October 2025 - Primary Family Math E-Newsletter

Growing Mathematical Minds - Primary Edition

Female teacher with multi-cultural elementary school students

Activities for October

Math Game: Shape Hunt

Step 1 - Choose a shape: Decide on a shape (e.g., square, circle, triangle, rectangle) to look for.

Step 2 - Search the Environment: Look around your house, yard, or a classroom for objects that have that shape.

Step 3 - Identify and Share:

  • Option A: Pointing: Point to an object and say, “Look, I found a rectangular clock.”
  • Option B: Gathering: Go on a hunt to find and bring back objects that match the shape.

Step 4 - Discuss Real-World Shapes: Talk about how real objects are not always perfect examples of shapes. For instance, a plate is like a circle, but its edge is rounded, not a true geometric circle.

Step 5 - Go on a Nature Walk: Take the game outside by looking for shapes in nature, like the shapes of leaves, stones, or branches. 


Math Talk: How are the shapes alike? How are they different?

Peinture abstraite : Anthony Chambaud

Source: Peinture abstraite Anthony Chambaud

Look closely at this image. Talk with a family member about how the shapes are similar. Then explain how they are different. 

Math Talk Source: Big Ideas from Dr. Small, pg. 65

 


Math Strategies: Early Counting Strategies

This year, we’ll be highlighting a range of mathematical strategies that students may use when solving problems. These strategies help build understanding and flexibility in thinking. While all strategies have value, some are more efficient than others. Our goal is to help students move toward using more effective approaches over time, rather than staying with less efficient ones.

As part of this journey, we’ll be sharing insights with families to build a shared understanding of the strategies students are learning. We hope this helps you feel more confident in supporting your child’s math development and gives you some of the language and tools to talk about math at home.

one-to-one tagging, synchrony and direct modelingCounting on

Image Source: Math is FigureOutAble! The Most Important Numeracy Strategies, Pam Harris. 

 


Thinking Task from the Ontario Mathematics Curriculum

Have your child cut out a two-dimensional shape from a sheet of paper. Have them fold the paper shape once or multiple times and identify the decomposed shapes created by the folds (i.e., the shapes within the shapes). Next, have them cut out the decomposed shapes and rearrange them to compose a new shape. Ask them if the area of the new shape is the same as, greater than, or less than that of the original shape. Have them share their thinking with you.

Adapted Thinking Task Source: Ontario Mathematics Curriculum: Sample Task, Grade 2, E1.2



Real-World Math Connections

Cereal Box

 

 

See through rectangular box

 

Rectangular box deconstructed

What’s inside the box?

Find an empty cereal or cracker box. Explore the shapes that make up the box. How many faces, edges, and corners (vertices) does it have? Carefully open the box and flatten it. What shapes do you see? How are they similar, how are they different?

Redesign it! Use the flattened box as a template and design a new cereal, snack box, or home for your stuffy.

Give it a name and decorate it. Reassemble the box (inside-out) and fasten it together with tape or glue.

Have your parent or guardian take a picture and send us your photos to share in our next Growing Mathematical Minds Family Newsletter! 


Math Riddle

I am a 3D shape. I have five faces, five vertices, and four of my faces are triangles, and one is a square. What am I? 

Answer: a square-based pyramid.


Looking for additional math resources?

Check out our past e-newsletters for more fun and exciting math games and challenges to do at home.

Family Math E-Newsletter 2025-26