Books with author Charles Ludwig

Math Games Played with Cards and Dice (4-6) is the third book in the Galaxy Series of supplementary mathematics materials. This is written as a source book for teachers and parents and is aimed at improving the basic skills of upper elementary school students. It contains a wide variety of games and puzzles to challenge learners of all ability levels in performing the basic arithmetic operations, use of the metric system, probability, and some pre-algebra concepts. Math Games Played with Cards and Dice (4-6) provides motivating mathematics games and puzzles that are supplementary to any basal mathematics program. It is not a self-contained mathematics curriculum. Its materials are designed with the entire range of learners in mind. Each game contains variations that present challenges for students who are able to probe more deeply into the activities presented. Classroom testing of these games and activities has consistently demonstrated that students enjoy them, are motivated by them and master basic skills through their use. Answers and comments are provided for many of the activities in the last section of this book. This book requires little more than standard playing cards, standard dice, meter sticks, and common classroom materials for successful use. Calculators can be useful in some activities, though they are not required. When customized dice are required, a non-permanent marker may be used to doctor the faces of the standard dice. The entire Galaxy Series conforms to the Mathematics Focal Points recommendations of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics as well as most state standards. The books also help prepare students for testing programs that are mandated under state and federal statutes. Thank you for using the supplementary mathematics materials of IPMG Publishing!

The activities presented in this book are designed to be used with a geoboard or dot paper. Students in Grades 3-10, as well as adults in preservice and inservice programs, will enjoy this practical resource. Each page is a prelude to more formal activities and exercises in the textbook. Why Use a Geoboard? Geoboards are certainly not a new device on the commercial market, but we believe that they have an important contribution to make in helping more students learn mathematics. Using a geoboard in the math classroom can make a significant contribution in several ways: It is a flexible and versatile tool. This makes it possible to use the geoboard in a wide variety of ways without prohibitive cost or extensive preparation and training. It helps teachers provide students with mathematical experiences that proceed from concrete to pictorial to abstract so that retention is greater. It provides students with a stimulating medium that keeps them actively involved while they are learning mathematical concepts. Active involvement and variety increases their motivation, and motivated students learn better. Students can better identify relationships and properties by building figures. Building figures on a geoboard or dot paper often saves time. Many exercises feature problems where the figures can be constructed quickly because the examples chosen for vertices, midpoints, etc. use nail or dot paper points. Building or drawing is a distinctly higher-level task than many of the identify exercises found in some standard textbooks. What s in This Book? This 180-page, reproducible resource book allows students to explore standards-based problem solving activities. The motivating collection offers: 3 free exploration activities 11 problem solving puzzles and games 5 problem solving investigations 16 graphing activities 50 activities involving polygons and their properties 15 fractions, ratio and percent activities 9 logical reasoning and communication activities Bonus word problems on selected pages Masters for teachers Selected answers and comments Challenging opportunities are provided throughout the book. Students are frequently asked to make generalizations based on the results of their work and create their own problems. In addition, problems such as drawing a triangle with a given perimeter are quite challenging because they require a student to use square roots and the Pythagorean Theorem. Finally, some exercises also help students see the limitations of continuing to use geoboards or dot paper exclusively or forever!

The Sowers Series biographies offer children a chance to experience the Christ-inspired pathways followed by some heroic men and women. Their impact on our lives as well as a great deal of factual information is skillfully presented to the child within the framework of an interest-holding story. Over the years, the Sowers Series books have established their appeal with a wide range of readers and listeners.

Math Games Played with Cards and Dice (2-3) is the second volume in the Galaxy Series. It contains fun and motivating games and puzzles to develop skills and interest in studying mathematics. The Galaxy Series provides supplementary mathematics materials that support traditional or reform curricula. All activities in the series reflect content recommendations of the Mathematics Focal Points of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. They promote skill development that is required for mathematics literacy and beyond. This book, which is aimed at Grades 2-3, provides activities and skill building exercises both to promote computational skill and to promote logical reasoning and mathematical thinking. When used as a successor to Math Games and Activities with Cards and Dice (K-1), a sound basic skills foundation is reinforced. These books are flexible. They may be used as supplementary for students who need additional help, and they provide excellent group activities for cooperative learning of mathematics. An element of competition is fostered by the game formats that utilize playing cards and dice as instructional devices. Most materials needed to use the Galaxy Series and this book in particular are contained in the materials presented. All record and score sheets are readily copied on any standard copy machine, and teachers are allowed to duplicate all such documents freely. Calculators may be used in some of the games and puzzles at the teacher s or parent s discretion. The authors and publisher hope that this book will help promote and extend mathematics learning for all students. For additional IPMG Publishing materials, consult the inside back cover of this book or our website.

Math Bingo Games Th ese games are played similar to ordinary Bingo using callers cards and player generated cards. Instead of having a person call out a number such I, nineteen the callers cards contain problems or short questions such as 5 + 4 = ?. Each player solves the problem that is stated orally or presented on an overhead projector using a transparency. If the answer appears on a player s card, he/she covers it using a cardboard square or some other convenient marker (e.g., paper clips, corn, pennies). As in regular Bingo, the cards that are called should be kept separate from those that still remain to be drawn so that winning cards can be verifi ed. When a player covers the prescribed Bingo pattern he/she calls out BINGO. Students should keep their cards covered while the teacher checks the answers. Points or a prize are then given to the winner. How to Make Math Bingo Cards Th e players cards can be made by using one of the blank masters found in the Appendix. Begin by duplicating a supply of open-ended cards for your class. Th en use the sample card provided for the skill are you want maintained to tell students what problem or answers you would like to have printed on the card. Tell students to write their answers in a random manner so that each player card has a diff erent arrangement of numbers. Explain to students that this will diminish the chances of several people getting a Bingo at the same time. Once the cards have been generated you are ready to the play the game. Before you start, check to see that you have the materials indicated below. Teacher: Caller s cards Students: Math Bingo card, cardboard squares or other suitable marker to cover numbers. Review the rules of regular Bingo with the class. Th en explain that Math Bingo is played in a similar manner, and display how a win can be achieved on a sample card. Next, read or display the fi rst problem or answer using a randomly drawn caller s card. After a few moments (the length of time will vary with the type of exercise) read or display the next caller s card. Continue on in this manner until some student says BINGO. Caution students to keep their cards covered until all of the entries on the winners cards are verifi ed. Check each Bingo. If the card is correctly covered the student has a valid Bingo. Following the completion of a round, points and prizes are awarded and all cards are cleared. Extending the Math Bingo Games Unites throughout the mathematics curriculum lend themselves to maintenance using the Math Bingo cards. Th e list of possibilities is limited only by the teacher s and students creativity in generating caller s cards. Even skills in advanced mathematics can be practiced. For example, in Algebra the caller s cards could contain equations inequalities, computation involving integers, work with polynomials, exponents, and circles. In Algebra II, Trigonometry, or Math Analysis, the problems on the caller s cards could involve slopes, quadratic equations, conics, logarithms, exponential functions, trig identities, or permutations.