Lab Sheet Annotations and Mathematics for the Primary Teacher

by Lore Rasmussen, Robert Hightower, Peter Rasmussen

This book contains a complete set of the 650 pupil lab sheets, reduced in size, that appear in the workbooks of the Miquon Math Lab Materials. The intervening text indicates the objectives of the sheets and ways in which the pupils may use them. Included are preliminary activities, teaching suggestions, and followup activities for practice in applying the concepts. Where the procedures and objectives are apparent at a glance, lab sheets are not annotated. Answers to only the most difficult or the trickiest problems are provided in the annotations.

Genres: Mathematics, Homeschool, Nonfiction

372 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

Reviews

[Siobhain · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this program, and I loved using the Cuisenaire Rods. In retrospect, I am a math person at heart, and I could make true choices that we stuck with and loved in math better than any other subject. I remember one of my first forays into the world of buying curricula for our young home school family. I walked around the table which held the Miquon materials numerous times trying to make up my mind. They were not listed on any of the recommendation sheets that I was using, but I was so attracted to the whole program. I am so thankful that I went with my gut instincts. It felt like a brave choice at the time, and it took a bit of bravery as I guided my first child through the program. It was so unlike every other primary math program that I had ever seen. However, each of my children had no trouble moving into more traditional programs when they entered 4th grade. One of the best consequences of using this math approach was that my children were undaunted when they were faced with unfamiliar problems. They didn't look to me for an explanation of how to start. They didn't worry about "doing it wrong." Their Miquon experiences with math were all about playing with math and trying to figure out their own way to solve problems. These lab sheets and rods gave them a beautiful gift of confidence in their own mathematical abilities. I am so thankful that the materials for this program, developed in the 1960s, are still in print and Cuisenaire rods can still be purchased! Viva la difference!

[Colette · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a must-have for the Miquon lab sheets. It also gives some good ideas for teaching. I would still be lost, though, if I hadn't also read First-Grade Diary along with it. I am amazed at what they have these kids doing.

[Rosie Gearhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Miquon Math is Magic. It may look totally unimpressive at first, but I promise you that it builds a deep and wide mathematical foundation. And it works equally well for any type of learner. Both those who are naturally mathematically inclined and those who struggle will be given greater mathematical insight when using this program.

The use of Cuisenaire Rods is the KEY to the amazing revelations I have seen children have. It takes a bit of change in mindset for the adult. The goal is exploration, not just memorizing math facts. They WILL memorize those facts, but if you try to make that happen too soon you will cut them off from all the learning that can happen otherwise. Because of that, this program works best for children who are below a 2nd grade level, though some pages could be used as a mini unit for more advanced learners. I put my pages in clear sleeves in a 3-ring binder so they are reusable.

I do math tutoring, so I have a big-picture view of what needs to be learned from K-12th, and it has been incredible to me how often things I learned from using Cuisenaire Rods helped higher level math make sense - multiplying two binomials, factoring polynomials, completing the square, difficult word problems (the Singapore bar model method is essentially an abstract version of Cuisenaire rods), division with remainders, long division, square numbers,.... The concept of saying "of" when reading a multiplication sign was revelational to me when I first saw it as well.

I've also noticed that so much of what is done in Miquon is what is recommended by dyscalculia experts and innovative math experts, but Miquon can be done at a fraction of the cost and research time for the adult.

There are plenty of strong conceptual programs on the market (Singapore, RightStart, Math Mammoth, Mathematics Enhancement Programme, Beast Academy), but if I had to choose just one for lower elementary, this would be it.

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Side note: If the first few pages of the Orange book intimidate you, just skip them! Also, I think the Q section, Simultaneous Equations, is probably too difficult for most kids. It's fine to skip that, too.