Moms and Dads on a Mission

As you explore supplemental activities in math you have very specific goals in mind. We can help.

All parents want to enrich their child’s life. It's a universal goal. That is probably what has led you to investigate Zillio. But you may have another objective. Perhaps something may be lacking or doesn't feel quite right in your child's math education, as we we have heard from other parents. For some, it is pace. For other's, it is a child's learning style. You may be concerned that too much or not enough emphasis is placed on certain approaches or content. You may have a child who is anxious or bored or both and beginning to lose interest in math. Parents who are home schooling are constantly looking for new tools and approaches to math to assist them in their home schooling efforts. Whatever brought you to Zillio, we believe you will find what you need and more. If you don't or have a specific question, please contact us so we can help.

Develop Mastery in 10 Essential Skills

Children need to build a solid foundation in these 10 essential skills to succeed in middle school math and beyond. With the help of Zillio, children will understand the concept, develop fluency, and learn how and when to apply the skills in problem solving. The hands-on activities focus on concrete examples. The lesson is then extended (or expanded) so children understand how to apply the concept abstractly. They can then manipulate very large and very small numbers beyond the physical representation of Zillio.

The first lessons focus on additive reasoning, including all < operations relating to putting together and separating sets of objects. The tokens are first used by themselves to represent quantities. Children learn counting, number order, adding and subtracting. When they are ready, they move to play activities on the Mountain. In this context, children learn the basic elements of a number line and how addition and subtraction are inverse properties. They refine their understanding of more or less. Games help develop fluency in basic math facts.

The second group of lessons focuses on multiplicative reasoning, including multiplication, division, fractions, ratios and linear equations. Using one or more staircases on the Mountain, children explore the concepts separately and then in relation to each other. The visual structure of the Mountain helps children learn how multiplication, division, number lines, and fractions are all interrelated. Children understand the meaning of variables at an intuitive level. Using pattern recognition abilities at an early age, children develop a keen understanding of variables and how to manipulate them. In using the same procedure or algorithm with a different set of numbers (staircases), children understand the “learn once, use many” concept as it applies to math. This builds confidence and a feeling of accomplishment.