Money Math - 200 Ways to Make $1

We love a good open-ended math problem, and this one challenged all of our students at just the right level, while honing skills ranging from coin recognition to addition, repeated addition, and multiplication.

The question: How many ways can you make $1 using different combinations of coins? We heard there were at least 200!

The solutions:

 At the most basic level, students used play money and wrote equations using representations of the coins.

 We talked about logical ways to work through different combinations, and it was interesting to see some students thinking very systematically, while others had a more random approach.

 Some of our more advanced math thinkers went right into using multiplication to solve the problem.

Some students got busy using a kind of "code"(abbreviations) to write their equations.

One student tried to "graph" the answers, until he realized he wasn't showing the separate amounts, just the final 100, so he went back tot he drawing board to try another way.

 Some students even turned this into an artistic endeavor!

Because, as we know well here at Seabury, MATH IS BEAUTIFUL!

Endangered Species at the Cougar Mountain Zoo

We chose to visit the Cougar Mountain Zoo this year because of the large number of endangered species housed here. A rainy winter day is a perfect time to get an up-close and personal view of the animals (though not so wonderful for taking pictures, so most of these fantastic shots are from the zoo's website: http://www.cougarmountainzoo.org). We learned about many amazing animals. Here's what the Gemstones had to say about some of their favorites:

The colorful macaws, who talked to us and performed tricks, were definitely the favorite.

One waved at us just like this!

They were VERY loud!

Feeding the alpaca and getting to visit with one outside was also a big treat.

Though not endangered, the Emu also captured some imaginations because they are a flightless bird, they are HUGE, and "they have WEIRD eyes!" 

We also saw several kinds of cranes, including this showy crowned crane...

and the Sarus crane, the tallest flying bird.

Of course, you can't forget the cougars, for whom the park is named:

 (Though they were mostly hiding out from the rain.)

 and the wet but wily Canus Lupus.

Even the bronze creatures were fun!

Thanks, Cougar Mountain! We'll be back!