For a while now I have wanted to write about this fantastic resource. Well, I am finally getting around to it!
YouCubed.org is a site that was founded by Stanford professor of education, Jo Boaler, “to give teachers, parents and students the resources and ideas they need to inspire and excite students about mathematics.” The information and resources here are backed in part by research in growth mindset and how our brains learn. If you are a parent or educator who is looking to up your math game, this amazing online resource is a great place to begin.
Brains have always fascinated me! It’s amazing to me that we can understand how learning changes the brain and that the brain is constantly changing. If you want some short and fun videos to explain it all {they are geared for kids} you might check out the Week of Inspirational Math resources. It’s a great place to start for quick info and fun activities designed to put the brain front and center.
Those activities are just the tip of the iceberg, though.
Are you one of those nerdy types who can’t get enough of the research? Head on over to the Ideas & Impact tab where you will find articles and papers on Special Education, Number Sense, Assessment, Brain Science and more! Or visit the Evidence tab for research articles and short impact papers.
Are you looking for activities for a specific grade level or mathematical concept? Then the Tasks & More tab is for you! Click Tasks at the top of the list to search a database of tasks by topic and grade level. That tab is also where you will find the Week of Inspirational Math, apps and games, and resources for parents, teachers, and students.
One of my favorite tasks is a game called Nim. I have used different versions of this game for years, but the one you see on the YouCubed task list is called NIM-7. The goal of this two player game is to be the one who doesn’t take the last of the seven objects off the board. Any seven objects will do. Pennies, counters, blocks, rocks, sticks. Whatever you have available. Simply place the objects between the two players and take turns removing either one or two objects until they are all gone. The player who removes the last object is the loser! The idea here is to figure out how to win. You can create many variations of this game. {I will write about some of the ways I teach students to play this game in a future post.}
Have you explored this amazing site yet or used any of these activities with your children or students? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below and let’s start a discussion of favorites!
