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Math Through Children's Literature: Making the NCTM Standards Come Alive
Use children's literature as a springboard to successful mathematical literacy. This book contains summaries of books, each related to the NCTM Standards, that will help children gain familiarity with and an understanding of mathematical concepts. Each chapter has classroom-tested activities and a bibliography of additional books to further expand student learning.
218 pages, Paperback
First published February 15, 1993
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May 8, 2013
Old but Still Relevant and of Value to Teachers and Students
As I was browsing through a copy, I could not help but notice the copyright date of 1993; of course, the literature mentioned in this book would have to date from that year or earlier. So, of what use could such a book be, aside from being an antique to sell on eBay. I am glad I looked through the book, as I found many exercises still relevant and worthwhile today, the hands-on manipulative kind that engage in students' higher-order thinking. Although the NCTM (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics) standards have undergone some revisions since the book was published, most of the standards are still covered in the mathematics curricula of New Jersey and other states. The first part covers an introduction to constructing a mathematics curriculum, including integrating literature. The second part covers five components: mathematics as problem solving, mathematics as communication, mathematics as reasoning, mathematical connections, and estimation; all five components are skills primary school children still need from an effective mathematics curriculum. The third part aligns specific books to the concept of number sense and numeration. Many of these books were written by respected authors; even if one can no longer find a copy online or at a local library, the activities in the book take the teacher well beyond the dreaded worksheet. The "reproducibles" allow the teacher to make his or her own materials. The same applies to the remaining NCTM standards, concepts of whole-number operations, geometry and spacial sense, measurement, statistics and probability, fractions and decimals, and patterns and relationships. Of particular note are templates (for younger students) and directions (for older students) to allow them to use geometry to make their own shapes, rather than use premade shapes, adding a noteworthy dimension to an already important activity. In sum, this book offers a host of excellent ideas to construct well-differentiated lessons that engage children. The numbering of the standards may have changed, but they are still applicable in most school and state-mandated mathematics curricula today. With the power of the Internet, one might find newer books in those cases the older ones are either out of date or not available, making this book a worthwhile reference.
As I was browsing through a copy, I could not help but notice the copyright date of 1993; of course, the literature mentioned in this book would have to date from that year or earlier. So, of what use could such a book be, aside from being an antique to sell on eBay. I am glad I looked through the book, as I found many exercises still relevant and worthwhile today, the hands-on manipulative kind that engage in students' higher-order thinking. Although the NCTM (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics) standards have undergone some revisions since the book was published, most of the standards are still covered in the mathematics curricula of New Jersey and other states. The first part covers an introduction to constructing a mathematics curriculum, including integrating literature. The second part covers five components: mathematics as problem solving, mathematics as communication, mathematics as reasoning, mathematical connections, and estimation; all five components are skills primary school children still need from an effective mathematics curriculum. The third part aligns specific books to the concept of number sense and numeration. Many of these books were written by respected authors; even if one can no longer find a copy online or at a local library, the activities in the book take the teacher well beyond the dreaded worksheet. The "reproducibles" allow the teacher to make his or her own materials. The same applies to the remaining NCTM standards, concepts of whole-number operations, geometry and spacial sense, measurement, statistics and probability, fractions and decimals, and patterns and relationships. Of particular note are templates (for younger students) and directions (for older students) to allow them to use geometry to make their own shapes, rather than use premade shapes, adding a noteworthy dimension to an already important activity. In sum, this book offers a host of excellent ideas to construct well-differentiated lessons that engage children. The numbering of the standards may have changed, but they are still applicable in most school and state-mandated mathematics curricula today. With the power of the Internet, one might find newer books in those cases the older ones are either out of date or not available, making this book a worthwhile reference.
Displaying 1 of 1 review