Have a little fun this week with your young math learners. Give them some math stumpers! Start with the Christmas Tree Stumper and if they get that one quickly, you might just have to move on to the listing here. And....for some added fun, print off a few of these Christmas Sudoku puzzles for the young learners. After all, you know the strategy, trick them into learning!

The Math Gap really refers to the gender gap in the achievement of mathematics. Personally, I used to think gender gaps in math were directly linked to the school or the teacher. In some grades, they exist and in others it's not quite so noticeable. There's no dispute that females don't tend to be that well represented in the higher maths at college and university levels. The question is why? Research in the area often points to a variety of factors. However, this article from MIT refers to environmental factors and suggests that the girls who could be doing well simply aren't. See the full article and find out what makes a school a math powerhouse.

Do you have a math student to buy for? If so, Texas Instruments for most is the preferred choice. Make an informed choice by reading over the top 10 questions that parents ask about graphing calculators. You'll also want to read over the course to calculator comparison chart to ensure that you purchase the right calculator. Once you make the purchase, be sure to download the free tutorials found here. As for my own personal preference, the TI 83/84 calculators are my favorites! The TI 84 Plus Guide for Dummies isn't a bad starter resource either.

Do you have a SMART board in your classroom? Math and the SMART boards tend to go hand in hand! There's a wealth of activites at a variety of grade levels to help your students engage in math. Here are a few favorites of mine:

• For Primary Age
• For Grades 6-12
• Misc. and All Grades
The other great thing about having access to a SMART board is that you can put worksheets on the SMART board and have students do their answers in their notes which saves on the photocopying!
Thanks Allison for this tip.