Comments on: Eight Things about Grace Anne http://peopleofthefrozenearth.com/2007/10/07/eight-things-about-grace-anne/ Historical fiction by Grace Anne Schaefer Sat, 22 Nov 2008 06:20:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Grace Anne Schaefer http://peopleofthefrozenearth.com/2007/10/07/eight-things-about-grace-anne/#comment-2221 Grace Anne Schaefer Wed, 26 Mar 2008 16:16:56 +0000 http://peopleofthefrozenearth.com/2007/10/07/eight-things-about-grace-anne/#comment-2221 Darlene: I hope this will help you to understand the hands system. Unlike our number system which uses base ten, the People of the Frozen Earth's counting system used base five. We are taught to count using both hands as a unit and ten sets for hundreds, thousands, etc., but when I was taking a course in teaching elementary math, we were taught to use other bases to count (to help us understand the frustration of children who had no idea what we were talking about when we were trying to teach addition and subtraction in base ten which is as natural as breathing to most of us.) For some reason, although I never used it again, this stuck with me. The People of the Frozen Earth did not have many "things" to count. For some unexplained reason, it made sense that a unit for them was simply the fingers of one hand. The next largest set was a hand or five. A hand of hands is twenty-five; two hands' hands is fifty, etc. A finger is either one or five -- two hands plus a finger is eleven, but two hands plus a finger of hands is fifty-five. I truly cannot tell you where this method came from beyond that distant memory of elementary teaching methods. I did not find any information in my research to contradict it so I have continued to use it because, as I said at the beginning, "my" people did not need the ability to count as many "things" as we do. Trite? Yes, but I hope to convey that the most important "things" can neither be counted or measured. Thank you -- > Grace Anne Schaefer Darlene: I hope this will help you to understand the hands system.
Unlike our number system which uses base ten, the People of the Frozen Earth’s counting system used base five. We are taught to count using both hands as a unit and ten sets for hundreds, thousands, etc., but when I was taking a course in teaching elementary math, we were taught to use other bases to count (to help us understand the frustration of children who had no idea what we were talking about when we were trying to teach addition and subtraction in base ten which is as natural as breathing to most of us.) For some reason, although I never used it again, this stuck with me.

The People of the Frozen Earth did not have many “things” to count. For some unexplained reason, it made sense that a unit for them was simply the fingers of one hand. The next largest set was a hand or five. A hand of hands is twenty-five; two hands’ hands is fifty, etc. A finger is either one or five — two hands plus a finger is eleven, but two hands plus a finger of hands is fifty-five. I truly cannot tell you where this method came from beyond that distant memory of elementary teaching methods. I did not find any information in my research to contradict it so I have continued to use it because, as I said at the beginning, “my” people did not need the ability to count as many “things” as we do.

Trite? Yes, but I hope to convey that the most important “things” can neither be counted or measured. Thank you — > Grace Anne Schaefer

]]> By: Darlene Smith http://peopleofthefrozenearth.com/2007/10/07/eight-things-about-grace-anne/#comment-2091 Darlene Smith Wed, 19 Mar 2008 20:32:11 +0000 http://peopleofthefrozenearth.com/2007/10/07/eight-things-about-grace-anne/#comment-2091 Hi Grace, I love your books! My husband and I were at the powwow at Eagle Creek Park in Indiana a couple of years ago and I bought your first book. I literally could not put it down, and waited for your new book to be completed. I was sorry to hear about your illness and am so happy to hear that you are well again. Could you please explain the counting with the hands. "When they talk about a hands hands????" I am sure it is very simple, but I am confused. A loyal fan..............Darlene Hi Grace,
I love your books! My husband and I were at the powwow at Eagle Creek Park in Indiana a couple of years ago and I bought your first book. I literally could not put it down, and waited for your new book to be completed. I was sorry to hear about your illness and am so happy to hear that you are well again. Could you please explain the counting with the hands. “When they talk about a hands hands????” I am sure it is very simple, but I am confused.
A loyal fan…………..Darlene

]]> By: Admin http://peopleofthefrozenearth.com/2007/10/07/eight-things-about-grace-anne/#comment-796 Admin Sat, 24 Nov 2007 04:15:34 +0000 http://peopleofthefrozenearth.com/2007/10/07/eight-things-about-grace-anne/#comment-796 The message bounced but will try again. You can contact us directly at <a href="mailto:info@gaslightpublishing.com" rel="nofollow">info@gaslightpublishing.com</a>. The message bounced but will try again. You can contact us directly at info@gaslightpublishing.com.

]]> By: Sandra Ann Delgado http://peopleofthefrozenearth.com/2007/10/07/eight-things-about-grace-anne/#comment-772 Sandra Ann Delgado Fri, 23 Nov 2007 04:06:05 +0000 http://peopleofthefrozenearth.com/2007/10/07/eight-things-about-grace-anne/#comment-772 Can you contact me again?--I accidently deleted it!! Happy Thanksgiving!! Can you contact me again?–I accidently deleted it!! Happy Thanksgiving!!

]]> By: Admin http://peopleofthefrozenearth.com/2007/10/07/eight-things-about-grace-anne/#comment-670 Admin Sat, 17 Nov 2007 05:16:56 +0000 http://peopleofthefrozenearth.com/2007/10/07/eight-things-about-grace-anne/#comment-670 Good to hear from you. You'll be receiving a private reply in e-mail. Good to hear from you. You’ll be receiving a private reply in e-mail.

]]> By: Sandra Ann Delgado http://peopleofthefrozenearth.com/2007/10/07/eight-things-about-grace-anne/#comment-641 Sandra Ann Delgado Thu, 15 Nov 2007 07:11:52 +0000 http://peopleofthefrozenearth.com/2007/10/07/eight-things-about-grace-anne/#comment-641 Grace Anne, I saw Ken at the Austin Pow Wow but never made it down to see you. Did you participate in the event at BAMC this year? I never heard from them. There's a small Pow Wow in Killeen this coming weekend. I belive it is at the Civic center. Will you be there? Let me know. Bye!! SD Grace Anne,
I saw Ken at the Austin Pow Wow but never made it down to see you. Did you participate in the event at BAMC this year? I never heard from them. There’s a small Pow Wow in Killeen this coming weekend. I belive it is at the Civic center. Will you be there? Let me know.
Bye!!
SD

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