Memorization of multiplication tables and other math facts seems to have gone "out to style" in education in recent years, but the research shows that it is still extremely important to have quick recall of these facts so that your brain power can be used to learn new concepts and skills.
Here are a couple of articles about this research:
http://community.scholarschoice.ca/teacher/math-memorization-and-the-long-term-effects
http://www.thestar.com/life/2014/08/18/why_your_math_memory_matters.html
Given the large amount of new material we'll be learning in Math 9 and in the rest of high school math, it is important to make sure you have those basic math facts really solidly in your memory. If you were drilled on these in elementary school and can recite them really quickly and at any time, then great. However, chances are that most of you could use a little (or a lot) more practice with addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. If that's you, don't worry, this isn't a bad thing, but the sooner you work on it, the easier the rest of high school math is going to be. So right now, before your homework load gets too large, take a few minutes a day and get some practice!
Here are a few fun and easy options for practicing these basic skills:
Flash Cards: Good old fashioned flash cards! You can pick up a set for just a couple of bucks right now with all of the back to school sales. Have your parents or siblings or friends quiz you (or even quiz yourself!)
Online:
Hop on the computer or use that tablet or smart phone to visit these websites for some practice:
Free Rice (www.freerice.com) - Free Rice is an online quiz game that is ridiculously addictive and fun. You answer multiple choice questions, and each time you get one right, the sponsors on the page pay for 10 grains of rice to be donated to the World Food Programme (which helps people who are dealing with famine and natural disasters all over the world). If you get it wrong, they will let you know the right answer, and then they'll bring that question back in a few minutes so you can give it another try. It automatically adjusts to give you harder questions when you're ready for them. Check out either of the Math options under "subjects" to practice your multiplication and other basic math skills.
Soft Schools Math Games (http://www.softschools.com/math/games/) – This is another great website with a wide range of games on lots of different topics. Pick the topic you need some practice with!
Khan Academy (www.khanacademy.org) – Fantastic website with practice questions and instructional videos for a huge range of math concepts, as well as many other subjects. Khan Academy can help you learn anything! Also has a iphone/ipad app.
Mathletics (www.mathletics.ca) – This is a website that has curriculum-aligned practice sets. We will be setting everyone in the class up with a profile very soon, and then you can practice from home on a computer or with the app.
IXL (http://ca.ixl.com/math/grade-9) – Another website with curriculum aligned practice sets. The questions adjust to your level. You can do 20 questions a day for free, but we may be getting a class subscription soon.
Math Practice Apps for your Device:
There is an incredibly HUGE range of free mental math practice apps out there – simply google “free mental math practice apps for {your device}” and you’ll find lists of hundreds of them! Or go to your device’s app store and search directly there!
For example, here is a list of Free iPhone/iPad apps for Math Practice:
http://appcrawlr.com/ios-apps/best-free-apps-mental-math
Other Math Help Apps:
Virtual Nerd (iPhone/iPad) – video tutorials for almost any math concept or skill you can imagine!
Your Teacher - Math (iPhone) – video examples, practice, challenges and self-testing on a huge range of math concepts & skills.
Here are a couple of articles about this research:
http://community.scholarschoice.ca/teacher/math-memorization-and-the-long-term-effects
http://www.thestar.com/life/2014/08/18/why_your_math_memory_matters.html
Given the large amount of new material we'll be learning in Math 9 and in the rest of high school math, it is important to make sure you have those basic math facts really solidly in your memory. If you were drilled on these in elementary school and can recite them really quickly and at any time, then great. However, chances are that most of you could use a little (or a lot) more practice with addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. If that's you, don't worry, this isn't a bad thing, but the sooner you work on it, the easier the rest of high school math is going to be. So right now, before your homework load gets too large, take a few minutes a day and get some practice!
Here are a few fun and easy options for practicing these basic skills:
Flash Cards: Good old fashioned flash cards! You can pick up a set for just a couple of bucks right now with all of the back to school sales. Have your parents or siblings or friends quiz you (or even quiz yourself!)
Online:
Hop on the computer or use that tablet or smart phone to visit these websites for some practice:
Free Rice (www.freerice.com) - Free Rice is an online quiz game that is ridiculously addictive and fun. You answer multiple choice questions, and each time you get one right, the sponsors on the page pay for 10 grains of rice to be donated to the World Food Programme (which helps people who are dealing with famine and natural disasters all over the world). If you get it wrong, they will let you know the right answer, and then they'll bring that question back in a few minutes so you can give it another try. It automatically adjusts to give you harder questions when you're ready for them. Check out either of the Math options under "subjects" to practice your multiplication and other basic math skills.
Soft Schools Math Games (http://www.softschools.com/math/games/) – This is another great website with a wide range of games on lots of different topics. Pick the topic you need some practice with!
Khan Academy (www.khanacademy.org) – Fantastic website with practice questions and instructional videos for a huge range of math concepts, as well as many other subjects. Khan Academy can help you learn anything! Also has a iphone/ipad app.
Mathletics (www.mathletics.ca) – This is a website that has curriculum-aligned practice sets. We will be setting everyone in the class up with a profile very soon, and then you can practice from home on a computer or with the app.
IXL (http://ca.ixl.com/math/grade-9) – Another website with curriculum aligned practice sets. The questions adjust to your level. You can do 20 questions a day for free, but we may be getting a class subscription soon.
Math Practice Apps for your Device:
There is an incredibly HUGE range of free mental math practice apps out there – simply google “free mental math practice apps for {your device}” and you’ll find lists of hundreds of them! Or go to your device’s app store and search directly there!
For example, here is a list of Free iPhone/iPad apps for Math Practice:
http://appcrawlr.com/ios-apps/best-free-apps-mental-math
Other Math Help Apps:
Virtual Nerd (iPhone/iPad) – video tutorials for almost any math concept or skill you can imagine!
Your Teacher - Math (iPhone) – video examples, practice, challenges and self-testing on a huge range of math concepts & skills.