Math & Literacy
Mathematics: Making a Literature Connection
The research has shown that children learn mathematical concepts best through language and the manipulation of concrete objects. The combination of literature, storytelling, and manipulatives provide exciting opportunities for young children.
The benefits include:
The benefits include:
- Integration of curricula area
- Shared experiences
- Language Development
- The development of mathematical concepts
- The development of mathematical language
- Pleasure of literature and storytelling
- A development of the ability to work together and collaborate
The activities and books presented are just a few of the exciting things you can present to young children to spark excitement and learning about math. You can pull math concepts out of many interesting books and broaden the educational value of reading in your classroom. When children are able to make connections between mathematical and literature, their understanding of math concepts becomes more meaningful. These meaningful connections provide an opportunity for children to find real-world applications of math skills and experience greater mathematical success.
Below are some suggestions to help you discovery Math in Literature:
Below are some suggestions to help you discovery Math in Literature:
THEMES
Pattern Recognition and Sequences
The ability to perceive and predict visual and numerical patterns is fundamental to later success with number abstractions. Your students may begin by "finding the one that's different" in a linear series of Rechenka's decorated eggs, Angus's jack-o-lanterns, or Strega Nona's customers. Then, you may ask them to reproduce given patterns, such as the stars on Strega Amelia's gown or the markings of one of the MIllions of Cats on blank objects or character shapes. This prepares your students to identify, predict, and extend missing elements of a repeated pattern of objects or characters encountered in this thematic unit.
The ability to perceive and predict visual and numerical patterns is fundamental to later success with number abstractions. Your students may begin by "finding the one that's different" in a linear series of Rechenka's decorated eggs, Angus's jack-o-lanterns, or Strega Nona's customers. Then, you may ask them to reproduce given patterns, such as the stars on Strega Amelia's gown or the markings of one of the MIllions of Cats on blank objects or character shapes. This prepares your students to identify, predict, and extend missing elements of a repeated pattern of objects or characters encountered in this thematic unit.
ART STUDY
Number Sense and Numeration
"A picture is worth a thousand words," and the illustrations in these picture books offer a wealth of visual representations that will lead your students to count, manipulate, and group real world objects on a variety of skill levels. They may count the number of eggs in Rechenka's basket and the eggs in a carton at the supermarket. They can actually see what happens when they add one more pumpkin to nine pumpkins. Rudimentary concepts of place value will be developed as your students organize the Millions of Cats on the faraway hill in groupings of ones, tens, hundreds, and thousands, preparing them for later use of rounding procedures and operating with larger numbers.
"A picture is worth a thousand words," and the illustrations in these picture books offer a wealth of visual representations that will lead your students to count, manipulate, and group real world objects on a variety of skill levels. They may count the number of eggs in Rechenka's basket and the eggs in a carton at the supermarket. They can actually see what happens when they add one more pumpkin to nine pumpkins. Rudimentary concepts of place value will be developed as your students organize the Millions of Cats on the faraway hill in groupings of ones, tens, hundreds, and thousands, preparing them for later use of rounding procedures and operating with larger numbers.