Math potatoes

Math Potatoes By Greg Tang and Illustrated by Harry briggs
Grade level 3-5

• CCSS.Math.Content.3.OA.A.1 Interpret products of whole numbers, e.g., interpret 5 × 7 as the total number of objects in 5 groups of 7 objects each. For example, describe a context in which a total number of objects can be expressed as 5 × 7.
• CCSS.Math.Content.3.OA.A.2 Interpret whole-number quotients of whole numbers, e.g., interpret 56 ÷ 8 as the number of objects in each share when 56 objects are partitioned equally into 8 shares, or as a number of shares when 56 objects are partitioned into equal shares of 8 objects each. For example, describe a context in which a number of  shares or a number of groups can be expressed as 56 ÷ 8.
• CCSS.Math.Content.3.OA.A.3 Use multiplication and division within 100 to solve word problems in situations involving equal groups, arrays, and measurement quantities, e.g., by using drawings and equations with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem.¹
• CCSS.Math.Content.3.OA.A.4 Determine the unknown whole number in a multiplication or division equation relating three whole numbers. For example, determine the unknown number that makes the equation true in each of the equations 8 × ? = 48, 5 = _ ÷ 3, 6 × 6 = ?

Rating 3.5/5
Mr.Tang has a huge amount of riddles and poetic ways of asking the questions. This may be a fun way to get students to engage in the activity, how ever they may need to listen more carefully instead of rushing into the questions. I give this book a 3.5 because while it has extremely nice illustrations and have some creative problems none of the problems are really helpful for real life situations. Also this book focuses a little bit to much on rhyming and grouping things.

Monster Math Picnic

Title: Monster Math Picnic

Author: Grace Maccarone

Illustrator: Marge Hartelius

Recommended Grade Level: PK-1

Common Core Mathematics Standards Addressed:

·       CCSS.Math.Content.K.CC.B.4 Understand the relationship between numbers and quantities; connect counting to cardinality.

·       CCSS.Math.Content.K.CC.B.4b Understand that the last number name said tells the number of objects counted. The number of objects is the same regardless of their arrangement or the order in which they were counted.

·       CCSS.Math.Content.1.OA.A.1 Use addition and subtraction within 20 to solve word problems involving situations of adding to, taking from, putting together, taking apart, and comparing, with unknowns in all positions, e.g., by using objects, drawings, and equations with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem.¹

Summary: This book is about 10 monsters that went for a picnic. They played many different activities such as playing in the mud, sand and swimming. The book presented numbers both decreasing and increasing. For example it said, seven monsters chase squirrels and three chase bears then six sit on benches and four sit on chairs.

Rating: ***** I highly recommend this book as it gives a very clear way to count to 10 and to count down as well. The book has great visuals and rhymes that help children to understand and follow when reading the book.

Classroom Ideas: This book could be used in several ways. One way it can be used its to count up from zero to ten. Another way is to count down from ten to zero. Also, we can show them a picture and ask them how many they see.

Henry Keeps Score (Jasmin Bourdon)

Title: Henry Keeps Score

Author: Daphne Skinner

Illustrator: Page Eastburn O’Rourke

Grade level recommended: K-2

 

Common Core Mathematics Standards Addressed:

Understand the relationship between numbers and quantities; connect counting to cardinality.  K.CC. 4abc

a.     When counting objects, say the number names in standard order, pairing each object with one and only one number name and each number name with on and only one objects.

b.    Understand the last number name said tells the number of objects counted. The number of objects is the same regardless of their arrangements or the order in which they were counted.

c.     Understand that each successive number name refers to a quantity that is one larger.

 

Add and Subtract within 20.

Relate counting to addition and subtraction. 1.OA.5

 

Summary: This book is about a young boy who is always at competition with his older sister. He feels whatever she does he also has to do. Every activity that is done by the children Henry the younger brother keeps score, so that he can make sure he is doing the same amount of things as his older sister. Harriet gets 4 pancakes for breakfast and Henry got 3. He then points out if Harriet gets 4 pancakes he too has to get 4. At the end the children are taken to the dentist and Harriet had one cavity, at this point Henry does not want to keep score, he does not want to have a cavity as Harriet did. Henry did not and for the first time he was happy that Harriet had 1 and he had 0.

Rating: ***** I give it a great rating. It is a book that contains factual events which allows a child to have a connection with the book. It brings the children to want to learn what is going to happen because they are able to draw a connection. Through this book one may be able to create many activities within a classroom.

 Classroom activities: With the use of this book an educator can incorporate many different mathematical ideas such as subtraction, addition, as well as using the technique of tally. An educator can build a tally chart for the upper grade children and then create a bar graph. One can tally how much Harriet and Henry have at different points or one can create a more personal one by having the children involved in the work. One can ask the class how many children eat 3, 4, or 5 pancakes and tally and so forth. This gets the students engaged and eager to complete the task. With the younger children an educator can use addition in multiple ways. From adding how much each child had throughout the book to adding how many items in all. Such as, how many pancakes did Harriet and Henry have all together? Or how many chores and cookies did Henry have all together? This has the children at attention as well as having them explore mathematics through the book.

 

 

Math for All Seasons Posted By Jaffranna Castillo

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Mind-Stretching Math Riddles: Math for All Seasons, by Greg Tang POSTED BY JAFFRANNA CASTILLO

 

Title: Mind-Stretching Math Riddles: Math for All Seasons

Author: Greg Tang

Illustrator: Harry Briggs

Recommended Grade Level: K-2

Common Core Mathematics Standards Addressed:

K.OA.A.2 Solve addition and subtraction word problems, and add and subtract within 10, e.g., by using objects or drawings to represent the problem.

1.OA.A.1 Use addition and subtraction within 20 to solve word problems involving situations of adding to, taking from, putting together, taking apart, and comparing, with unknowns in all positions, e.g., by using objects, drawings, and equations with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem.¹

2.OA.B.2 Fluently add and subtract within 20 using mental strategies.² By end of Grade 2, know from memory all sums of two one-digit numbers.

Summary: This book presents different math riddles using objects and colors from the different seasons of the year. Each riddle teaches different combinations of numbers and different strategies of grouping. The book teaches addition without using a set way or formula.

Rating: ***** I recommend this book to teachers for the 1^st and 2^nd grades to introduce addition in a more fun   way. The book provides different strategies for addition, it emphasizes on grouping.

Classroom Ideas: This book could be use in the classroom during a mini lesson as a warm up activity. This is a really god you to get students engagement and teach them different strategies for adding and grouping. Another idea I was thinking of was on the ride of a trip, for instance on the bus the teacher can read a riddle and ask students questions. This can be use as a strategy to maintain students quiet, entertain and learning at the same time.

The Lion's Share Posted by Laverne

THE LION’S SHARE A TALE OF HALVING CAKE AND EATING IT, TOO

POSTED BY LAVERNE BAZAN-THOMAS

 

Title: The Lion’s Share – A Tale of Halving Cake and Eating It, Too

Author and Illustrator: Matthew McElligott

Recommended Grade Level: Grades K - 5

Common Core Standards Addressed:

CCSS.Math.Content.3.NF.A.1 Understand a fraction 1/b as the quantity formed by 1 part when a whole is partitioned into b equal parts; understand a fraction a/b as the quantity formed by a parts of size 1/b.

CCSS.Math.Content.3.NF.A.3 Explain equivalence of fractions in special cases, and compare fractions by reasoning about their size.

• CCSS.Math.Content.3.NF.A.3b Recognize and generate simple equivalent fractions, e.g., 1/2 = 2/4, 4/6 = 2/3. Explain why the fractions are equivalent, e.g., by using a visual fraction model.

·       CCSS.Math.Content.4.NF.A.1 Explain why a fraction a/b is equivalent to a fraction (n × a)/(n × b) by using visual fraction models, with attention to how the number and size of the parts differ even though the two fractions themselves are the same size. Use this principle to recognize and generate equivalent fractions.

Summary: This book is about the Lion’s annual dinner and the shortage of dessert when the guests split the cake in half as they pass it down the table, leaving nothing for the Lion. When the ant offers to bake him a cake, he sets off a competition of the guests doubling each other’s pastries for the Lion that ends with the hippo baking 256 peanut butter cakes!

Rating: ***** This is a great book! Not only is it entertaining and visually engaging, it introduces fractions and multiplying by two in a fun way. Most importantly, lessons can be adjusted for all grade levels providing endless opportunities for use.

Classroom ideas: This book can be used to teach mathematical concepts in addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, patterns and sequences, and more! This story demonstrates the relationship between fractions and division and well as the inverse operation, multiplication. Students could begin with 12 pegs that fit together and divide them in halves until they reach the simplest form. They could use six pegs (half) and compare how they are equal to 2 sets of 3 pegs each (half). Many combinations of equivalents can be discovered this way. They students could also use 1 peg and continue to double the pegs until they reach their total. This exercise would help them understand how doubling items is the same as adding it to itself, multiplying by two, as well as the opposite of splitting totals in half.