, teno, haruka, senshi, sailor senshi, sailor moon s, wig

Roman numerals and other number systems

I recently created a worksheet generator for Roman numerals. Feel free to use it.

Roman numerals is not any major topic in the math curriculum. They are still used in clocks, to number chapters of a book, write year numbers, and such, so students need to study them, even if just briefly. Fortunately it isn't that difficult a topic.

Many youngsters might, in fact, be interested in learning about different number systems that have been used in various civilizations over the centuries.

I just posted about writing in math class, and this topic would make for an excellent writing project that connects math, writing, and history. Then you wouldn't be doing it just for the sake of learning the math, or the historical facts, but also to practice writing a report or an essay.

It's probably the easiest to work into the curriculum if you're homeschooling, because classroom teachers may have to just kind of scurry by the Roman numerals on into the next topic. But even if you're a teacher, consider printing out a few interesting articles about the various number systems, such as the Mayan, the Egyptian, or the Babylonian, and then giving these printed articles as extra reading to kids who might be interested in such.

Ideas for a writing project on number systems

1. A report on Mayan, Babylonian, Egyptian, or Chinese numbers. Even younger students could probably write a few sentences and give a few examples of their numbers. You can easily find articles to print about them on the Internet. Wikipedia is a good starting point.



2. Another writing idea is to study several number systems at once, and write a "comparison report" where you compare these other systems to our current number system, which is called the Indian-Arabic number system.
   
   Some main points for such comparison are:
   
   * How many symbols are used?
   * Are they used additively? Or is it a positional system?
   Or a mixture of both?
   * What are the bases used? (could be 10, 20, 60)
   * How easy is it to perform the basic four operations?



3. Yet a third way is to write a report about base 2 numeral system and systems with other bases. This would work best with middle and high schoolers, and should appeal to any computer science minded folks, BTW, because computers use base 2 in their "internal workings".

---

Some resources

Use these web sites to get you started.

Roman Matching Game
Drag the Roman numerals to the corresponding Arabic numerals. If you win the next game will be faster. See if you can beat the clock!

Roman Numerals - Wikipedia
An article explaining the usage, origin, and a chart of Roman numerals.


Numbers
A comprehensive website about various number systems, such as the Egyptian, Babylonian, Chinese, Greek, Roman, Mayan, and Arabic.

Numeral Systems - Wikipedia
Wikipedia article on numeral systems, which contains links to Hindu-Arabic systems, Asian numerals, Alphabetic numerals such as Greek or Hebrew, and other systems including Mayan, Roman, and Babylonian.

Mayan Mathematics

Roman numerals and other number systems

I recently created a worksheet generator for Roman numerals. Feel free to use it.

Roman numerals is not any major topic in the math curriculum. They are still used in clocks, to number chapters of a book, write year numbers, and such, so students need to study them, even if just briefly. Fortunately it isn't that difficult a topic.

Many youngsters might, in fact, be interested in learning about different number systems that have been used in various civilizations over the centuries.

I just posted about writing in math class, and this topic would make for an excellent writing project that connects math, writing, and history. Then you wouldn't be doing it just for the sake of learning the math, or the historical facts, but also to practice writing a report or an essay.

It's probably the easiest to work into the curriculum if you're homeschooling, because classroom teachers may have to just kind of scurry by the Roman numerals on into the next topic. But even if you're a teacher, consider printing out a few interesting articles about the various number systems, such as the Mayan, the Egyptian, or the Babylonian, and then giving these printed articles as extra reading to kids who might be interested in such.

Ideas for a writing project on number systems

1. A report on Mayan, Babylonian, Egyptian, or Chinese numbers. Even younger students could probably write a few sentences and give a few examples of their numbers. You can easily find articles to print about them on the Internet. Wikipedia is a good starting point.



2. Another writing idea is to study several number systems at once, and write a "comparison report" where you compare these other systems to our current number system, which is called the Indian-Arabic number system.
   
   Some main points for such comparison are:
   
   * How many symbols are used?
   * Are they used additively? Or is it a positional system?
   Or a mixture of both?
   * What are the bases used? (could be 10, 20, 60)
   * How easy is it to perform the basic four operations?



3. Yet a third way is to write a report about base 2 numeral system and systems with other bases. This would work best with middle and high schoolers, and should appeal to any computer science minded folks, BTW, because computers use base 2 in their "internal workings".

---

Some resources

Use these web sites to get you started.

Roman Matching Game
Drag the Roman numerals to the corresponding Arabic numerals. If you win the next game will be faster. See if you can beat the clock!

Roman Numerals - Wikipedia
An article explaining the usage, origin, and a chart of Roman numerals.


Numbers
A comprehensive website about various number systems, such as the Egyptian, Babylonian, Chinese, Greek, Roman, Mayan, and Arabic.

Numeral Systems - Wikipedia
Wikipedia article on numeral systems, which contains links to Hindu-Arabic systems, Asian numerals, Alphabetic numerals such as Greek or Hebrew, and other systems including Mayan, Roman, and Babylonian.

Mayan Mathematics

Woo-hooooooo...

...my very first treasury made the front page of etsy! - so chuffed...

emma
x

Oh! My Maid: Shuka

I realize that this image looks a little bit on the generic side like most Unknown Entries, so trying to figure out who this is will be a pain…

But I couldn’t help but notice how beautiful her wig looks that I had to share it with everyone.

Then again, she could be from a game I don’t know of again, since I’m more familiar with anime than games, right?

So, does anyone have any guesses?

EDIT: Thanks to No_name for commenting that this is Shuka from Oh! My Maid.

Technorati Tags: nanao, research, cosplay, cosplayer, unknown, priestess, prayer, generic, anime, manga, game, wig

Jose Cuervo is a friend of mine!

It's late Sunday Night and it's taken us 2 days to recover from our vacation. It was a great time and here is a recap of our week:

First, two days before we left, we learned that our Dreams Tulum Resort had been temporarily closed since it had been built on ancient Mayan burial grounds (no really!). In a last minute scramble, we were rebooked at the Barcelo Maya Palace. It was a place we knew nothing about, but what the heck, it was Mexico and we wanted an adventure!

As it turned out, the resort was beautiful, great beaches, comfortable rooms, excellent service, plenty of food, and cold drinks. Oh yeah, it also had a great drop-in kids' club for Max, so we were able to even get a little alone time. We went with two other families from our neighborhood (The O'briens and The Mullins). Even though we got a little rain, I think everyone had a great time. Here are a just a few of our pictures:

The Kid's Water Park viewed from the Lobby Bar

Max and Byron hanging out in the Hammocks

Max Loved the Beach

Mike, Byron, and Steve playing "Bones" in the Bar

Max doing "Shirley Temple" shooters at the Bar

Balloon Animals at meal time were a big hit

All the kids got a long great

One evening, we were out on the beach and heard a rumor that some sea turtles were about to hatch. We walked down the beach and found a nest where the lifeguards were helping the sea turtles. A crowd started forming, but the lifeguards kept everyone in check. It was an amazing site to see the turtles fight their way out of the nest under the sand. Nearly a hundred turtles were hatched from one nest. The lifeguards gave each of the kids a turtle to hold and then we all released them at the same time. The turtles immediately headed for the water. It was an experience that few get to see. Christy got some good video and I will post it as soon as I figure out how!

Anyway, we would definitely go back to this resort. Our flights were pretty easy and we had no issues getting through customs. Max is already wanting his next vacation...he says he wants to go to Disneyland next (where does he come up with this stuff?)

Green...

...a really cute new range of cards from hotchpotch...

...they're made with 100% recycled card, without using bleaching chemicals and the poly bags they come in are biodegradable too...

...they're designed by Janine Drayson. she's a collage artist who uses recycled or upcycled papers, i recognise a few envelope prints in these...

...the full range is listed here, i picked these up in john lewis...

...the cupcakes are my favourite - yum!

emma
x

In "Blanket" Love

If you haven't seen Blanket , you're missing out on a whole lot of fantastic!

Blanket is a free PDF art + design + photography magazine that is released bi-monthly. It is aimed at uncovering new, emerging talent from around the world.

Blanket has a website, blog and shop

website: http://www.blanketmagazine.com/
blog: http://www.blog.blanketmagazine.com/
shop: http://blanket.bigcartel.com/






The images above are from the Poster that Blanket has recently produced. It rocks big time! I have one, and it's sexy! You can get your very own at http://blanket.bigcartel.com/product/blanket-poster and feel good about supporting a local Australian publication that brings you art from all over the globe!

The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi: Suzumiya Haruhi 03

I should remind myself to check my emails more often.

I received this picture from §oL some time ago, and it got buried under all the requests. I only got to feature this now, sadly.

Isn’t she such a cute Haruhi? She’s definitely among the Chibi Category, and a young professional I’d say.

Thanks for the email, §oL! You can find two other Haruhi cosplayers here and here. Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: nanao, research, cosplay, cosplayer, the melancholy of suzumiya haruhi, suzumiya, haruhi, melancholy, §oL, chibi, professional, picture, email, inbox, request, feature, haruhism

I did it...

...i managed to bag a space for my very first etsy treasury - I say grey...
...woo-hoo!!! (way too much tension waiting for the magic number to drop below 333)...

...now i'm off to top up my wine glass, find a film and enjoy a cosy night in away from the cold wind and rain that's battering my windows...

...cheers...

emma
x

Onegai My Melody: Yumeno Uta

When I first heard about My Melody having an anime, I was skeptical. I mean… why would Sanrio create an anime series? And how good would it be?

You’d be pretty surprised at Onegai My melody’s Story line. It’s very… non-Sanrio like.

Here we have the main character of the series, Yumeno Uta. She is an energetic, cheerful girl who lead a normal life until a little bunny named Kuromi casts a spell on her, making her a victim to Kuromi’s Dark Magic (basically, her violin began playing on its own, off cue, during a performance!).

My Melody was able to save her using her own magic and they began to work together to keep Kuromi from succeeding in resurrecting the Spirit of Dark power. Uta also has the ability to power up the Melody Tact through her singing.

Cute cosplayer. I was able to find this thanks to Hiiragi Keiichi of Sanriotown! I have a few more pictures from the series I’d like to share, but I’ll post them some other time. I wouldn’t want to flood everyone with Onegai My Melody cosplays, even if we are in Sanriotown!

Technorati Tags: nanao, research, cosplay, cosplayer, onegai, my melody, onegai my melody, yumeno, uta, high school, girl, dark, magic, kuromi, violin, performance, spirit, power, tact, melody, hiiragi, keiichi, sanriotown, sanrio, anime, series

The Etsy treasury...

...these last few days i've discovered the joy of the treasury...

...i found this fab one today by annabeads...
...the print of the street scene sums up this week all too well, spanner and me have been battered by the wind and rain too many times this week!
...i especially like the paper raindrop decoration, if i could persuade my man i would have lovely beaded curtains and the like in every doorway. as a kid i loved those rainbow plastic ones and the way they caught the light...

...today i feel like a stinky cold is brewing so i'm off to have one of those long hot bubble baths i love so much with some of this stuff, great for warming and soothing stuffy heads...

emma
x

Rozen Maiden: Suigintou 03

Considered to be the first Rozen Maiden Doll, Suigintou was an incomplete creation who was able to move without being granted a Rosa Mystica.

In her awakening, she was weak and could barely walk, but Shinku decided to help her out of pity.

Suigintou began hating Shinku when she found out she had lied to her about being able to meet father. When Souseiseki killed her, Rozen gave her a Rosa Mystica and it was only then that she became a true Rozen Maiden. Sadly, she misunderstood Shinku’s intentions and thought she had left her to die in order to take her Rosa Mystica, which she never had in the first place.

Pretty cosplay! In fact, I’d say all three Suigintou cosplayers are pretty, don’t you think?

Technorati Tags: nanao, research, cosplay, cosplayer, rozen, maiden, rosa, mystica, suiginotu, shinku, souseiseki, doll, father, lies, pity

Bleach: Neliel Tu Oderschvank 02

Sometimes, I don’t understand why people feel the need to Photoshop images when the original is already impressive enough as it is.

Take this for example:

Do you remember this image? This is the original picture of the previous Neliel cosplay that I posted.

As you can see, she is quite pretty. So why would people still want to edit it?

Then again, it may have been merely for Photoshop practice. The edited version was actually made by Deviant Artist, Opeth Metal.

I don’t know about you guys, but I think I appreciate this original cosplay more now that I’ve seen the 2 versions. Metal’s photo manipulation was definitely impressive, but I like natural looking cosplays better.

Technorati Tags: nanao, research, cosplay, cosplayer, bleach, nel, neliel, tu, oderschvank, deviant art, opeth, metal, natural, photoshop, photo manipulation

I’s: Yoshizuki Iori 03

Wow..! How come all of the the Iori cosplayers are so pretty?

Although… the color of the uniform varies. I’m not sure which color is right anymore, and this one is just… glaringly bright purple. Maybe in the manga it was in this hue?

Anyhow, lovely picture! She really does look like Iori, but I can’t decide among the 3 of them. Can you?

Technorati tags: nanao, research, cosplay, cosplayer, iori, yoshizuki, i’s, i"s, manga, anime, uniform, seifuku, purple

Gidget goes Ga-Ga for BrisStyle!

It’s United Nations Day on the 24th of this month. It’s the International Year of the Potato this year, as declared by the United Nations. How does this relate to BrisStyle you may well ask? Well, it doesn’t really except for the fact that potatoes are a popular vegetable and most BrisStyle members likely eat them on a fairly regular basis. When I think of potatoes I think of chips. Hot chips. With fish. Yes, fish & chips on the beach! So this post will feature a selection of BrisStyle seller items that fit in with the theme of sunny days on the beach eating fish & chips. So you see, there is a link to potatoes after all that. Phew! Lucky my first thoughts were of chips and not mashed potatoes. That would be a tricky theme to work with…

Print - Teasing the Waves Original Artwork
by Elizas Art

Dazzling Board Shorts for your Little Surfie

by Ogekko

Surfers Paradise - Vintage button Earrings

by Ruby Red Studios

Julie Coquelicot (pretty pop) Hat

by SM Boutique

Little Portrait of a SURFER GIRL - Art Print

by Twinkle Star Art

Northern Waters Wolf Brooch

by RE-Read Designs

Haven’t seen any wolves on any of the beaches I frequent, but sure wish I did. They’d chase away those pesky Ibis birds that are so fond of rudely stealing my lunch!

Pink Sun Top

by Hot Fudge

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd

by Wicked Child Designs

I swear I saw our PM Kev on the beach recently. Or somebody who looked remarkably like him. He was wearing speedos. And it wasn’t pretty.

If you fancy purchasing any of the super items featured here, then simply click on the seller name to be transported to their Etsy shop. Best of all, in celebration of United Nations Day this month, if you purchase any of these items during October, a bucket load of good karma will be headed your way. That good karma will also extend to the purchase of any item from any BrisStyle member by the way. There’s plenty of good karma to go around! And chips! Would you like one? Ooops…too late. All gone.

Finally...

...image deleted...

...this bear group is finished! it seemed to take forever because of all the little disasters happening around here. i'm glad to say everything is fixed and working - for the time being anyway...

...well, after only two weeks of blogging i've been tagged! thanks to viv of hens teeth :) hmmmm, seven things about me...

1 ...i do my own diy. well mostly, i'm no plumber or electrician, but if i need one of these guys out then i pester them like a small child wanting to know every detail about what they're doing and why. although, thanks to my dad, i can take a radiator off and put it back without flooding the place :)

...this is my little studio, i renovated it this summer with a little help from my man. i was so eager to get started that i didn't get a proper before photo!

2 ...i never learned to swim. i can't bear to put my face under the water because of a very healthy fear of not being able to breathe. generally i hate having my face covered or smothered in any way...

3 ...i don't own a single piece of make-up. partly because of the whole face covered thing, but mostly because i just can't be bothered with all that effort...

4 ...last week i went to the dentist for the first time in fifteen years! not that i'm frightened, i just have a good set of choppers!

5 ...i'm no use to anyone unless i get nine hours of sleep every night - i love my duvet :)

6 ...i have bad circulation. from september to april my nose, toes and fingers are always cold - i'm wearing gloves as i type...brrrr!

7 ...i'm originally from the north east of england. after twelve years in scotland my accent isn't as strong as it was, but i do still use phrases like 'i man' and 'gan on wy' ('yes, of course' and 'go on then')...

...now for the next lucky seven - monda loves..., stripeymonkey, BONZIE, all*over*print, abigailBROWN, dottie angel and Lindsay Brackeen.

rules ...link to your tagger and list these rules on your blog; share 7 facts about yourself on your blog; tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs; let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog...

emma
x

Kuroshitsuji: Ciel Phantomhive

Ciel Phantomhive is the 12-year-old head of the noble Phantomhive family. He took over the family business at a young age due to the death of his parents. His right eye is always covered because it bears the contract between him and his butler (who is also his bodyguard and a demon) Sebastian Michaelis.

Omiya Lotus is a cosplayer on Deviant Art. She’s a really good cosplayer and it’s thanks to Prudencee Lumiere’s comment that I was able to find her. A huge thanks to Prudencee for leaving me a comment, and to Omiya for sharing her cosplay with us! Please take some time to visit their site when you can!

Technorati Tags: nanao, research, cosplay, cosplayer, kuroshitsuji, black butler, ciel, phantomhive, noble, business, contract, butler, demon, bodyguard, sebastian, michaelis, omiya, lotus, deviant art, prudencee, lumiere,comment, blog

Dekaron: Segita Hunter and Incar Magician

With all the game cosplays in the Unknown category, you could probably tell that I hardly play any online games and MMORPGs at all.

Doesn’t mean I don’t like them though.

So for this week, I would guess they’re Korean online mmorpg characters. They might be hired or professional cosplayers, but even with that knowledge, you have to admit, the costume and the cosplayers are very impressive.

Anyone have any ideas?

EDIT: Thanks to my annonymous contributor for letting me know these cosplayers are from Dekaron, also known as 2Moons! The one on the left is a Segita Hunter in Janis Armor and the one on the right is an Incar Magician in Solongos Armor!

Technorati tags: nanao, research, cosplay, cosplayers, mmorpg, game, korean, korea, online, known, guess, mmo, rpg, role-playing games, massive, multi-player

Inuyasha: Kikyo 02

When Kikyo was still alive, she was a kind a gentle woman who had great spiritual power. She was very intelligent, but she was also very sad because she longed to be an ordinary girl without duties and powers.

This cosplayer got Kikyo’s hair better than Arisa. Although both girls still have their own appeals. Which one do you like better?

Technorati Tags: nanao, research, cosplay, cosplayer, arisa, mizuhara, kikyo, inuyasha, priestess, power, spiritual, intelligent

Writing and math

This post is inspired by Denise's recent coverage of the topic.

Combining writing and math, or using writing in math class is an interesting topic (to me anyway). Most kids probably feel that they are far from each other. Now, if all you do is plow through calculation problems, then of course you're not writing, but at some point students need to be able to write complete solutions to math problems. They need to be able to communicate their thoughts clearly.

Here are some ideas for you to get started with writing in math class. Please use your judgment in using these; for some kids it might be counterproductive - for example, if the child hates writing so much that math class is his/her only "refuge" from it.

1. Younger students might enjoy making their own "mini math book" with some calculation problems and a few word problems. (My daughter constantly makes math problems for her stuffed animals : ) )


2. Math journaling. This means that the student writes a short entry into a separate journal book at the end of some lessons, or every few days. These entries could explain a new concept just learned (with a picture), give a problem and its solution, or perhaps talk about a mistake and how it was corrected, etc.
   
   The entries could also be more personal and deal with feelings or wishes towards math. You can find more ideas and math journal prompts here.


3. Making your own math dictionary. This could be especially helpful with geometry. I've written about this before; check it out.


4. Writing word problems and solutions to them. A student could first simply rewrite a word problem from the math book by changing the numbers and/or the wording in it. Later you could ask him to make problems of his own, for example a word problem that employs addition and multiplication, or a word problem about shopping, going to the hairdresser, or some other real-world situation.
   
   Students need to learn to write readable and understandable solutions to math problems, anyway. This becomes more and more important as they advance. Here's a guide of how not to write math solutions. It's written for students who take part in math competitions, but you can see the basic ideas clearly from the examples they give, even if you don't understand all the math.
   
   
5. A complete essay on a math topic. Try a topic that is not usually covered in school math, such as Fibonacci numbers or fractals.

If you are interested in trying this out, there are many more resources on writing in math here, compiled by Denise.

And feel free to share your experiences with math and writing, if you have any.

Writing and math

This post is inspired by Denise's recent coverage of the topic.

Combining writing and math, or using writing in math class is an interesting topic (to me anyway). Most kids probably feel that they are far from each other. Now, if all you do is plow through calculation problems, then of course you're not writing, but at some point students need to be able to write complete solutions to math problems. They need to be able to communicate their thoughts clearly.

Here are some ideas for you to get started with writing in math class. Please use your judgment in using these; for some kids it might be counterproductive - for example, if the child hates writing so much that math class is his/her only "refuge" from it.

1. Younger students might enjoy making their own "mini math book" with some calculation problems and a few word problems. (My daughter constantly makes math problems for her stuffed animals : ) )


2. Math journaling. This means that the student writes a short entry into a separate journal book at the end of some lessons, or every few days. These entries could explain a new concept just learned (with a picture), give a problem and its solution, or perhaps talk about a mistake and how it was corrected, etc.
   
   The entries could also be more personal and deal with feelings or wishes towards math. You can find more ideas and math journal prompts here.


3. Making your own math dictionary. This could be especially helpful with geometry. I've written about this before; check it out.


4. Writing word problems and solutions to them. A student could first simply rewrite a word problem from the math book by changing the numbers and/or the wording in it. Later you could ask him to make problems of his own, for example a word problem that employs addition and multiplication, or a word problem about shopping, going to the hairdresser, or some other real-world situation.
   
   Students need to learn to write readable and understandable solutions to math problems, anyway. This becomes more and more important as they advance. Here's a guide of how not to write math solutions. It's written for students who take part in math competitions, but you can see the basic ideas clearly from the examples they give, even if you don't understand all the math.
   
   
5. A complete essay on a math topic. Try a topic that is not usually covered in school math, such as Fibonacci numbers or fractals.

If you are interested in trying this out, there are many more resources on writing in math here, compiled by Denise.

And feel free to share your experiences with math and writing, if you have any.

Hikaru no Go: Shindo Hikaru 02

Shindo Hikaru is an elementary school student with no interests in playing Go; until he meets Toya Akira and is pestered to end by Sai to play Go. He eventually becomes a professional Go player at the age of 14, a year behind his rival.

Part of Hikaru’s strength in playing Go is his “stupid” moves. He makes these mistakes in order to lure his opponent into making what looks like correct moves, which he then uses against them.

Pretty cool cosplay. It’s been more than a year since I lasted posted a Hikaru no Go cosplay, and I’m glad I found a good one. Nice job!

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