Random memory trick

I needed a memory trick to help ds10 remember the number of feet in a mile (which I myself have never been able to remember either).  A simple Google search quickly got me exactly what I was looking for.  But I thought it was so creative and clever, I just had to share with you all!

Quoted from: http://www.frugal-cafe.com/homeschooling/articles/math-memory-tricks1.html

Here is a way to remember how many feet are in a mile. Say to yourself the phrase, "five tomatoes." There are 5,280 feet in a mile, and those numbers (5 - 2 - 8 - 0) sound very similarly to "five tomatoes." See the table below for a visual explanation.

FIVE	TO	MAT	OES
5	2	8	0

Multiplication MadGabs

At this point, ds9 has memorized the majority of his multiplication tables fairly well. But there are several problems that he repeatedly gets stuck on, and they're the same ones than many other people get stuck on as well. The dreaded 6's, 7's, and 8's. I spent some time this evening trying to find effective chants, rhymes, tricks, or songs to help him thoroughly master these multiplication problems on the WWW. But for one reason or another, ds9 were both unsatisfied with all the options that we found. (Note that he can count up by these numbers just fine, he just needed help memorizing the actual problems.) So, I started playing around with some rhymes of my own. One thing led to another, and before I knew it, ds9 & I had written a series of "MadGab"s (after the board game) for all of his troublesome problems. AND THEY ARE...

4 x 4 = 16
Fort eyes for his hicks team.

6 x 3 = 18
Seek sty miss free his ate team.

7 x 6 = 42
Save a time sick, she’s for tea, too.
Save van thyme sick seas fort heat hue.

7 x 7 = 49
Say vent I’m save hen is far teen hind.

8 x 4 = 32
Hay times fort his there’d eat who.

8 x 7 = 56
Hate Heinz heaven knees fit tease hicks.

8 x 8
Ate I'm say tis hick Steve oar.

We had a blast making these up, and I know we're going to have a blast memorizing them too!! Feel free to steal, or make requests for more! :)

Latin endings memory songs

I'm attempting to teach ds9 Latin this year. Yes, I know this is a bit crazy. But I know of gobs of other kids his age, in public and private and home schools, who are starting their 3rd-graders in Latin, so I'm not the only crazy one. :) I hear it will be immensely beneficial to him at some point, *giggle*, but for the time being I'm just looking at it as tool to help him with English vocabulary, and a just plain fun challenge. We're using the Classical Academic Press curriculum, which seems to be a very well-balanced curriculum! I didn't discover this curriculum - I'm simply following the suggestion of my best friend who is teaching this curriculum in her class of 3rd graders this year. But it's a solid enough curriculum that I have no need or inclination to look further for something better.

But that's not my point. I'm getting to my point. :)

Latin is... CONFUSING. For each single word in English, there are some 6 corresponding verbs in 4 possible configurations, or 10 corresponding nouns in 6 different possible configurations - a total of 84 possible word endings. Just reading that sentence is probably enough to make your head spin. Well, the little third graders are supposed to memorize half of those this year. The curriculum I'm using comes with video and audio files of children chanting the words and endings in catchy rhythms, which does help, but songs always help more.

I LOVE memory songs, and ANY time there is something that needs to be memorized, I will search high and low to find a song to memorize it with, and will even write one if necessary. Luckily, having no prior knowledge of Latin, I am SO thankful that some creative people have written some awesome Latin memory songs for me. :)

First up: the Latin verb endings song. Cute video, catchy tune! EASY to memorize with this baby! According to the comments, the pronunciations are off on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th conjugations, but so what, because when all is said and done it's the tune and format that matters. The rest can be sung on your own. Note: this song WILL get stuck in your head, be that good or bad... :)

Second up: the Latin noun endings song, 1st, 2nd-m, and 2nd-n declinations, being sung by a homeschool co-op teacher and her class, to the tune of "She Will Be Loved" by Maroon-5. Talk about creative! The full lyrics are available here. And here is a karaoke version that I took the liberty of chopping all up and rearranging to fit the lyrics, and speeding up to a more comfortable pace. Feel free to borrow!

Third up: for someday in the future, when ds9 will need to know the rest of the noun declinations, here's a cute little ditty that this adorable old man and his daughter wrote and filmed. Lyrics available at the address at the top of the video. I'm so thankful for the creative people out there who put these songs together!

Note: I have SCOURED the internet videos for Latin memory songs. These ARE the best options there are, in video format. Know of any others? Let me know!

Geography memory songs

It's been a busy day, so I'm going to share a couple short and simple discoveries with you. Firstly, Wakko's states and capitols song. Ds9 and I learned this over the summer, and had a BLAST doing it. And yes, he now knows the capital for every state off the top of his head - it indeed worked! And see how adorable! Learning is best done when a kid is having fun, yes? :)

Second, is a simple U.S. states memory song, without capitals. Ds9 did this with his class last year before we started homeschooling, so I can't take credit for the discovery. But the format of this memory song is very effective, in that the song takes you across the northern, southern, and eastern borders of the U.S., and then fills in the remaining "middle". This format makes it very easy for navigation, and ds9 has no trouble finding his way around the U.S. map. The memory song his class used can be sampled and purchased here (note that each of the 4 song sections must be purchased separately). It's a little cheesy, but most memory songs are, and you have to remember that most of the time your child will be singing them alone or with you, and not necessarily with the annoying background music. :) Here is a video of a 3-yr-old child singing 2 of the U.S. border songs in their entirety, as well as a handful of songs naming the countries on various continents - adorable! All of the songs this little cutie sings are available from the same company, and can all be purchased here. Ds9 and I will be working on some of those world-country songs this year for sure. If you listen to the whole video, you'll see they also have their own "states and capitols" song, but I maintain that Wakko's song is WAY COOLER. :D So there.

It might be a few days before you hear from me again. Enjoy the rest of your Thanksgiving week, everyone!!