​I RECENTLY PLAYED SUM OF WHICH WITH A GROUP OF 3RD AND 4TH GRADE STUDENTS AND FOUND THAT KEEPING SCORE WITH BASE TEN BLOCKS MADE SCORING SUPER EASY.  EACH SUM EARNED A ROD AND EACH TILE PLAYED EARNED 3 CUBES.  KEEPING SCORE THIS WAY MADE IT SIMPLE TO FIGURE THE WINNER IN THE END.  TO ORGANIZE THE BASE TEN BLOCKS, EACH PLAYER USED A LARGE PLASTIC CUP.  THIS ALLOWED FOR THE PLAYERS TO REALLY FOCUS ON THE GAME AT HAND.  WE ALSO USED THE RECENT MODIFICATION TO THE GAME WHERE PLAYERS CAN GAIN EXTRA POINTS SIMPLY BY HELPING THEIR OPPONENTS.  FOR EXAMPLE, ABBIE, BEN, CALEB, AND DARWIN WERE PLAYING A GAME.  ABBIE MADE A 13 POINT PLAY AND BEN SAID, I CAN GET YOU MORE POINTS.  ABBIE AGREED TO TAKE HIS HELP AND BEN SHOWED HER HOW SHE COULD USE HER TILES TO EARN 29 POINTS.  IF ABBIE WOULD HAVE PLAYED THAT PLAY, BOTH SHE AND BEN WOULD HAVE RECEIVED 29 POINTS.  HOWEVER, DARWIN SPOKE UP AND SAID, I CAN GET YOU EVEN MORE POINTS.  HE SHOWED ABBIE HOW TO USE HER TILES TO MAKE A 65 POINT PLAY.  ABBIE ACCEPTED SO BOTH SHE AND DARWIN EARNED 65 POINTS.  THIS MODIFICATION KEPT THE PLAYERS CONTINUALLY FOCUSED. 

HERE AT QT3.14 LLC, WE LOVE PI DAY.  IN HONOR OF PI DAY, I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER YOU $3.14 OFF YOUR PURCHASE OF $25 OR MORE.  JUST ENTER THE FIRST 6 DIGITS (NO DECIMAL POINT) AS YOUR COUPON CODE. (GOOD UNTIL MARCH 30TH)  AND YES, YOU CAN USE THIS COUPON ON ALL THE SALE ITEMS!  BUT, HURRY.  IF YOU WANT TO GET IN ON THE DRAWING, YOUR PURCHASE MUST BE REGISTERED BEFORE 7PM ON THE 20TH.  ​

I had the privilege of attending the NCTM Regional Conference in Hartford last week.  As like all conferences, it truly recharged my batteries.  I left the conference with many new ideas for engaging and exciting children about mathematics.  Of course, this excitement made its’ way into SUM OF WHICH. 

I was thinking about ways to get players to truly watch and learn from the other players and this is what I added as an elective variation to the game. 

Play SUM OF WHICH as you typically play.  But now,  help an opponent to increase points by changing their play to a better play and earn points for doing so.   
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For example, assume Johnny, Suzie, and Cameron are playing SUM OF WHICH and the top part of the game board looks like this.  Johnny has the tiles of 1, 2, 4, 2, and 1.

​Johnny makes a play as shown on the left. 
This is a 13 point play.  A sum of ten (10)
​and three points for each yellow tile played (3).

But before the score is recorded, Cameron could  speak up and say, “I can help you earn even more points”.   He can then show Johnny how to play his tiles as shown on the left.  That play is worth 85 points; 10 points each for the two sums of ten (20), bonus of the plus 10 in both sums (20), 3 points for each yellow tile played (15), and all five tiles used in one play (30). Then Suzie would not receive her bonus.  Cameron and Johnny would each receive 85 points.​

I had the chance to try this variation out when visiting family.  What I found was this made the game even more fun.  Even the adults were shouting out, “I can help you earn more points!”   Everyone was continually engaged.  We had so much fun.

​The teachers who have implemented this variation have found that students are always strategizing.  They are very interested in the tiles their opponents have as well as their own.  Give it a try, I would love to hear what your students think.

With the holidays approaching quickly, be sure to add SUM OF WHICH to the list.  If you know anyone who likes strategy games or any children ages 7 to 99, SUM OF WHICH is a great gift idea.   The data is showing that repeatedly playing SUM OF WHICH and the four other games you can play with SUM OF WHICH (YOU GET 5 GAMES IN ONE) are increasing student's ability to compose and decompose numbers.
Use Promo code NL1018 and get 10% off your order. 

Thanks for helping to "Make Brains Beautiful".
Becky 

Welcome back.  I hope teachers and students are settling in well.  Parents, I hope the school year schedule with all the extra-curriculars is manageable this year.  

​Are you or is your Parent Teacher Organization looking for a way to raise funds to help you have multiple copies of SUM OF WHICH in your classroom?  I have the perfect solution.  Have a SUM OF WHICH Fundraiser.  If you are planning to invite parents to the school for an informational evening, this is the perfect addition.  All you have to do is send me an e-mail.  Then, I will do all the rest.  I will send you a couple of new SUM OF WHICH games well in advance of the parent night.  I will arrange a time to video chat with you to be sure you are clear on how to play all 5 games.  I will send you all the promotional materials for you to pass out to your parents.  Then, you simply collect the orders and the money and send in the orders.  I will send all orders to you within a week of receiving your order.  You will receive credit for each game sold and can use it to purchase games for your school.  Oh, it gets better.  All games sold through your fundraiser are discounted from the original price on the web making it a better way for your parents to get the game into their home.  Sound interesting?  Contact me today and I will get information to you right away.

Are you planning to attend the NCTM Regional Conference in Hartford, Connecticut on October 4th?  I plan to be there and I look forward to seeing any of you who are going as well.  Drop me a note and let me know you are going.  Perhaps we can get together to play a game and chat.  I would love to meet some SUM OF WHICH players.

​Number Talks are a great way to get students thinking flexibly about numbers.  Here is an idea for you to try with your students today.  After the number talk, how about playing a game of SO YOU THINK YOU CAN ADD.  It’s a wonderful fast paced game that really helps children with fluency.  Better yet, you have everything you need if you already have SUM OF WHICH.  Check out the directions for SO YOU THINK YOU CAN ADD at sumofwhich.com

Try This:  Share the following tiles with your students.  Ask them to try to use all the tiles to make a cross number configuration where the sums are all ten.  See how fast they are able to do it.  Then have students compare how they made their sums.  Guaranteed, they will all be different.

Here is one of the MANY possible outcomes.

Till next time....Make your brain beautiful!  Becky

​Are you preparing to retire your flip flops?  Are the pencils sharpened and the erasers stocked?  The 2018-2019 school year is upon us.  Students are prepping for another great year.  Here at QT3.14 LLC we are dreaming up more games for you and your students.  As you know, you can already play SUM OF WHICH, MAKE IT COUNT, SO YOU THINK YOU CAN ADD, ODD OR EVENS, and IT’s IMPOSSIBLE with every SUM OF WHICH game and tile set.  Recently, we came up with another game.
Our most recent addition is called, ORDER MATTERS.  This game is a great game to play once you have introduced the order of operations; specifically involving multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction.  The set up for this game is the same as that for SUM OF WHICH.  Then, each player draws 5 tiles.  Game play is the same as SUM OF WHICH except players are able to use any of the 4 basic operations.  However, you must adhere to the order of operations.  Keep in mind, there are no parenthesis, not even “invisible ones”, so you can’t state that there are parenthesis around any parts of the expression.  If a player makes a play that looks like this:

​And says, 8 plus 3 times 2 divided by 1 minus 8 divided by 2, this would work.  The order of operations say we must multiply and divide from left to right before we can add or subtract.  This means we have 8 plus 6 divided by 1 minus 8 divided by 2.  Then, 8 plus 6 minus 8 divided by 2.  Then, 8 plus 6 minus 4.  Then, 14 minus 4, which equals 10.  Notice, the order of operations was followed and no imaginary parenthesis were assumed. The scoring for ORDER MATTERS is similar to that of SUM OF WHICH.  You earn 10 points for the total of 10 and 3 points for each tile you place.  However, you also receive 5 points for each operation used.  The expression 8 plus 3 times 2 divided by 1 minus 8 divided by 2 uses all 4 basic operations so I would gain 20 more points.  Note:  Although I used division twice, I only get the 5 points for the operation once.  You get 5 points for use of each operation, not 5 points each time you use it. 
So, there you have it.  Another game with which to start the 2018 – 2019 school year.  Sound good?

​Better yet, let me help you get SUM OF WHICH into your classroom.  SUM OF WHICH is now an AMAZON Prime item.  That means you can set up a Donor’s Choose Project and get SUM OF WHICH in your classroom.  Want more?  Set up the Donor’s Choose, tell me about your project on Facebook and I will make a pledge toward your dream.  Let me help you help your students.

I also created another file for multiplication based on the ten frame.  I called this Frametastic Multiplication.  This helps students to look at multiplication through ten frame.  It has been incredible to hear the strategies that students are using when they see the numbers arranged this way.  ​

These are all FREEBIES.  stop by and download your FREEBIES today.  While you are there, check out the incredible Inventory Reduction Sale.  I have never cut prices like this before, and most likely never will again.  I need to reduce inventory for an upcoming move.  The sale is limited to the inventory I have in stock, so stop by today. 

                                            When it's gone, the sale is over.

As always, thank you for your support.  I love to support teachers and aim to help students see that math IS understandable and fun!  We can work together to wipe out math anxiety by taking the mystery out of math.

​Have a great day!

​So much has happened since we last chatted.  Pi Day is an especially important day at QT3.14 (QT Pi) LLC, the parent company of SUM OF WHICH.   Last year we offered our first SUM OF WHICH Tournament on March 14th and this year was no different.  On March 14, 2018 the SUM OF WHICH Champion was crowned at the second annual SUM OF WHICH Tournament.  Students in grade 3 through 6 at Kennedy Elementary School in Ogdensburg New York competed to become SUM OF WHICH Champions.  More than 300 students took part in the challenge.  Several students were competing for their second year. Prior to the start of the competition, one young man, Rainer Langstaff, told me he had been practicing for weeks.  He even got up early that morning to continue to practice his skills.  He had been crowned SUM OF WHICH Champion for grade 3 last year and wanted to win again this year as a 4th grade student.  The excitement was palpable.  Students entered the cafeteria determined to win.  The competition began and students got busy making sums of ten in strategic ways.  One young lady made an 85 point play on her first move.  That was exciting!! 
This year, we decided that all students would play 4 rounds of SUM OF WHICH and the top 4 students in each grade level would move to play offs.  Those four students were then shown ten number tiles and directed to make sums of ten as many ways as they could.  They were given one minute.  The player in each grade level who had the most ways to make ten was crowned the SUM OF WHICH Champion for their grade level.   I was proud to see Rainer as the winner of grade 4.  It seems his practice paid off.  He found 19 ways to make a sum of ten during the finalists round.  The winners this year were: 
Grade 3 Champion:  Team Calvin and William.  Finalists: Caelyn Badgley, Makayla Legault, and Brooke Davison
Grade 4 Champion:  Rainer Langstaff.  Finalists: Abbigail Pratt, Andrew Bertram, and Jed Farley
Grade 5 Champion:  Laughlin O’Donnell.  Finalists: Ryatt Roberts, Bryan Doser, and Massey Fennessy
Grade 6 Champion:  Seth Martel.  Finalists: Seth, Ryan Henry, Mia LaBella, and Madison Miller 
Each Champion walked away with their own game of SUM OF WHICH as a gift from their principal, Sue Jacobs.

​Another tradition of QT3.14 LLC is to give away some games to teachers for their classes.  This year I made a promise on Facebook.  As soon as I receive 1000 followers, I will randomly select on of my followers to receive $150 in free games.  Since the launch of the challenge, we have gained 87 followers.  We now have 809 followers.  Just 191 more followers and the games will be on their way to one lucky follower.  Spread the word and get your friends to check out SUM OF WHICH on Facebook.  Maybe I will be visiting your school.

Finally, I have an offer for you.  You’ve played SUM OF WHICH, right?  Have you played SO YOU THINK YOU CAN ADD or any of the other games?  Have you written a review?  I have heard from many of you about how much your students/children love playing SUM OF WHICH but I have very few actual reviews written.  Are you looking for a way to get more copies of SUM OF WHICH in your classroom? Then read on….  I am offering the following. 
Write a review at sumofwhich.com and/or on Facebook, then post to Facebook or Twitter something about your students/children enjoying SUM OF WHICH and tag SUM OF WHICH, I will give you $2 off your next purchase.  If your post includes a picture of your students/children playing SUM OF WHICH, I will raise that to $4 off your next purchase.  (Sale items not included.)
So get busy writing your review and posting to Facebook and/or Twitter.  I would love to read what you have to say and see your children/students playing the game.  I am sure you would love to save money on your future purchase.

I recently took some time to ask children which of the five games that come with SUM OF WHICH is their most favorite game to play.  Although I thought I knew what they would say, I learned that it's a good thing that you get directions for five different games with your purchase of SUM OF WHICH.

SUM OF WHICH is a board based game where players are making the required sum.  Players can see one another's tiles and need to plan accordingly.  There is some strategy included as they earn more points for multiple sums and can land on bonus cells for additional points.  They also get points for each tile placed on the board.  I love to play this with students as a collaborative game.  We take turns and place our tiles and keep our individual scores.  Then, instead of naming the person with the highest score as the winner, we total all our scores.  That is the score we, as a team, are aiming to beat next time we play.  The encouragement the players give one another when we play this way is wonderful.  I love to hear, "You can get more points if you make a different play.  Look over here."

Although different people like different games that come with SUM OF WHICH, the common fact remains.  SUM OF WHICH and all the sister games you can play with SUM OF WHICH are fun and engaging for people of all ages.  This game is so much fun it belongs in homes as well as in schools.  It's simply too much fun to keep only at school.

The sale is winding down.  When February ends, so do the sweet savings associated with February.  Get your bundle or you copies of SUM OF WHICH today.  And remember, when you are looking for a fun Pi Day game, look to the 5 games you can play with SUM OF WHICH.

Many of you are using Number Talks, Ten Frames, Rekenreks, and other tools and strategies to help your children to subitize.  Subitizing is the ability to tell the number of objects in a set, quickly, without counting.  Subitizing helps student to develop a better number sense.  It’s important for them to develop a good number and flexibility with numbers so they will find mental computations easier.  For example, if a child is able to visualize what 3 looks like, either with a ten frame or a rekenrek, then that child also “sees” that 7 more are needed to make ten.  They “see” this because they are able to “see” in their mind’s eye that there are 2 and 5 more that are needed.

​Being fluent in their sums of ten is critical because we are typically dealing with a base-ten number system.  Playing SUM OF WHICH gives a player time to think about how to make in a variety of ways.  Allowing use of a ten-frame(s) and counters can be helpful when playing SUM OF WHICH is TEN and SUM OF WHICH is TWENTY.  Base Ten Blocks are very helpful to a child playing SUM OF WHICH is 100.  The Rekenrek is great for all three of the previously mentioned.  When players are playing SUM OF WHICH is ONE with the fractions, I encourage use of the templates that come filled with the tiles for the game.  Cut them into 2 by 8 arrays so players can use them much the same way as they used the ten-frames.  However, now one cell is 1/16 of the whole. Two cells make 1/8 of the whole.  Four cells are equivalent to ¼ of the whole and 8 make ½ of the whole.  Bar models can also be used when playing SUM OF WHICH is ONE.  It’s amazing at how good players get at estimating the sums of the fractions after playing SUM OF WHICH is ONE.    

During the month of February, I want to make “SWEET DEALS” with you.  The Primary and Upper Elementary Bundles are on sale.  I am also introducing the “Big Bundle” at a reduced price.  Finally, I am offering a reduced price when you buy two copies of SUM OF WHICH.  Go to sumofwhich.com and check out the savings.  SMART Notebook files are also now available for all SUM OF WHICH games with a reduced price when getting more than one version.  They are a great way to teach the game or use as an electronic math station.
 
Be sure to think ahead.  What will you do to celebrate the hundredth day of school?  Playing SUM OF WHICH is 100 is a wonderful idea.  Pi Day Tournaments playing SUM OF WHICH are also a great hit with children.  Contact me if you are interested in more information.

Happy New Year!  I hope this message finds you enjoying good health and happiness.  January 1, 2018 QT3.14 LLC, maker of SUM OF WHICH celebrated one year in business.  I am so excited to know that SUM OF WHICH is already in 16 countries and 39 US states.

As I look forward to this school year, I see two days fast approaching.  The hundredth day of school will soon be here.  SUM OF WHICH is 100 is a great game to play on that day.  Get your school together and organize a school tournament.  Place 4 students to a game board and have them play SUM OF WHICH is 100.  Take the top four players at the close of 30 minutes and have those players play SO YOU THINK YOU CAN ADD using the 100 tiles.  Crown the winner as the HUNDRED DAY CHAMP and the other three as the HUNDRED DAY RUNNERS UP.  Of course, you know that in truth, all the students are winners.  During that 30-minute “fun”, they were actually all practicing their math skills.
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​The next day on my radar is Pi Day, March 14th.  Last year I was lucky enough to be in a school where we had a Pi Day SUM OF WHICH tournament.  The tournament ran much like that described above, only we had two heats!  It was so exciting for me to see more than 500 students play SUM OF WHICH and get excited about mathematics.  Fortunately, I will once again return to the school this year when they host the second Pi Day SUM OF WHICH Tournament.  It’s not too late for your school to host a tournament as well.  If you are interested, contact me!  You could bring this fun to your school.

I am also toying with the idea of a monthly live feed.  During each live feed I will share with you a teaching strategy that you may want to use in your classroom.  I want to be sure it is scheduled at a time when YOU could attend.  So, if this is something you might be interested in attending, please leave me a comment below and let me know when (days and times) might be best for you each month.  Of course, the feed would be available to watch afterwards, but the interaction would not be available so I want to be sure I plan for a time when you could easily attend.
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That’s all for now.  Thank you for your support and all you do.
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