- By using the different colors of M&M candies, you can make teaching addition problems easier. Use differently colored candies to help the child see two or more units of an equation such as a + b + c = d. For instance, use red M&Ms to show "a," use blue M&Ms to show "b" and use green M&Ms to show "c." Then ask the child to add "a" plus "b" plus "c" and count the total number of M&Ms.
- A similar approach using differently colored M&Ms can help teach subtraction problems. You can use the candies to create the equation a - b = c. Create a pile of M&Ms containing two distinct colors, for example, pink and orange. The total number of M&Ms in the pile represents "a" and the number of orange M&Ms represents "b." Have the child physically take away the orange M&Ms from the pile to discover the result of subtracting "b" from "a."
- You can use groups of M&M candies to teach multiplication as well. Present the child with any basic multiplication equation of a x b = c, such as 2 x 2 = 4, 4 x 5 = 20 or 3 x 7 = 21. Ask the child to group M&M candies in "a" groups of "b." The child will then create two groups each containing two M&Ms to represent 2 x 2, four groups each containing five M&Ms to represent 4 x 5 or three groups each containing seven M&Ms to represent 3 x 7.
- To teach the division equation a / b = c, create a line of M&Ms. The total number of M&Ms in the line will represent "a." Ask the child to divide "a" by a smaller number, "b." For example, if you have a total number of 20 M&Ms and you ask the child to divide 20 by two, have the child split the line of M&Ms into groups of two and then count the number of groups produced.
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