Onto the good stuff! Math concept I wish to explore with literature is measurement. This is an abstract skill that many students struggle with, especially younger students (K-3), what better way to assist them then to bring it with pictures and a story they can enjoy?!
Bigger, Better, Best
by: Stuart J. Murphy; Illustrated by: Marsha Winborn
A wonderful book that highlights the realities of sibling rivalry in a new home. Each child fights over who has the bigger room, bigger window, etc. and they have no choice but use basic geometry to calculate perimeter and area to settle the score.
ACTIVITY: Following the method the children use, estimate how many papers it takes to cover classroom windows and calculate the perimeter and area of classroom windows, reading rug, teachers desk, etc.
How Tall, How Short, How Faraway?
by: David A. Adler; Illustrated by: Nancy Tobin
Are you starting a measurement unit and need to introduce different types of measurement systems or the history of measurement? Well look no further, this is the book for your classroom. David Adler introduces historical measurement methods such as Egyptian, inch-pound, and the every elusive metric system.
ACTIVITY: David Adler already builds activities into this book and so to use his activities can be beneficial. The best activity I can think of using this book is comparisons of different units. Measuring items using non-standard units and then measure them using the units of your study.
Inchworm and a Half
by: Elinor J. Pinczes; Illustrated by: Randall Enos
This book is a two fold piece of literature. It introduces the topics of fractions, as a little inchworm is perplexed by this and enlists the help of her friends to measure the vegetables in the garden. By the end of the book the worms encounter new lengths, which brings new fractions and all around new challenges.
ACTIVITY: I found an awesome article from the NCTM and they bring in vegetables and worm cards for the students to measure their way through their worksheets. This is the way to bring the book to life and give the students an opportunity to work these skills in a non-threatening way.
Millions to Measure
by: David M. Schwartz; Illustrated by: Steven Kellog
This shows the multitudes of way students can measure and the multitude of things that needs to be measured. Millions to Measure introduces basic patterns of liters, grams, and meters.
ACTIVITY: The best thing to do with this book is the reinforce the patterns taught and give students the opportunity to practice. Giving students meter sticks and the free reign to measure items across the room would be the most beneficial activity when using this book. However, I do need to note that there are a LOT of units written around this book and so just like there is a million things to measure, there are a million ways to use this book!
