MathPickle
85 Followers
Alberta, Canada
About the store
Gordon Hamilton (MMath, PhD) is a mathematician and board game designer. He founded MathPickle.com in 2010 to inject hard, fun problems, puzzles and mini-competitions into math classrooms world wide. In the last year he has been featured twice in the New York Times. In November 2013, he co-hosted a conference of mathematicians and educators to select thirteen curricular unsolved problems of mathematics - one for each grade K-12. In 2015 he will be co-hosting a conference on integer sequences in the math classroom.
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Programs & methods
Kajitsu (Mirror & Rotational Symmetry Puzzle)
"Kajitsu" is Japanese for "a morsel of fruit". Cutting the fruit into bite sized morsels requires students to practice mirror & rotational symmetry. Top students are engaged in the tough problem solving while the rest of the class learns and practices symmetry.
Of all MathPickle puzzle designs, this is the most physically beautiful. I often have students ask for a spare puzzle-sheet just so they can redraw their answers beautifully - so this puzzle's look helps inspire aesthetically minded s
4th - 8th
Geometry, Math
CCSS
4.G.A.3
, 8.G.A.1
, 8.G.A.1a
 +2
Taxi Cab Squares ($500 classroom challenge)
This is a great introduction to Cartesian coordinates - parallel and perpendicular lines and right angles. It's also great practice.
It is simple enough for elementary students, but it is brilliantly open ended. Part of the puzzle remains unsolved - hence the $500 reward for the classroom that solves it. It is one of MathPickle's most beautiful puzzles.
________________
Standards for Mathematical Practice:
All MathPickle puzzles including "Mishap at Venn Zoo" are guaranteed to engage a w
4th - 10th
Geometry, Math
Mimizu - A Factorization Puzzle for grade 4-7
This puzzle is a great way to inspire grade 4-7 students in both
1) Prime factorization of Integers
2) Finding the Greatest Common Factor
45 minutes is the minimum amount of time that a class might spend on Mimizu. If desired, there is enough material in this download for several weeks of hard fun.
___________________
Standards for Mathematical Practice:
All MathPickle puzzle designs, including mimizu, are guaranteed to engage a wide spectrum of stude
4th - 7th
Basic Operations, Math
CCSS
4.OA.B.4
, 4.OA.C.5
, 6.NS.B.2
 +2
Beetle Sort! A pattern puzzle for kindergarten through grade 2.
Beauty and mathematics are inseparable. In this puzzle we use the beauty of beetles to inspire k-2 students to find and discuss patterns.
The puzzles are meant to be projected and solved as a whole class through argument and consensus. For kindergarten students 15 minutes of Beetle Sort is perfect. There are enough puzzles here to do this several times.
___________________
Standards for Mathematical Practice:
All MathPickle puzzles including Beetle Sort a
K - 2nd
Geometry, Math
CCSS
K.MD.B.3
, 1.MD.A.1
, K.G.A.1
Unfair Thrones - subtracting fractions ($100 classroom challenge)
This is a great way to get your students enthusiastic about subtracting fractions and optionally turning the result into decimals. The set-up is engaging for a wide spectrum of student ability. Struggling students learn how to subtract fractions while top students are engaged in tough problem solving.
This was my first puzzle to get into the New York Times.
5th - 7th
Decimals, Fractions, Math
CCSS
5.NBT.A.3
, 5.NBT.A.4
, 5.NBT.B.6
 +2
Fractured Fraction Puzzles (equivalent fractions)
These puzzles are a great way to explore equivalent fractions in your classroom. It will engage a large fraction of your grade 4 to 6 students for one or two periods. Top students will be engaged through deflection into tough problem solving - struggling students will be engaged through the beauty of the puzzles.
________________
Standards for Mathematical Practice:
All MathPickle puzzles including "Mishap at Venn Zoo" are guaranteed to engage a wide spectrum of student abilities while targ
4th - 6th
Fractions, Math
CCSS
4.NF.A.1
, 4.NF.A.2
Dot-to-Dot Middle Path Puzzles
Dot-to-Dot Middle Path Puzzles give students practice measuring and eyeballing distances. Correct comparisons result in the student creating a picture. These pictures are not as obvious as standard dot-to-dot so there is a real feeling of discovery. One of MathPickle's top puzzle designs.
______________________
Standards for Mathematical Practice:
All MathPickle puzzles including Dot-to-Dot Middle Path Puzzles are guaranteed to engage a wide spectrum of student abilities while targeting t
2nd - 4th
Math, Measurement
CCSS
2.MD.A.1
, 2.MD.A.4
, 3.MD.D.8
Mishap at Venn Zoo (mirror and rotational symmetry $100 Classroom Challenge)
Mishap at Venn Zoo is a co-operative puzzle that gives students practice with mirror symmetry, rotational symmetry and beautiful Venn diagrams. It will engage a large fraction of your grade 4 or grade 5 students for one 40-50 minute period. It requires students to place "animals" into a Venn diagram based on their symmetry.
Standards for Mathematical Practice:
All MathPickle puzzles including "Mishap at Venn Zoo" are guaranteed to engage a wide spectrum of student abilities while targeting
4th - 6th
Geometry, Math
CCSS
4.G.A.2
, 4.G.A.3
, 5.G.B.4
Lazy Lemur Multiplication
Lazy Lemur Multiplication keeps students aware and focussed as they use the standard multiplication algorithm. Too often I was seeing students just blindly jumping into an algorithm and then letting their mind wander. Sloppy work was the result. Lazy Lemur Multiplication keeps students on their toes as they must stop the standard algorithm midway-through if they see an unwanted digit.
______________________
Standards for Mathematical Practice:
All MathPickle puzzles including Lazy Lemur
3rd - 6th
Arithmetic, Math
CCSS
4.NBT.B.5
, 5.NBT.B.5
Animal Subtraction ($500 challenges)
Animal Subtraction is beautiful for all children learning equations like 7-3 = 4. While the bulk of your class learns subtraction, your top students will be engaged by tough problem solving. There are also puzzle-sheets which require harder subtraction problems like 35 - 21 = 14.
The 45 minute time is what I've listed for the time, but you could easily do animal subtraction once a week for a month. Many students benefit from creating their own puzzles, and others will enjoy looking for gener
2nd - 4th
Arithmetic, Math
Ballast - multiplication puzzle with $100 classroom challenge
Each multiplication puzzle consists of three warships that need to be loaded with ballast so that they are balanced. Unfortunately this is impossible for one of the ships - it will keel over and sink no matter what you do. The other two ships can be loaded with ballast so they are nicely balanced.
Multiplication difficulty ranges from easy (2 x 3 = 6) to hard (13 x 17 = 221).
Problem solving difficulty ranges from easy to open ended.
3rd - 5th
Arithmetic, Basic Operations
Venus Flytrap - Dangerous Decimal Game
This game gives students practice ordering decimals between 3.88 and 4.22.
Which is larger 4.09 or 4.2 ?
Which is larger 4.0 or 3.99 ?
Top students are engaged because the game is interesting and requires tough problem solving - other students get curricular practice where they need it.
4th
Decimals, Math
CCSS
4.NF.C.7
A little bit of Aggression - Subtraction Game ($500 challenge)
"A little bit of Aggression" is a great way to give a classroom practice with subtraction while engaging your top students in tough problem solving. Think of it as a superior variant of Risk. There are a number of critical differences: 1) Armies do not move and 2) Armies attack into a neighbouring area and win if their total value is greater than the defender. The subtraction enters play in setting up armies.
It could be the only thing that students do in math class for grade 2 or 3, and I
1st - 4th
Arithmetic, Math
Ballast - addition puzzle with $100 classroom challenge
Each addition puzzle consists of three warships that need to be loaded with ballast so that they are balanced. Unfortunately this is impossible for one of the ships - it will keel over and sink no matter what you do. The other two ships can be loaded with ballast so they are nicely balanced.
Addition difficulty ranges from easy (1 + 4 = 5) to hard (59 + 69 + 25 = 153).
Problem solving difficulty ranges from easy to open ended.
1st - 3rd
Arithmetic, Basic Operations
The Nasty Mr. Sneeze - addition practice ($500 classroom challenge)
This puzzle is a great way for students to practice addition, find patterns, and compare the number of germs in two regions. For those top students who are beyond acquiring these curricular skills - they will be thoroughly absorbed in the problem solving.
I've listed this exercise as taking 45 minutes, but you could use it for much, much longer as it is brilliantly open ended.
K - 2nd, Higher Education
Basic Operations, Math
Aggression X - Multiplication Game
This game reminds me a little bit of risk. There are big differences: 1) Armies don't move. 2) If allied armies neighbour an enemy space they may attack by multiplying their strength together.
I'm happy with it, but I'd love to know what you think. For a limited time I'm offering this at a beta-testers special rate.
The game is based on Eric Solomon's 1973 game, Aggression.
3rd - 5th
Arithmetic, Math
Klingon Attack - factoring puzzle ($100 challenge)
Klingon Attack gives students practice factoring as they try to save the earth from Klingons. The puzzle is deep so the addition of the Klingon story-line is not the only thing that will engage children.
I'll offer $100 for an example of the problem in the classroom. Submissions to gord@mathpickle.com should be photographs or stories. The best will be added to this pdf file so that other classrooms can enjoy. All photographs with people must have appropriate consent. The winning classroo
4th - 7th
Arithmetic, Math
CCSS
4.OA.B.4
, 4.OA.C.5
, 6.NS.B.2
 +2
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About the store
Experience
Gordon Hamilton (MMath, PhD) is a mathematician and board game designer. He founded MathPickle.com in 2010 to inject hard, fun problems, puzzles and mini-competitions into math classrooms world wide. In the last year he has been featured twice in the New York Times. In November 2013, he co-hosted a conference of mathematicians and educators to select thirteen curricular unsolved problems of mathematics - one for each grade K-12. In 2015 he will be co-hosting a conference on integer sequences in the math classroom.
Teaching style
All students, especially the top ones, should experience failure every day. Doing this in a light-hearted way helps remove the stigma of failure from the classroom. I fail in front of my students regularly. It's okay. I get over it. So will they ;-)
Awards & shining teacher moments
No honors or awards yet for MathPickle, but the uplifting testimonials and emails from educators make up for the lack of official recognition. Here is a sample:
"Hi Gordon, I stumbled upon your site, MathPickle.com, this morning and two hours later I'm still there. Just wanted to drop you a brief note to say thank you for all the great resources, ideas, and inspiring videos! I can't wait to use some these materials this Fall with my elementary mathematics methods students as well as try the unsolved problems with my two children. Thank you, Amy Tanner (Assistant Professor, Education Department, St. Catherine University)"
My own education history
BSc
(1988, University of Calgary)
MMath
(1990, University of Waterloo)
PhD
(1996, University of Calgary)
Additional biographical information
Gordon lives with his 6 year old daughter and 9 year old son in Calgary, Canada.
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