One of my favorite books is the New York Times Bestseller, The Grapes Of Math by Greg Tang. This hilarious and interactive tale invites students to think outside the box to tackle wacky math riddles. Each challenge encourages new ways to see quantities and count objects. It invites kids to think and ask, “How else can I find the total?” or “What is the most efficient way to count or add or multiply?” These are the kinds of problem solving challenges that will develop and deepen number sense in kids. So if you’re excited to dig in, grab a copy of the book and then extend the challenge with these additional problem solving pages!

*Please Note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and help support the work of this site. Feel free to read our full disclosure policy here.*

Problem Solving Challenges for Kids:

Although I designed these challenges to be used along with the book, The Grapes of Math, you could use them independently. The key is to encourage creative problem solving and challenge kids to find another way to see the images.

Each page presents a math problem that requires addition. Each could be solved simply by counting the objects one by one, but the point of each puzzle is to try and find a way to solve the problem quicker and easier.

Greg Tang’s picture book, The Grapes of Math, uses silly rhymes and engaging illustrations to help kids learn several helpful problem solving strategies, such as making ten to add more efficiently, looking for groups of numbers to skip count, subtracting to add, and more!

As Greg Tang explains in his introduction,

“The Grapes of Math teaches four important lessons in problem solving. The first is to be open minded. Children will learn to look beyond the obvious in search of smarter solutions. Second, they are encouraged to think strategically by finding convenient sums that make adding easier. Third, kids are taught to save time by using a variety of skills when solving problems, such as subtracting to add. Finally, children learn to organize information by identifying patterns and symmetries.”

This book is great for visual learners, or for students who like a challenge. Even after finding the right answer, I would encourage you to ask your child (or student) how they arrived at their answer (try to figure out how they saw the picture) and then ask them to figure out another way to solve it. This is a great way to have mathematical discussions and get kids used to explaining their thinking.

And if your kids love The Grapes Of Math as much as we do, they won’t want to stop once the book is finished! So I’ve created some problem solving challenges with addition questions similar to the ones in the book!

Want to learn more about engaging students through meaningful problem solving? Check out my professional development course, Problem Solved: Teaching Math through Problem Solving.

This free download includes 8 pages of unique challenges, as well as an answer key for each page. And although it does not include cute rhymes with helpful hints, hopefully your kids will have some good ideas and be ready to tackle these on their own after working through The Grapes Of Math!

And because these will be printouts that your kids can have (rather than a picture book), I hope you will encourage them to write on each page! It’s often helpful to circle groups of five or ten, or to circle the objects to subtract.

Just be sure they are using pencil, so when you ask them to solve another way, they can erase and start again!

I hope this proves to be a great source of FUN and engaging math learning, and gets your kids excited about exploring new problem solving strategies!

If you’re looking for a similar challenge for younger kids, I recommend starting with dot card visuals and asking “how many?”

And if your kids enjoy this book and the practice pages, be sure to check out some of Greg Tang’s other books:

Math For All Seasons: Mind-Stretching Math Riddles

Math-terpieces: The Art of Problem-Solving (I especially love this one, because I love art history!)

Math Potatoes: Mind-stretching Brain Food (a little more challenging than The Grapes of Math)

And if you want to see this kind of problem solving play out with a more challenging question, check out this video of 6 year old Autumn solving a finite series problem!

{Click HERE to go to my shop and download “The Grapes of Math” Problem Solving Pages!}

Enjoy!!

The post {FREE} Problem Solving Challenges based on “The Grapes of Math” appeared first on Math Geek Mama.

One of my favorite ways to introduce, explore and review math concepts is by reading picture books with my kids. This is a non-threatening way to see math, and it provides something new and different from the regular math routine. In addition, picture books can show math in real life and provide useful visuals to help the brain make sense of concepts that are still abstract for kids. And so, I am thrilled to announce that after years of reading math picture books, I have had the privilege to write and publish my very own! This book, called 1, 2, 3, Animals! was written to introduce our youngest learners to a variety of math skills to build a solid foundation.

*Please Note: This post contains affiliate links which help support the work of this site. Read our full disclosure here.*

About the book, 1, 2, 3, Animals! A Counting Book for Toddlers

In writing this story, I had several goals in mind:

1. Provide a fun, colorful book about animals that young kids would enjoy whether they learned any math or not
2. Create something different from other counting books by the variety of subitizing visuals and number representations on each page
3. Include a brief introduction to essential early math concepts for parents, teachers and caregivers, helping them to feel confident introducing math to children

And so, the story includes simple, rhyming language, and bright, colorful illustrations to keep young kids’ interest.

1, 2, 3, Animals! also includes both the numeral and written word for each number on each page, as well as multiple opportunities to count the quantity.

There are also subitizing visuals to encourage ‘seeing’ the numbers, rather than counting one by one. It is also unique, in that it counts forwards to 10 and then backwards from 10.

Lastly, the book includes a brief letter explaining the math concepts and a variety of ways parents or teachers can expand on the following math skills with their kids, either while reading or after reading the story.

Math Concepts to Learn & Explore:

• Subitizing (seeing and knowing a quantity without counting)
• Recognizing numbers 1-10
• Counting to 10
• Counting Backwards from 10
• One to One Correspondence

Other Skills to Practice as You Read:

In addition to exploring early math skills, this book will also provide opportunities for literacy skills as well:

• Recognizing & naming animals
• Early reading skills and sight word recognition
• Exploring inference (drawing a conclusion about the story based on clues in the text or pictures)

Ways to Extend the Math Learning with 1, 2, 3, Animals!

There are so many simple ways to can learn and explore along with this book, and many are included in the introduction letter. But here are a few additional ideas for you:

• Combine reading & counting with a fun snack-grab a box of animal crackers to enjoy along with the book. Give your child a handful of cookies and have them count the cookies.
• Combine reading and movement-On subsequent readings, pause on each page and ask your child to move like that animal (for example, Can you stomp 3 times like an elephant?)
• Combine reading & crafting-do a quick search for a craft involving one of the animals in the story (ask your child which is their favorite!). Then create one of the animals after reading.
• More get up and move counting practice-on a subsequent reading, pause on each page and ask your child to find that number of things somewhere around the room (for example, can you find 4 of something around you?)

Pre-Order BONUSES with 1, 2, 3, Animals!

Ready to pre-order a copy for yourself or a friend? I’m excited to share that you can receive BONUS freebies to use along with the book to help your child build some of these foundational math skills!

As a thank you for pre-ordering before the official release date on April 21, 2020, you can receive the following bonuses:

• A set of coloring pages featuring animals from the book (a great way to keep little ones occupied while you read aloud!)
• My set of dot cards to use with 10 different math games (help kids build subitizing skills, counting skills, plus addition & subtraction skills when they’re ready)

If you have already ordered your copy, you can fill out this proof of purchase form here to request your bonuses.

If not, learn more about the book and order a copy HERE. Then fill out the form above so I can send you your bonuses!

I will get your bonuses to you ASAP, so you can begin enjoying the pages and games while you wait for the book to arrive!

*Please note: this is ONLY valid for pre-orders, meaning purchases made before the book is released April 21.*

The post 1, 2, 3, Animals! A First Counting Book for Toddlers appeared first on Math Geek Mama.

*Please Note: This post contains affiliate links which help support the work of this site. Read our full disclosure policy here.*

About The Warlord’s Beads:

This story follows the first book in the series, The Warlord’s Puzzle. Each story follows a young boy named Chuan as he grows and learns to apply math concepts in his home at the Warlord’s palace.

There are 8 books in this series in all, most of which you can probably find at your local library. The ones I couldn’t find at the library, I was able to find online used for $3-4 a piece.

In The Warlord’s Beads, Chuan and his father must count and keep accurate records of the Warlord’s treasure. The trouble is, his father keeps getting interrupted and loses track of his counting!

Purchase The Warlord’s Beads Here.

Chuan, always a clever one, comes up with a simple system for easily counting using beads.

This book is a great introduction to place value and counting large numbers.

Plus, you get to introduce your kids to an ancient bead counter, which originated in China.

The Warlord’s Beads Extension Lessons:

The printable activities I’ve created to go along with the book provide simple, hands on practice with these concepts.

To get started, you will need to create your own bead counters, following the directions at the end of the story.

(You will need pipe cleaners and craft beads, which you’ll see in the pictures).

Count Your Own Treasure:

The first activity allows kids to practice counting large quantities with their bead counters.

I’ve created a simple table with common objects that you can use, but there’s also a blank table if you have other objects for your kids to count.

Kids then keep track of the ones, tens and hundreds as they count, then write the total quantity in their table.

Help Chuan Count the Treasure:

After some hands on practice, the next set of pages helps kids transition from the hands on beads, to visual models of the beads.

They then use the model to write the total in expanded form and standard form. Then they write the total amount of treasure at the bottom of the page.

(Answer keys are included for these pages).

First to 50 Place Value Game:

The download also includes a set of directions for a simple, hands on game. You can play with base ten blocks or your pipe cleaner bead counters.

Design a Pagoda Challenge:

Finally, for those kids who love to build, design and create, you’ll find another hands on challenge with pattern blocks.

The challenge is for kids to design a Chinese pagoda out of the blocks, then use their bead counters to find the total number of blocks used in their design.

I recommend doing some reading/research with your kids beforehand to help them learn more about these buildings.

And that’s everything you’ll find in this fun, hands on math freebie!

If you enjoy these activities, be sure to check out my complete resource bundle, with lessons and games to go along with all 8 books in The Warlord’s Series:

>>Buy the complete activity bundle here.<<

Or just grab this free set below!

{Click HERE to go to my shop and grab The Warlord’s Beads Extension Lessons for FREE!}

P.S. Want another free sample of this math resource bundle? Email subscribers get access to another fun set of lessons to go along with the book, The Warlord’s Kites! Sign up below for your additional bonus offer.

The post The Warlord’s Beads Extension Lessons {FREE Printable} appeared first on Math Geek Mama.

*Please Note: This post contains affiliate links which help support the work of this site. In addition, I received a review copy of the book in exchange for writing this post. Read our full disclosure policy here.*

Materials Needed for the Fraction Coloring Pages:

• Coloring supplies: crayons, markers or colored pencils
• The fraction pages in the download (at the end of this post)
• Fraction tiles (optional)

About Twinderella:

The premise of this story is that Cinderella has a sister, Tinderella, which leads to them being in quite a pickle:

Cinderella had a twin sister, Tinderella. They each did half the housework, half the mending, and half the mean step-sister tending. But when they meet only one prince, what will they do?

The whole story has twice the magic and double the fun!”

There are beautiful illustrations and examples of fractions throughout, and the enjoyable rhyme makes it a pleasure to read again and again (as I have with my kids).

Purchase a copy of Twinderella here.

Twinderella Fraction Coloring Pages Included:

To expand on the fraction lessons learned in the story, I’ve created a few different fraction coloring pages to help kids model fractions, find and see equivalent fractions and compare fractions.

Modeling Fractions Coloring Page:

The first page simply asks kids to color the given fraction of each shape.

The denominator matches the division of the shape, making this a good introduction page or review for older kids.

Modeling Equivalent Fractions Coloring Page:

The second page of the download is similar, except this time students must find the equivalent fraction.

If this is new for your students, you will want to combine a hands on tool, such as these fraction tiles, to help kids find the equivalent. Then they can color the shape appropriately.

Comparing Fractions Coloring Page:

The past page also uses visual models for the fractions, but now students compare Cinderella’s and Tinderella’s fractions to see whose is greater.

To begin, have kids color each fraction with the given model. Then can then see which fraction is greater, and circle the answer.

Again, if this is a new concept for your kids, I suggest combining these fraction coloring pages with a hands on fraction tiles.

And of course, have fun reading (and rereading) Twinderella to continue reinforcing these important concepts!

{Click HERE to go to my shop and grab the FREE Fraction Coloring Pages!}

More Fraction Resources You May Enjoy:

• Fraction Puzzles
• Equivalent Fractions Board Game
• How to Teach Fractions: A Step by Step Guide
• Hands On Fraction Lessons for Grades 4-8

The post Low Prep Fraction Coloring Pages with Twinderella {FREE} appeared first on Math Geek Mama.

*Please Note: This post contains affiliate links which help support the work of this site. Read our full disclosure here.*

One of the things I love about this book is that in addition to introducing important math concepts, it also teaches a lot about Pumpkins. So I decided we would spend the week learning about pumpkins and their life cycle in addition to counting the seeds!

How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin?

In addition to reading How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin, here are some other fun pumpkin books:

The Biggest Pumpkin Ever
Seed, Sprout, Pumpkin, Pie
From Seed to Pumpkin

I also used some of the pumpkin printables about the parts of a pumpkin and their life cycle from Mama’s Learning Corner and Embark on the Journey.

And of course, we have been reading Sixteen Runaway Pumpkins and playing our board game.

And then it was time to get messy! 

Materials Needed for Pumpkin Seed Estimation:

• One or more pumpkins
• Knife to cut out the top
• Spoon for scooping out seeds
• Plastic bag for collecting pumpkin goo
• Bowl to collect the seeds
• Newspaper to cover table or floor (we worked outside, so we didn’t need this)
• FREE Printable Recording Page (scroll to the end to grab your download!)

To Get Started:

As I said, this was a multi-day process (though I guess it doesn’t need to be, we just didn’t have time to do everything in one day). So the first day, after reading the book, we went outside to examine our pumpkins and discuss estimation strategies.

Each of my kids picked out a pumpkin, so we have four of varying sizes. My kids noticed right away that some have more ribs than others, indicating more seeds.

And just like in the story, the outside appearance would indicate that our largest pumpkin does not have as many seeds as some of the smaller ones.

We also spent some time trying to count the number of ribs on each pumpkin, and comparing those numbers.

Then we decided which pumpkin to cut open and got to work! This is the messy part, and while my daughter was SUPER excited to stick her hands in and get messy, my son was not. He was happy to use the spoon and scrape a few off the top, haha!

I helped with some of the scrapping so that it would be easier to get the seeds out, but mostly my kids did this themselves. We also scooped them onto a paper towel first, to try and get some of the pulp off before transferring them to our bowl.

Cleaning the Seeds:

Once you have successfully gotten all the seeds out of the pumpkin, it’s time to clean them and dry them! I didn’t really do any research before hand to find the best way to approach this, but I did soak them overnight, then rinsed them the next day in a colander to try and get the rest of the goo off.

This worked pretty well, but was a lot of work. You may be able to find a trick that works better!

Drying and Roasting the Seeds:

After I had a nice pile of clean seeds, I patted them dry with a paper towel and laid them out on a baking sheet in a single layer.  I figure if we’re going to go to all this work to clean out the pumpkin and clean up the seeds, we might as well eat them when we’re done, right?

I basically followed this recipe for roasting them, but set my oven at 300 degrees instead of 350. It worked great, and we honestly had a hard time waiting to eat some until after we had counted them!

Estimating and Counting:

Once we had a nice pile of roasted pumpkin seeds, it was time to get serious about estimating and counting. We started by discussing ways we might accurately estimate, as well as the difference between an estimate and a guess.

In the story, one of the guesses is one million seeds. As my kids looked at their pile of seeds, they quickly decided that was WAY too large of a number. Wanting something more reasonable, my daughter said, “I think it’s probably a little more than one hundred.”

Then I reminded them that the number of ribs is an indication of the number of seeds, so we talked about how we might use that to get an estimate. The pumpkin that we chose had about 28 ribs, so if there are ten seeds per rib, perhaps there are approximately 280 seeds in the pumpkin. (This was just a guess, though. I have no idea how many seeds per rib there actually are in a typical pumpkin).

My kids also knew from reading the story that they wanted to count the seeds by ten (since that would be the fastest), so we looked at a pile of ten seeds and compared it to the rest to try and get an estimate.

My daughter used the size of that pile to go through our larger pile and count by tens to get a quick estimate. She counted to 200, so we had another possibility for the total.

Then it was finally time to start counting! All three of use worked hard to make nice and neat piles of ten. We ended up with 8 left over, so I removed that pile and let them count the rest by tens.

This was a great counting exercise for both of them, as my daughter doesn’t usually count past one hundred, and my son has not even worked on skip counting yet!

The final tally? 438 seeds. 

Can you believe it?! The pile just didn’t seem that large to me! My daughter’s first response was, “Wow, our estimate was WAY off!”

And, full disclosure: When I was rinsing the seeds in the colander, it slipped to the side and a large pile of seeds fell out in the sink. Like probably 20-30 seeds. So actually, our count should be slightly higher! Whoa!

So after the amazement at such a large number of seeds, we discussed how we could improve our estimate the next time:

• Perhaps use 15-20 seeds per rib as an estimate
• Estimate “piles of ten” more carefully
• Don’t drop a huge pile down the sink

Even with all the mess and losing seeds and time consuming counting, this was such a great learning experience! It’s great to read about pumpkins and color some fun worksheets, but how much better to really get your hands in there to see, smell, and feel all the pumpkin goodness!

And then, of course, enjoy some delicious roasted pumpkin seeds and what will soon be a delicious pumpkin pie!

What do you think? Do you usually roast pumpkin seeds? Have you ever taken the time to estimate or count them? Do you have any tips for cleaning all the goo off the seeds?? Share with the rest of us!

And of course, be sure to grab the simple, printable recording page for estimating and counting how many seeds are in YOUR pumpkin!

{Click HERE to go to my shop and grab the “How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin?” Recording Page!}

Want more FUN estimation ideas? Try one of these:

Gumball Estimation {FREE Printable Pack}

“Mummy Math:” Estimating Toilet Paper Squares

The post How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin? Fall Estimation Fun! appeared first on Math Geek Mama.

*Please Note: This post is sponsored by Geometiles. I received a free sample and was compensated for my time. All opinions are my own, however, and I was not required to write a positive review. In addition, some links may be affiliate links. Read our full disclosure policy here.*

What are Tangrams?

First, if you’re unfamiliar with tangrams, let me explain where they come from. A tangram is a Chinese puzzle made by cutting a square into seven different shapes. These shapes include 2 large triangles, 1 medium triangle, 2 small triangles, a square and a parallelogram.

You can then use these 7 shapes to create new polygons or fun pictures and designs.

Plus, use tangrams to explore all kinds of math concepts including congruence, angles, area, perimeter, and more.

What I love most about tangrams is that, while they can be used to explore more advanced Geometry concepts, they are also accessible to the youngest math learners.

This is why I chose to explore tangrams with my kids (ages 6, 7 and 8) using our set of Geometiles.

Introducing Tangrams with Children’s Literature:

Before beginning our tangram game with Geometiles, I wanted to introduce my kids to tangrams with some stories.

I love combining children’s literature with our math lessons, especially when it is something all of my kids can enjoy together.

We began by reading two fun books: Three Pigs, One Wolf and Seven Magic Shapes by Grace Maccarone as well as Grandfather Tang’s Story by Ann Tompert. (We have these books, and my kids enjoy them both, but you could probably get them at your local library).

This allowed my kids to see better understand tangrams, as well as some of the many possibilities of shapes and pictures.

Plus, it paved the way for our tangram exploration, as we discussed how to use and manipulate the shapes.

As I was explaining, my son interrupted with, “Oh! And we can put them together to make other shapes!”

Yes! And that’s exactly what we did next.

Unique Tangram Game that Makes Kids Think:

As I mentioned, we completed this tangram challenge using our set of Geometiles.

What I love about this set of building shapes is that it is so much more than a toy.

When we first received them, I allowed my kids to play, build and explore freely. And they did! They built all kinds of three dimensional figures, and really enjoyed the challenge of figuring out how to fit them together.

But what’s especially great for us as parents and educators, is that these sets come with complete workbooks full of hands on, engaging math lessons.

All the hard work is done for you! Simply print out your lessons and begin!

So after they were familiar with their Geometiles, I was ready to incorporate them into our math lesson on Tangrams.

Note: You do have to register on their website to access the learning materials, but this is free and very simple to do.

This set of tangram challenges is very thorough and includes directions, hints, teaching tips, answer keys and 100 tangram game challenges.

The challenges get progressively harder as you go, so I started by printing the first 20 for my kids to try.

This was perfect for them, and provided just the right amount of productive struggle.

But believe me, the more difficult puzzles are quite a challenge, even for adults!

How to Complete the Tangram Challenge with Geometiles:

Each page includes a shaded figure. The object of the challenge is very simple: completely fill the shaded figure without going outside or having any space left empty.

Actually achieving that, however, is quite another story!

This takes a lot of practice, especially for young kids, but I loved watching them explore together.

Whenever one of them got one, they would shout, “Look, I did it! I figured this one out! Look, guys!”

There was such joy! But it was also great to see them challenged, helping each other, and talking about possible solutions. This activity fostered creative thinking and problem solving, as well as lots of great math talk.

What Kids Learn from This Tangram Lesson:

These activities cover a variety of common core standards and mathematical practices, including the following:

• Compose two dimensional shapes or three dimensional shapes to create a composite shape and compose new shapes from the composite shape (1.G.A.2)
• Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them (M.P.1)
• Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others (M.P.3)
• Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning (M.P.8)

Ideas for Using This Tangram Challenge:

If you’re a classroom teacher, you will love the versatility and variety of math explorations you can do with a set of Geometiles. There are ready to use math lessons covering shapes, angles, fractions, brain teasers and more.

But this tangram activity would be especially great as a math center. Simply print the tangram challenges and laminate them. Then place them in a folder with your set of Geometiles and they’re all set!

And the great thing is, they’re self-checking. Kids will know right away when they’ve correctly solved the puzzle.

This would also be a great quiet, independent activity for early finishers. Simply have the materials together and ready where students can access them, and let them work through as many challenges as time allows.

But this is also a great resource for homeschool families.

I plan to print and laminate these to provide a quiet math challenge for my kids while I’m working with their siblings.

Sometimes when I’m helping one child, the others finish their independent work and have to wait on me. This will be a great, productive use of their time while they wait!

This would also make for a really fun family math night. Print a variety of tangram puzzles of various levels and explore math together! This is really a great challenge for kids (and adults) of all ages, because there is no reading required. So everyone can join the fun.

Get your own set of Geometiles here!

Looking for more shape resources? Try one of these:

• Printable 3d Shape Nets
• 3D Shapes Activity Pack
• Shape Hunt Activity

What do you think? Have you used Geometiles before? Are you excited to try this fun tangram challenge with your students? Share in the comments!

The post Want a Unique Tangram Game to Challenge Your Kids? appeared first on Math Geek Mama.

*Please Note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and help support the work of this site. Read our full disclosure policy here.*

As we’ve seen, using children’s books to teach math can make it engaging, fun and relatable. The books I’ve shared can be broken down into one of three tiers:

• Tier one books are written specifically to teach a math concept. They may or may not have a story line.
• Tier two books have an engaging plot and weave math into the story. While the connection to math is fairly obvious, the story could stand on it’s own.
• Tier three books are books that are not necessarily written to focus on a specific math skill, but could easily be used to make connections to math.

(I read about this classification in this post)

But this list of books is sorted even further, as there are so many aspects of math related to money. Obviously, we need to teach the various coins and their values, and how to add money and make change. But we also need to teach financial literacy and responsibility, and life skills such as saving, investing and spending wisely.

So I hope no matter the age or level of your kids you will find just the right book in this list!

The Best Books to Teach Money Math and Financial Literacy:

History of Money:

Lots and Lots of Coins (tier 1) by Margarette Reid is an adorable book about a boy and his dad’s coin collection. It includes a history of money as well as tons of fun facts for coin enthusiasts.

The Story of Money (tier 1) by Betsy Maestro is much more in depth history of money for kids. It includes beautiful illustrations, but may be better for older kids who can read it on their own or sit for a read aloud.

Money Madness (tier 1) by David Adler also includes a bit of history, as well as introducing kids to topics like money in other countries and inflation.

Counting Coins and Adding Money:

The Great Pet Sale (tier 1) by Mick Inkpen is an adorable introduction to coins and counting money. Kids will love lifting the flaps and adding up the cost of the different animals in the pet shop. It might be fun to read this along with What Pet Should I Get? by Dr. Seuss and then let kids set up their own pet shop with play money.

Jenny Found a Penny (tier 2) by Trudy Harris is a cute rhyming tale that introduces various coins and how to add them.

The Penny Pot (tier 2) by Stuart Murphy is a wonderful story that will teach adding coins, as well as sharing with others. But just know, your kids will be ready for some face painting after reading this one!

Lemonade in Winter (tier 2) by Emily Jenkins is absolutely precious. It teaches kids some early business lessons, as well as how to add quarters, and will no doubt have your kids ready to start their own lemonade stand.

You Can’t Buy a Dinosaur with a Dime (tier 2) by Harriet Ziefert is another story kids will love that includes interactive questions to practice adding money, as well as more money facts at the end.

Pigs Will Be Pigs (tier 2) by Amy Axelrod is the hilarious tale of the Pig family, who are determined to find enough cash around the house to go out to dinner. It includes lots of opportunities to practice adding money, as well as some additional ideas in the back of the book.

(Get FREE lessons to use along with the book here!)

The Coin Counting Book (tier 1) by Rozanne Lanczak is a simple book that introduces coins and their values, as well as different combinations to make 10 cents, 25 cents, etc.

A Dollar, a Penny, How Much and How Many? (tier 1) by Brian Cleary is a cute rhyming book that teaches common coins and bills and different ways to make a dollar.

The Lunch Line (tier 2) by Karen Nagel is a cute early reader that will help show kids examples of using money in real life.

A Quarter From the Tooth Fairy (tier 2) by Caren Holtzman is a rhyming early reader that teaches different ways to make 25 cents, as well as spending money in real life. In addition, there are several money math activities at the end of the book.

How Much is a Million? (tier 1) by David Schwartz is a classic book that teaches all kinds of money math such as adding money, different ways to make money, interest, checks, etc.

Arthur’s Funny Money (tier 2) by Lillian Hoban is an adorable story that will inspire kids to get out and earn money on their own. It’s engaging and will help kids learn to add and subtract coins.

Follow the Money (tier 1) by Loreen Leedy is a unique story that shows a day in the life of a newly minted quarter. On it’s way to the bank the quarter gets spent, saved, lost, found, and so much more. This is a fun lesson in early economics.

Spending Wisely:

The Big Buck Adventure (tier 1) by Shelley Gill tells the funny story of a girl who has to make a choice about how she’ll spend her dollar. It includes different ways to make a dollar, as well as showing her stress over making the right decision.

Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday (tier 2) by Judith Viorst will also be relatable to kids who get so excited to spend their money they have nothing left. Alexander explains the different ways he spent his dollar and also talks about saving.

The Berenstain Bears’ Trouble with Money (tier 2) by Stan and Jan Berenstain is a cute story of the cubs’ transformation from spendthrifts to wise businessmen to generous givers. It will hopefully encourage your kids to think outside the box in terms of earning money, but also to be generous with what they have.

(See also: The Berenstain Bears’ Dollars and Sense)

Bunny Money (tier 2) by Rosemary Wells is such a cute Max and Ruby story. It will teach kids to think and plan before they start spending. Also included is “bunny money” that you can photo copy to play with at home.

My Rows and Piles  of Coins (tier 3) by Tololwa Mollel is a great way to teach kids about another culture and show them that kids all around the world have to save up their coins when they want to buy something special. This story takes place in Tanzania, and includes information at the back of the book on Tanzanian money.

A Chair for My Mother (tier 3) by Vera Williams is another great story about a child saving their money. It tells of a family who lost everything in a fire and the ways that neighbors helped provide, as well as the long hard work required to save up for a new chair.

Spending, Saving and Investing (for Older Kids)

These books would be great for older kids interested in learning more in-depth concepts such as the ins and outs of the stock market, interest, etc. They are more like chapter books, with few pictures, but are still kid friendly in explaining difficult topics.

• A Smart Girl’s Guide to Money (tier 1) by Nancy Holyoke
• The Kid’s Guide to Money (tier 1) by Steven Otfinoski
• Growing Money (tier 1) by Gail Karlitz (focuses on investing)
• The Everything Kid’s Money Book (tier 1) by Brette Sember covers just what the title suggests: everything! This is a great resource, full of facts for kids as well as lots of fun activities and games.

And that concludes this HUGE list of books and resources for exploring money math concepts with your kids! I hope you found lots of great ideas, and I hope you will combine these books with lots of hands on and real life practice!

The post The BEST Books to Teach Money Math appeared first on Math Geek Mama.

*Please Note: Some of the following links are affiliate links and help support the work of this site. Read our full disclosure here.*

Exploring Fractions with Kids:

As you begin to introduce young kids to fractions, it’s good to start with lots of real life, practical examples, as you’ll see in many of the books below. Kids are familiar with the concept of sharing and making equal groups (especially if they have lots of siblings, like my kids! ) so that’s a natural way to begin.

By reading some of these stories, hopefully you will spark conversations that get your kids excited to try to create their own fractions.

Again, here are the ways I’ve categorized the following books, to help you make the right choices for teaching fractions:

• Tier one books are written specifically to teach a math concept. They may or may not have a story line.
• Tier two books have an engaging plot and weave math into the story. While the connection to math is fairly obvious, the story could stand on it’s own.
• Tier three books are books that are not necessarily written to focus on a specific math skill, but could easily be used to make connections to math.

(I read about this classification in this post)

In addition, some of the books make great early introductions for young kids (first or second grade), while others go much more in depth and begin to explain operations with fractions.

I hope this list helps you find what you’re looking for!

The Best Books to Teach Fractions to Kids:

The Half-Birthday Party (tier 3) by Charlotte Pomerantz is an adorable story that would make such a fun introduction to the concept of half. You could even have kids come up with their own “half a present” and write a story about it to combine math, reading and writing!

Go, Fractions! (tier 2) by Judith Stamper is an early reader that would be great for slightly older kids. It’s about a soccer team and the ways they use fractions to practice and play. It includes lots of vocabulary and helpful explanations of fractions.

The Wishing Club (tier 2) by Donna Jo Napoli is probably my favorite of the books I’ve read so far. The illustrations are gorgeous, and the story is just adorable. In this fraction tale, kids will learn about 1/2, 1/4, 1/8 and adding fractions.

Jump, Kangaroo, Jump! (tier 2) by Stuart Murphy is a fun story about an animal field day. This shows how to divide groups into equal parts and that each part is a fraction of the whole. It teaches the fractions 1/2, 1/3 and 1/4. There are also other ideas for exploring fractions at the end of the book.

The Lion’s Share (tier 2) by Matthew McElligott is another really cute tale that shows the concept of a half, and what happens when you continue to half something (half of a half, and so on). Plus, this book teaches an important character lesson!

(Get FREE lessons to use with this book here!)

Pigs in the Pantry (tier 2) by Amy Axelrod explores math involved in cooking. Not everything in this story teaches fractions, but I wanted to include it because when you’re cooking, many measurements will involve fractions. Especially if you’re trying to half a recipe.

(Get FREE lessons to use with this book here!)

Apple Fractions (tier 1) by Jerry Pallotta teaches many different fractions, as well as adding fractions. I was pleasantly surprised by this book because I was expecting it to be simply pictures of apple slices and their fraction. It teaches, however, all kinds of fun facts about apples and the ways apples are grown and used. This would be perfect if you’re working on fractions in the Fall!

Fraction Fun (tier 1) by David Adler is not a story, but teaches many concepts related to fractions in a fun way. It shows fractions in real life, comparing fractions, and lots of vocabulary like numerator and denominator. In addition, there are hands-on ideas that you can do together with your kids (or simply look at the pictures in the book).

Piece=Part=Portion (tier 1) by Scott Gifford uses real life photographs to model fractions, and gives the fraction represented, as well as the decimal and percent equivalent. I think this book is helpful because kids often have such a hard time understanding why the decimal representation of a fraction looks so different.

And the following are books that look great, and several are by authors I love, but I was unable to find them at my library. You may have better luck though, so I encourage you to check these out as well!

Give Me Half  by Stuart Murphy is another book in the Math Start series. The focus of this book is on understanding 1/2.

Full House by Dayle Ann Dodds explores fractions as guests show up to stay at her house.

Fractions in Disguise by Edward Einhorn helps kids see and understand equivalent fractions.

Whole-y Cow! by Taryn Souders shows fractions as kids paint a cow (then asks questions such as “What fraction of the cow is painted red?”).

My Half Day by Doris Fisher looks like a fun book on fractions with illustrations that kids will love!

Inchworm and a Half by Elinor Pinczes teaches measurement and fractions.

A Fraction’s Goal-Parts of a Whole by Brian Cleary is more like a textbook than a story (there’s no plot), but teaches fractions in a fun way with cute rhymes.

And finally, Fraction Action by Loreen Leedy is another book on fractions that doesn’t have a plot, but is a fun and engaging way to introduce several fraction concepts.

I hope this gives you a great list of ideas for books to teach and explore fractions with your kids!

What book would you add to this list? Share in the comments!

Looking for more fraction fun? Check out these FREE resources!

• Fraction puzzles
• Apple equivalent fraction matching game
• Earth Day: color a fraction printable pack

The post The Best Books to Teach Fractions appeared first on Math Geek Mama.

*Please Note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and help support the work of this site. Read our full disclosure policy here.*

Teaching with Math Story Books:

There are lots of benefits to incorporating math story books into your curriculum. But knowing how to use them or what books to choose can be a challenge! I’m hoping that by doing lots of reading and research for you this summer, I can provide a great starting point.

Posts in this series so far:

• 5 Simple Ways to Teach with Math Story Books
• The Best Books to Teach Addition and Subtraction
• The Best Books to Teach Place Value and Large Numbers

You will also notice that I refer to each book as either tier 1, 2 or 3. To recap, here’s what I mean by that:

• Tier one books are written specifically to teach a math concept. They may or may not have a story line.
• Tier two books have an engaging plot and weave math into the story. While the connection to math is fairly obvious, the story could stand on it’s own.
• Tier three books are books that are not necessarily written to focus on a specific math skill, but could easily be used to make connections to math.

(I read about this classification in this post)

The Best Books to Teach Multiplication and Division:

2×2=Boo! (tier 1) by Loreen Leedy is a fun collection of Halloween themed stories to teach the multiplication facts for 0-5. The focus of these stories is on groups of equal parts.

(Get free practice pages to use with this book here!)

Two of Everything (tier 3) by Lily Hong is a really cute folktale in which a magical pot doubles whatever is put in it. This could be a fun introduction or a good way to work on the 2’s facts.

The Best of Times (tier 1) by Greg Tang is a fantastic book! The fun rhymes can help with memorizing the facts, but also include helpful strategies for solving the facts from 0-10.

The Grapes of Math (tier 1) by Greg Tang is another classic. This does not teach multiplication, but includes fun counting challenges. This would be a great way to put those multiplication (and skip counting) skills to work!

(Find additional practice to use with this book here!)

Two Ways to Count to Ten (tier 3) by Ruby Dee is another cute folktale. While this doesn’t teach multiplication, it does show that skip counting (or multiplication) can be beneficial, and faster than counting by 1’s.

Amanda Bean’s Amazing Dream (tier 2) by Cindy Neuschwander is another fun book that will help kids see the importance of multiplication. The focus of this book is on repeated addition (and why multiplication is a “faster way to count”). The pictures also includes lots of examples of arrays. There are also activity ideas included in the back of the book.

How Do You Count a Dozen Ducklings (tier 2) by Seon Chae is a cute tale of a mother duck and her many ducklings. The book shows all the different ways to make 12, and also demonstrates the commutative property.

Breakfast at Danny’s Diner (tier 2) by Judith Stamper is a fun early reader that gives kids a glimpse at multiplication in real life. It also includes examples of doubling a recipe.

Spunky Monkeys On Parade (tier 2) by Stuart Murphy includes fun rhymes and silly pictures and focuses on skip counting by 2’s, 3’s and 4’s.

Arctic Fives Arrive (tier 2) by Elinor Pinczes is such a great book! The adorable rhyme tells the tale of arctic animals arriving 5 at a time for a special event. Not only does it teach counting by 5’s, but is a fun way to learn about arctic animals.

Count on Pablo (tier 2) by Barbara deRubertis is another fun early reader that shows kids skip counting in real life.

Minnie’s Diner (tier 2) by Dayle Ann Dodds is a funny tale, with pictures that kids will love. This book focuses on multiplying by 2.

Now…for My Next Number! (tier 1) by Margaret Park is similar to The Best of Times. Unique and silly rhymes are told for each of the multiplication facts. This book also includes a cd, so kids can sing the songs to help them learn.

Sea Squares (tier 1) by Joy Hulme is a cute little book that teaches squaring numbers from 1-10 using fun rhymes and delightful pictures. You could even use this as you start a discussion of square roots with older kids.

7×9 = Trouble! (tier 2) by Claudia Mills is a more advanced chapter book, which includes some tips for learning multiplication, but also shares a boy’s anxiety and feelings about learning the facts and passing his tests. If you have a child who is math anxious, or frustrated with learning the times tables, they may appreciate this story!

Math Attack! (tier 2) by Joan Horton is similar to 7×9=Trouble, but for younger kids. This is a great way to encourage math anxious kids!

Multiplying Menace: The Revenge of Rumpelstiltskin (tier 2) by Pam Calvert is a unique twist on the classic tale of Rumpelstiltskin!

The Multiplying Menace Divides (tier 2) by Pam Calvert is a great follow up to Multiplying Menace, but this time helps kids tackle division!

Two Greedy Bears (tier 3) by Mirra Ginsburg would make a fun introduction to division. This would especially be a fun story to read to younger ones to get them thinking about the concept of division before they begin to learn it formally.

One Hungry Cat (tier 2) by Joanne Rocklin is another book that would be a great way to introduce division to younger kids. Kids will likely be familiar with sharing equally, and will be able to relate.

The Doorbell Rang (tier 2) by Pat Hutchins is another great book for introducing division as sharing equally. It covers divisions of twelve.

(Here’s an idea of how to use this in the classroom!)

Bean Thirteen (tier 2) by Matthew McElligott is such a cute story and kids will undoubtedly find it hilarious, while they learn about division and remainders.

A Remainder of One (tier 2) is another great math tale from Elinor Pinczes! This time the focus is on dividing 25 and understanding the concept of remainder.

The Great Divide (tier 2) by Dayle Ann Dodds is the story of a fun race which shows how to divide by 2. The pictures are fun in this one too!

Practice and Review Multiplication Facts with Fact Fluency: Mastering Multiplication App on iTunes:

And finally, here are a few more books you may want to check out. I was unable to find these at my library, but you might be able to find them:

• Anno’s Mysterious Multiplying Jar by Masaichiro Anno
• Divide and Ride by Stuart Murphy
• Ten Times Better by Richard Michelson (multiplying by ten)
• Too Many Kangaroo Things to Do by Stuart Murphy (multiplication)
• Stacks of Trouble by Liza Roodruff (multiplication)
• Two Tickets to Ride by Teddy Slater (division)

Looking for ready to go lessons to teach multiplication in a fun, hands on way? You may be interested in my Introduction to Multiplication Lesson Bundle! Click here or the graphic below to learn more.

The post The Best Books to Teach Multiplication and Division appeared first on Math Geek Mama.

*Please Note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and help support the work of this site. Read our full disclosure policy here.*

I will be referring to these books as either tier 1, 2 or 3, so if you missed the explanation in the previous post, here it is again:

• Tier one books are written specifically to teach a math concept. They may or may not have a story line.
• Tier two books have an engaging plot and weave math into the story. While the connection to math is fairly obvious, the story could stand on it’s own.
• Tier three books are books that are not necessarily written to focus on a specific math skill, but could easily be used to make connections to math.

The Best Books to Teach Place Value and Large Numbers:

To understand numbers (no matter how small or large), kids need to understand that the place of each digit matters. For example, in the number 356, the 3 does not represent the number 3 but rather, the number 300.

It’s also important to understand the difference a zero can make when it changes places. For example, 305 is not the same as 350, etc.

So included in this list are some books for understanding zero, as well as the difference between ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, etc.

Zero is the Leaves On the Tree (tier 1) by Betsy Franco is a fun book to start with. This explores the meaning of zero as none and includes lots of real life examples and beautiful pictures.

Zero the Hero (tier 2) by Joan Holub is a fun and engaging tale of the importance of the number zero. This book will teach the necessity of zero in building tens and hundreds, as well as what happens when you use zero in math operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. It also touches on roman numerals.

Related: 6 Benefits of Teaching Your Kids Roman Numerals.

A Place for Zero (tier 2) by Angeline Sparagna LoPresti is a similar story, but focuses more on place value specifically. It also teaches addition and multiplication with zero, and includes lots of great vocabulary.

Zero: Is it Something? Is it Nothing? (tier 1) by Claudia Zaslavsky is a helpful book to combine all the things kids learn about the number zero. For instance, when zero means none versus holding a place in larger numbers. It covers zero in math operations and rounding, as well as measurement. It also includes some fun riddles to help kids think about zero and large numbers.

Sir Cumference and All the King’s Tens (tier 2) by Cindy Neuschwander is definitely a book you will want to include as you explore place value. This fun tale will help kids understand the difference between ones, tens and hundreds and provides helpful visuals.

(Learn more about the book and grab FREE lessons to use with it here!)

Earth Day-Hooray! (tier 2) by Stuart Murphy is another fun story for kids that is clearly designed to teach place value. Great for a review as you celebrate Earth Day (in April) or any time of the year as you explore place value!

Penguin Place Value (tier 1) by Kathleen Stone is a really cute book that would be great for introducing the idea of palce value to kindergarten or first graders. The rhyme is fun, and I think kids will appreciate the hand drawn pictures.

Big Numbers (tier 1) by Edward Packard is a book that draws kids in with it’s fun comic book like graphics. This book looks at big numbers and compares them. It also provides various representations of the large numbers such as using words and exponents. I also like how he explains large numbers in terms of place value. (For example, 1 billion is a thousand million).

A Million Dots (tier 1) by Andrew Clements is another look at large numbers and over the course of the book includes 1 million dots. I loved this book because it has fun pictures, as well as fascinating facts involving large numbers, like “Sir Arthur Conan Doyle used more than 416,000 words to tell forty-six of the best adventures of Sherlock Holmes.” (And I will admit that it took longer to reach 1 million dots than I was expecting!) You could use this book to practice reading large numbers, or to re-write each number in expanded form.

How Much is a Million? (tier 1) by David Schwartz is another great book for thinking about large numbers. It includes lots of fun examples of what a million or billion of something would look like. It also includes further explanations of the math used at the end of the book.

I hope this has given you some great ideas and starting points as you seek to explain the role of zero in place value, as well as seeing and understanding really big numbers!

Are there any books that you would add to this list? Share in the comments!

And don’t miss the rest of the posts in this series:

• 5 Simple Ways to Teach with Math Story Books
• The Best Books to Teach Addition and Subtraction

More fun Place Value Learning Ideas:

• Equal or Not: Place Value Sort
• Place Value Puzzles
• Build an Ice Cream Sundae Place Value Set

The post The Best Books to Teach Place Value and Large Numbers appeared first on Math Geek Mama.