Educational Memory Aids
 

Memory Aids for Math

Philosophy

The concept of addition and subtraction isn't hard.  It is the memorization of the facts that is hard.  The brain has trouble storing information that it can not associate to a picture.  Mnemonics create "rhyming links" or "associations" that give the brain an organizational framework on which to hook new information.  A dissemination of this program under a federal Christa McAuliffee Fellowship Grant showed an average gain of 14 percentile points in math in individual classrooms.

See  "Research Page" for a discussion on memory enhancement techniques and teacher comments.

Process

Beginning Memory Aids for Math (M-10) sets a framework that can be used in later grades.  For example, students turn a 10 into a hen to remember the number 10.  Later, in Addition and Subtraction Math Facts  (M-8 & M-11), students associate all facts of ten (1&9, 2&8, 3&7, etc.) to hen characters to learn the addition and subtraction facts of ten.  Students in Kindergarten have learned all their addition and subtraction facts this way because they love the stories and characters associated with each fact family 3 - 18.  Finally, because the Multiplication and Division Math Facts (M-9) use many of the same characters as the addition and subtraction posters, both addition/subtraction and multiplication/division facts can be taught at the same time or introduced earlier than usual.  Although the process is sequential, order only the memory aid products that correspond with the needs of your child or class..

After students fully understand the concept of addition and subtraction and you are ready for them to memorize facts, use our  memory aid posters and/or flashcards. 

See "CHILDREN'S CORNER" for concept.  Scroll down for Product Descriptions.                

   9      18       9

+ 9      - 9     +9

 

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Draw the picture association and go on a fact hunt.  Do you know the answers to the above problems?

 

Same family addition and subtraction facts have the same memory aid character on the back of our flashcards to help children understand the algebraic concept that subtraction is the opposite of addition...a concept that is not readily obvious to students.

Children's Corner

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9 + 9 = ?   (Say 18, "gateteen", and turn the 9's into a gate.  First write the numbers and then draw the gate.  You may also make cut out numbers and ask, "What do these two numbers make?"

9    9

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18 - 9 = ? (Say 18, "gateteen", take away one gate post and the other gate post is left.)

9    9    

 18 - 9 = 9 because 9 + 9 = 18                        

For multiplication, put running shoes on the gate and say "81 Gatey-won" (the race)!  (Students taught memory aid tricks can use them on their own and gain confidence in their memory ability.

Products

Beginning Concepts

  

   M-4  $5.50

Introduction to Math Concepts (M-4)

Helps with 0-10 number concept and early math vocabulary. Laminated bear poster.  $5.50

Math Fundamentals

Beginning Memory Aids for Math (M-10) $29.95

Number Cards and Activities

Posters, Art Activities, Worksheets, and Games to Teach:   Number Names: One through Eleven, the Plus and Minus Sign, the Concept of Addition and Subtraction, and the Number Patterns - Add One or Add None, Take Away One, Take Away All or Take Away All But One

Addition and Subtraction

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  Jumbo Magnetic Numbers (M-13) $9.50

Use magnetic numbers  to show children how the numbers of math families pair up.   First, make a number line with magnetic numbers as shown with the ten fact family above.   Start with 0 and line up the magnetic numbers until you say the family name.  Show how the smallest number always goes with the largest etc. by taking the numbers on each end and pulling them down until all the numbers have a partner.    Pull down 0 & 10 as shown.  Then pull down 1 & 9, 2 & 8, 3 & 7, 6 & 4.  If one number is left standing, you will have to double that number (for example, the 5 becomes 5 + 5.) 10 is an even number.    Numbers that do not make a double pair are odd numbers.

Number set includes 36   2 1/2" numbers with 6 operations for problem solving.

Facts with double digits or a 0 are eliminated when memorizing fact families below.  (Students should not need a memory aid for 0 + something.   Also, double digit numbers are always added as single digits by first adding the ones column and then adding the tens column.

 

   M-8  $43.95 Memory Aid Posters/Book Addition and Subtraction

  

Addition and Subtraction Math Fact Posters and Book (M-8) $43.95

Memory aid posters and stories provide colorful, imaginative visual images of the three number components of the math fact families 3-18.  Use as soon as student knows basic addition-subtraction concepts. 

Make learning Math Facts and Math Families fun and easy.  16 brightly colored posters up to 22" on heavy card stock with memory aid book that contains stories,  instructions, and fact hunt worksheets.

 

M-12   Memory Aid Resource Book for Addition/Subtraction (out of stock) Supplements the Instruction Book that accompanies the posters and flashcards.              Contains:  Take Home Story Books of Memory Aid Stories, Story Problems, Flip Book for Doubles, Fact Hunt Sheets, and Assessment Sheets

     

                                                  

Children's Corner

 

Read the "10 HEN story.  Draw this 10 HEN story character.
Can you answer the problems below?
 

"the one listening to mother"  

   7     3   10  10
 +3   +7   -3   -7

 

In take away cover up one part of the character and the other part is left.  Say, "10 Hen" take away a 3 (hide the wing) and the 7 is left (the neck).  In addition if the numbers make a 10 HEN character, then the answer is 10.  (The fact belongs in the ten family along with the other 10 hen characters: 1 + 9, 2 + 8,  4 + 6,  5 + 5)

Memory Aid Flashcards for both Addition and Subtraction facts (M-11) $28.95 

160, 4"x51/2" brightly colored glossy flashcards on extra heavy card stock with memory aid book that contains games, stories, and fact hunt worksheets.  Use with posters above or use separately

The flash cards use the same poster character to clearly show the relationship between the same family addition and subtraction facts.  For example, all the relative fact flash cards on the left have the same "10 Hen" character on the back. (See story below) 

Ten is an old mother hen.  She has to keep watch over her chicks because a mean old fox lives near by.  When the hen sees the fox she calls to her babies to come and hide under her wings.  See the little chick, "The One Listening to Mother".  See how he bends his head, the 7, over to listen.   The 3 is his wing.  When the old mother hen sees the fox this little chicken is the first one to come because he always listens for mother. What happens to "the brave one" (6+4), the pretty little girl (5+5), "the shy one" (9+1), & "the bully" (8+2)?

Order to find out the rest of the story.

7 x 3 = ?   Chicken running RS reverse small.jpg (2410 bytes)

7 x 3 = 21 (21 sounds like tweety-won).  In multiplication draw running shoes on "The one listening to mother" and say, "Tweety won (21) the race to mother".

Multiplication and Division

   M-9  $28.50 Memory Aid Posters and Fact Hunt Worksheets  Multiplication & Division

  

 

Multiplication Math Fact Posters, Stories, and Fact Hunt Worksheets (M-9) $28.50

Make learning Multiplication facts fun and easy!

Memory aid posters and stories provide colorful, imaginative visual images of the three number components of multiplication facts.   7 brightly colored posters up to 22" on heavy card stock with stories,  instructions, and fact hunt worksheets

Because these posters use many of the same characters as the addition posters, addition and multiplication can be taught at the same time if needed or taught earlier than than usual.  Students in first grade have successfully memorized their multiplication facts because both posters contain the same story characters with an added story line in multiplication. 

New M-14 ($11.50)  

      Set of 100 1" plastic tiles and laminated hundreds board with instructions to teach the concept of multiplication, division, fractions, place value,  counting by 2's, 5', 10's, etc. and addition. 

"What a child can remember is more important than what a child is taught."

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