Parents of middle schoolers can help teach math concepts at home in these ways:

• Graphs and tables: Ask your child to tell you about the weather. What do the graphs, charts, and tables on TV and in the newspaper reveal?

• Word problems: Have your child help you with everyday word problems. Figure how much punch to make for a party of 20. Divide candy among goody bags for a birthday. Work within an allotted budget for buying groceries.

• Measurements: Show your child how to build things: tiny wooden sailboats, birdhouses, forts, and furniture. Make models and sew. Weigh and measure.

• Fractions: Get your child in the kitchen. Ask her to halve, double, and triple recipes.

• Probability and estimating: Take your child grocery shopping with you. Let her estimate how much your total bill will be. How much will the sales tax add to the purchase? What will your change be?

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