The Googol Learning Newsletter
February 23nd, 2007
Inspiration, Fun Activities and Ideas to Encourage Further Learning — for Parents, Teachers and Kids!
CONTENTS
- Reminder—We Need Your Vote!
- Mental Math Skills: free videos and game
- Memory and Math: What Memory Is and How it Works
- Our new Blog!
- TV Video Game Free!
- My New Workshop: MATHemACTION!
- Googol Power News
- Inspiration
IT'S YOUR LAST CHANCE TO VOTE!
Don't forget to vote for "Crazy 4 Math" as "Canada's Favourite Children's Artist." Online voting ends tonight at midnight EST.
Thank you to all of you who have spread the word in your emails and blogs. I truly appreciate your help. In fact, here's a free download of the lyrics for MATHemACTION for all of our fans.
Teachers, this makes a great song to teach vocabulary and to motivate your students. You can play the full version on our Radio. I have several different versions of this song — including practice versions with extra blank tracks for you to ask your own questions that will be available on the upcoming MATHemACTION teaching album. By the way, keep your eyes open for Googol Power's new Skip Counting album to be released this spring.
MENTAL MATH SKILLS
My workshops and programs stress early arithmetic skills — what I call developing your Math Force. Building your Math Force is critical for developing mental math skills.
I got a chance to sit in on a few workshops at the BCAMT math conference last weekend and enjoyed an entertaining presentation from Ray Appel of Zapple Consulting. He has put together two short funny math videos that show clearly the need for developing mental math skills. Visit the Googol Learning Channel on YouTube and look for:
- Algorithm and Personal Strategy
- Estimation and Calculation
Also check out one of my other favorite mental math skits by Ma and Pa Kettle.
Visit the Googol Learning Channel on YouTube for other fun and educational favorites.
At my workshop last Friday, I promised to post a multiplication math game. This "Loop" is a fun way to practice the times tables. Encourage children to make up their own game afterwards. (By the way, Crash is the indigo Googol).
Lively Discovery Multiplication workshop at a home in Langley
MEMORY AND MATH: What Memory Is and How it Works
There comes a point where your times tables MUST be memorized. You want students to be able to instantly recall all of their math facts — faster than a calculator!
In Discovery Multiplication, students are taught math strategies that help them learn to think. Afterwards we focus on memorization and goal setting skills. The student workbook leads students through a process of effectively memorizing a new tough math fact. Here is an article to provide parents and teachers with the background information on what is memory and how it works.
OUR NEW BLOG!
Everyone needs a blog, right?
I finally downloaded some photos and put together our first blog. Find out what the Googols have been up to! They've met some exciting people in the past few months: Robert Munsch, Etienne, Judy and David, Charlotte Diamond and David Schwartz. Plus, we have some pictures of the MATHeMANIACS working on the Crazy 4 Math album.
Nena, Charlotte Diamond, Susan and Cleopatra
TV VIDEO GAME FREE
New photos from challengers of the TV Video Game Free challenge have been added. See how other kids are spending their time TV VG FREE!
Sign up your school to take the challenge and win a free Googol Power site license for your school.
NEW WORKSHOP: MATHemACTION!
I've put together a great new workshop for the BC Homeschool Conference in June. This is available for teachers or local schools can book a presentation for a parent education evening.
MATHemACTION!
Learn how to inspire, motivate and excite your child/student about math. Build a solid foundation and mental math skills that will last a lifetime through music, games, stories, crafts, activities and "googols of fun." Students will be begging to do math! Hundreds of free resources.
Check out our other workshops and shows as well.
MATHeMANIACS Taylor, Sabina and Ben with Googols
GOOGOL POWER NEWS
Are you interested in selling Googol Power products?
Become a Sales Representative, dealer or join our affiliate program. Contact us for more information.
Wholesale Sales Rep Wanted in the US
We are also looking for a wholesale sales agent in the US to sell to educational dealers. Contact us for more information.
Registering you Products
Don't forget to register your Googol Power and Discovery Multiplication products with us to receive free lyrics and updates.
New Free Stuff!
- Googol Learning Radio: New educational songs have been added from Charlotte Diamond and Monty Harper.
- Several new articles have been added to our growing collection of educational articles.
- Check out our new blog!
INSPIRATION
I recently attended a math conference where I had the opportunity to sit in on some other wonderful workshops. It was wonderful to spend time and share ideas with so many enthusiastic teachers.
So today's quote is dedicated to all of you — the wonderful teachers and parents who are making a difference in the lives of our children.
The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.
— William A. Ward
Check out our Inspiration section for more quotes and a slideshow.
Mathematically yours,
Susan, the family and the Googols (Echo, Bungie, Screech, Flip, Flop, Crash and Cardio)
Please don't forget to vote! Voting ends tonight at midnight EST!