Anyway, I just wanted to stop by and show you how I introduce equal and not equal to my students! I would not do it without these scales....for real... the BEST:
I actually love the Monkey Math scales so much that I bought 4 of them so my students could play this game in large groups:
On the left side of the monkey there are 7 bananas and on the right side there are 3+4 bananas. The monkey's arms are even and straight because the equation is equal. If it wasn't equal, the monkey's eyes go crazy and the arms aren't straight.
The students draw a card and place the bananas on the according sides. They find out if the equations are equal or not equal. Then, I have them check the equations by adding the numbers (if applicable).
Clipart and/or fonts copyright Dianne J. Hook (djinkers.com)
