Skip to main content

Featured

🧠 Mental Math: Helping Kids Manipulate Numbers in Their Mind

Is a Math Problem an Imagination Problem?  When we think of math, many people imagine strict rules, memorized facts, and endless worksheets. But for kids (especially in the elementary years), math is much more like a journey through the imagination. It’s about being able to picture numbers in your head, play with them, and move them around like puzzle pieces. For children, developing this skill is called mental math, and it’s one of the most powerful tools they can carry into middle school, high school, and adulthood. Why Math is an Imagination Problem Numbers aren’t just symbols on a paper, they represent ideas. When a child sees “7 + 5,” the challenge isn’t just adding digits. It’s about imagining seven things, five things, and then combining them into a whole. The stronger a child’s imagination for numbers, the easier math becomes. Think of math as a playground in the mind: ➕️➖️Addition and subtraction are like stacking and removing blocks. ✖️Multiplication is making groups of t...
Post a Comment
Read more
Labels

Lewis Latimer: Inventor, Engineer, Author

 

Photo of Lewis Latimer, Inventor & a true renaissance man


Lewis Howard Latimer was an American inventor, draftsman, and engineer. He was born on September 4, 1848, in Chelsea, Massachusetts, and died on December 11, 1928, in Flushing, New York.

Latimer is best known for his contributions to the development of the electric light bulb. He worked for the inventor Alexander Graham Bell and helped draft the patent for the telephone. Later, Latimer went to work for the Edison Electric Light Company and was instrumental in developing the electric light bulb by creating a longer-lasting filament.

In addition to his work with the electric light bulb, Latimer also patented several other inventions, including an improved system of ventilation for railway cars, a device for cleaning and renewing carbon filaments in incandescent lamps, and a method of making carbons for use in electric lamps.

Latimer was one of the few African Americans working in a field dominated by white men at the time. Despite facing racial discrimination, he was recognized for his technical skills and creativity, and he went on to have a successful career in the field of electrical engineering.

Today, Latimer is remembered as one of the pioneers of the electrical industry and a trailblazer for African Americans in STEM fields. His legacy continues to inspire future generations to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Learning Opportunities:

1. Read a kids book about Lewis Latimer
2. Watch a brief documentary on Lewis Latimer
3. Visit the Lewis Latimer House in person or virtually.
4. Create a 'Family Tree' or diagram showing the history of 'light'...from natural to harnessed or try one of these projects. 
5. Share the new found knowledge with anyone who may not know. #BlackHistory
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts