The Math Map Lesson 4: Addition & Subtraction
Since Classical Conversations released The Math Map in 2023, I’ve gone through the 30 lessons at least 5 times in various forms, as a tutor, a teacher at home, and “lead learner” trying to understand concepts I never learned in school myself. This year, as I prep each week (taking my Challenge class through it on Community Day, in addition to using it at home with my four youngest children), I’m writing a post on each lesson, sharing things I’ve found helpful or offering some suggestions in hopes of making it less intimidating to those just getting started.
Tips for Lesson 4: Addition & Subtraction
- Invention (p. i2) This is the first lesson that looks at the idea of function and inverse function. When I first introduced this idea to my kids, I read The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss to them, and we talked about how a non-starred Sneetch went through the machine and came out with a star, and then inversely, a starred Sneetch went through and came out without a star. It sounds silly, but it helped get the idea across.
- The idea of inclusive/exclusive shows up throughout TMM and can be expressed in various ways. Attending to this section on the i2 page will help students tie something familiar (like ≤ as opposed to <) with less familiar notation.
- Memoria &Arrangement (p. i3) I tend to get visually overwhelmed when there is so much presented, but this page can lead to some great discussions. I recommend just picking 1-2 boxes and attending to the patterns. With Challenge students, it can be fun to look at the “Iterative Addition Sequences” and have them figure out the next few numbers. (See below for ideas for discussing the Fibonacci sequence at home with students of all ages.)
- For this week’s Charts, C4:2 is a great reference when asked to label domains, and C4:4 gives a little more detail that might be helpful when working with summations.
- It may also be helpful to have C3:3 from last week handy (for referencing how to convert temperatures)
- Don’t forget The Math Map Companion on CCConnected (be sure you’re logged in before you click the link)! I use it frequently for getting more explanation of concepts and checking the solutions of both the lesson pages and the “Careful Calculations” at the end of each booklet. (My eyes don’t always appreciate the tiny font of the printed versions!)
- Don’t give up on the Flashcards! Set a timer and go over the ones already mastered, then add 1-2 new ones. With my Challenge class, I take a quick minute at the beginning of each lesson (before we discuss the art on the cover) to talk about a few of the Notations flashcards that relate to that week to help them build their understanding of the grammar of math.
Other helps: Here are a couple extras that might be helpful as you explore Lesson 4:
- I have found The Math Map Book Club to be a great resource, but there are so many episodes out there, it can be a bit overwhelming. If you just want to focus on this specific lesson, here’s my YouTube Playlist of Book Club videos about Lesson 4: Addition & Subtraction (with episodes from 2023 to the present).
Just for fun:
- There are lots of fun ways to explore the Fibonacci sequence (from the i3 page). With my Foundations kids, I’ve read Rabbits Rabbits Everywhere by Ann McCallum.
- While exploring online, I was fascinated by the many different ways to express this pattern. Here are a few I found:
- And finally, for all ages, here’s a quick (5 minute) video explaining the Fibonacci sequence in a way that’s easy to understand.