Many parents read to their children at home with the goal of helping their child appreciate literature and become good readers. However, don’t miss an opportunity to integrate math skills into reading.
Skills needed to bring meaning to reading can also help bring meaning to math tasks as well. Both require decoding symbols – reading requires using sound-symbol relationships while math symbols indicate numerical processes. Both require a knowledge of vocabulary to gain contextual meaning. By discussing mathematics within a story, the child is more actively engaged in the story and is analyzing it, rather than just passively listening. The use of story books moves the child away from the calculation side of mathematics and towards the real-life applications of math.
Here are some books you may want to read with your child:
Fraction Fun House: D.A. Adler,(1996)
Anno’s Mysterious Multiplying Jar: M. Anno and M. Ammo (1983)
The M&M’s Brand Chocolate Candies Counting Book: B.B> McGrath (1994)
12 Ways to Get to 11: E. Merriam (1993)
Divide and Ride: S.M. Murphy (1997)
One Hundred Hungry Ants: E.J. Pinczes (1993)
The Right Number of Elephants: J. Sheppard (1990)
From One to One Hundred: T. Sloat (1991)
The Doorbell Rang. P. Hutchins (1986)
Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed. E. Christelow (1989)
