All Sorts of Numbers

Author/Illustrator: Hannah Reidy/Emma Dodd

About the Author:
Reidy is a published author of children's books. Some of her works include All Sorts Of Shapes, All Sorts Of Numbers, All Sorts Of Clothes, and All Sorts Of Noises.

Genre: Math

Grade Level: K-1
Theme: Counting

Synopsis:
This book is about counting and looking at pictures to count different objects either asked in the book or asked by the teacher reading the book.  It shows pictures of different objects such as jump ropes, kites, children, dice, bikes, boats, and balls.  These pictures are things that students will be able to recognize and be familiar with in order to help them count

Pre Reading Activity:

Activity:
Ask the students to count to 20 to see if they can count that high.  If not, have them go to ten to see if they have an idea of how to count before reading the book.

Post Reading Activity:

Activity:
After reading the story, have students find things in the classroom that they can gather and count together as a class.  See if each student can find something different in the room they can bring to count.

Reflection:

I think this is a great book to use because it allows students to count while they read.  Math is a hard subject for many kids and using books that will get children/students excited about math is the way to go!

Two Ways to Count to Ten: A Liberian Folktale

 

Author/Illustrator: Retold by Ruby Dee/Susan Meddaugh

About the Author:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruby_Dee
Dee is an American actress, poet, playwright, screenwriter, journalist and activist.  She is famous for her co-starring role in A Raisin in the Sun  and American Gangster.She was born Ruby Ann Wallace in Cleveland, Ohio and grew up in Harlem, NY.  She went to Hunter College High School and then went on to pursue her degrees in French and Spanish and graduated from Hunter College in 1944.

Genre: Folktale

Grade Level: K-2
Theme: Counting

Synopsis:

This book is about a animals in the jungle that live and work together in harmony.  The leopard is king and must choose a king to take his place when he dies, but he wants the cleverest of all animals to be King.  He gathered all the animals and said one must throw the spear high into the sky and count to ten before it comes down again.  Many animals tried but failed to reach the number ten before the spear hit the ground again.  Finally, an Antelope asked if he could try and all the other animals laughed.  He threw the spear into the air and counted by two's to number ten and reached ten before the spear fell to the ground and said that the King did not say which way he had to count by to reach the number ten.  Sure enough he was wise and would become King.

 

Pre Reading Activity:

Activity:
Ask the students to count to ten together at their seats.

Post Reading Activity:

Activity:
After reading the story, have students tell you some ways we can count to ten.  Have them count by one's, skip count by two's and even skip count by five's.  There is not just one way to count to ten and the students will be able to learn the different ways to count.  You can have them sit at a carpet and take off their shoes and put each pair together and count to ten or you can use individual shoes and put them in groups of fives and count to ten.  This shows students there are multiple ways to work things out.

Reflection:

I think this is a great book to use because it allows students to see how many different ways we can count.  You can have them use things in their everyday lives to help them learn to skip count.  Once you teach them to do something with objects they use everyday, they will be better able to remember something because they were shown with something practical.

Each Orange Had 8 Slices: A Counting Book

Author/Illustrator:  Paul Giganti, Jr./Donald Crews

About the Author:
http://www.harpercollins.com/authors/16630/Paul_Giganti_Jr/index.aspx
Paul teaches mathematics to teachers at the University of California at Berkeley where he graduated with a degree in mathematics. He taught in the public schools for fifteen years and now lives with his family in Albany, California.

Genre: Math

Grade Level: K-3
Theme: Adding/Multiplying

Synopsis:
This story talks about a child walking to different places talking about what he sees on his way there.  Each page has a picture of different images where students can count, add, or multiply their way to find the answers!

Pre Reading Activity:

Activity:

Have the class look at the cover and ask them how many oranges, how many orange slices and how many seeds in all?!

Post Reading Activity:

Activity:

After reading the story, have the students look around the room and see if they can find things around the room they can use to make questions of their own.

Reflection:

I think this is a very good book to use in a classroom because it allows students to practice counting, adding, and multiplying depending on the grade level you are working with.  This book is repetitive so students as young as Kindergarten will be able to predict what comes next and how they can answer the questions themselves. It is a good book for math practice!