Monday, June 11, 2012

Living Math books that we have used and Loved

Assalamu alaykum( May peace be upon you) 
These are some of the books we used and have found absolutely amazing. in the sense that they have helped us get a better understanding in a non-overwhelming and enjoyable manner.


Nancy Kelly Allen  
Once Upon a Dime: A Math Adventure (Ages: 6 - 9)


 Pam Calvert
Multiplying Menace: The Revenge Of Rumpelstiltskin (A Math Adventure)  (Ages 7-10) - unique story involving multiplying by fractions as well as whole numbers
The Multiplying Menace Divides 


Edward Reinhold
A Very Improbable Story: A Math Adventure (Ages 7-10) - Probability


Scott Sundb
Cut Down to Size at High Noon  (Ages: 6 - 9) - Scale


Virginia Kroll
Equal Shmequal  (Ages: 5 - 8) -Early introduction to algebraic concepts through balancing, Equality


Joanne Anderson Reisberg 
Zachary Zormer: Shape Transformer (Ages: 5 - 10)  different math concepts (length, width, area, perimeter) with projects that include a mobius strip, a paper frame, and a light show.Instructions included at the end.


Julie Ellis
What's Your Angle, Pythagoras? A Math Adventure (Ages: 7 - 10) -Right Angles Triangles, Pythagorean theorems
Pythagoras and the Ratios  (Ages: 7 - 10) Pythagorean ratios 

Angeline Sparagna Lopresti
A Place for Zero: A Math Adventure

Cindy Neuschwander
Mummy Math : An Adventure in Geometry

Ann McCallum 
Rabbits Rabbits Everywhere (Ages: 6 - 9) - 

Nathan Zimelman   
Sold! A Mothematics Adventure (Ages: 6 - 9) -


Greg Tang
Grapes Of Math (Mind-Stretching Math Riddles) (Ages 7-12) - advanced addition, moving into multiplication 
Math For All Seasons (Ages 5-8) - combining numbers for addition 


David Birch / Grebu 1988
The King's Chessboard  - Doubling exponentially (therefore intro to base 2). Based on historical tale 


Rolf Myller  1962
How Big is a Foot?  - Size, measurement, story based on historical fact.

Cindy Neuschwander
Sir Cumference Math Adventures (Ages: 8 - 11)
Sir Cumference and All the King's Tens
Sir Cumference and the Dragon of Pi
Sir Cumference and the First Round Table - different geometry concepts
Sir Cumference and the Great Knight of Angleland - different geometry concepts
Sir Cumference and the Isle of Immeter - perimeter and area of a circle
Sir Cumference and the Sword in the Cone - 
Sir Cumference and the Off-the-Charts Dessert -  introduces different methods of collecting data
Sir Cumference and the Viking's Map - coordinate geometry
We haven't used these last two which are more recent but they look interesting.


Theoni Pappas 
The Adventures of Penrose the Mathematical Cat– numerous math concepts explored in each chapter
Further Adventures of Penrose the Mathematical Cat
Fractals, Googols, and Other Mathematical Tales  Many math concepts, lots with topology, logic and problem solving, wide age range appeal
The Joy of Mathematics: Discovering Mathematics All Around You - Math in nature/ science/ art/ history/ literature - classic

Malba Tahan
The Man Who Counted: A Collection of Mathematical Adventures  Chapter book, loosely based on the story of Khayyam,  many algebraic ideas in the puzzles (some stories are accessible to younger children, but portions are advanced).

Jean Lee Latham
Carry On Mr. Bowditch (accessible to younger, but good reading for adult)- an eighteenth-century Biographical novel on nautical wonder and mathematical wizard, Nathaniel Bowditch.


Julia E. Diggins /Corydon Bell  1965 
String, Straightedge and Shadow: The Story of GeometryGeometry, math history. Classic back in print.
I really want this book. Have seen excerpts and they're amazing.


Hans Magnus Enzensberger / Rotraut Susanne Berner  1997 
The Number Devil: A Mathematical Adventure- (Multi-concepts, cute illustrations. Fun classic, very wide appeal, can be read aloud to even very young kids) 



Norton Juster 
The Phantom Tollbooth  – a classic chapter book with math and language ideas woven in, fantasy 

Marilyn Burns/ Martha Weston
I Hate Mathematics! (Brown Paper School Books)- General math/math history. Classic
Math for Smarty Pants, a Brown Paper School book  –  (ages 8 and up) TONS of different math ideas in this.


Jeanne F Bendick /Berquis 1962
Archimedes and the Door of Science  Math History. A Classic.

The Story of 1  (PBS Home Video) One hour well presented video on the history of the number 1.  Online at Google Video. 



to be continued...



Saturday, June 9, 2012

Good Books for Elementary Geography



The shape and motions of the earth are fundamental ideas--however difficult to grasp.


Geography should be learned chiefly from maps, and the child should begin the study by learning


"the meaning of map," and how to use it.

These subjects are well fitted to form an attractive introduction to the study of Geography: some of them should awaken the delightful interest which attaches in a child's mind to that which is
wonderful--incomprehensible. The Map lessons should lead to mechanical efforts, equally delightful. It is only when presented to the child for the first time in the form of stale knowledge
and foregone conclusions that the facts taught in these lessons appear dry and repulsive to him.
So said Charlotte Mason when she wrote her Elementary geography Books.


I'll let you know about some of the books that I have and used with my 8 year old most of which is through Mapwork.
Geography A-Z by Jack Knowlton- He loves this book. We have used it a lot with notebooking pages that helped us sort of solidify and understand the terms. It's actually just a glossary but when we use the text for copywork and draw our own illustration, it helps. We do it once a week.
The Complete Book of Maps and Geography Grade 3 has, I think, 6 or 7 sections(units) the first three of which are about the US states and then the 4th has other countries of North America. It covers mapskills and many things but it does not have anything for World Geography.
The Everything Kids' Geo Book- This one has activities and puzzles on some countries, areas and continents with fact snippets. It is black and white but has really interesting facts which kids might enjoy when they study them in context with more detailed study. It is Not a good stand alone book but it can be fun as an add-on with some solid Geography.
A Child's introduction to the World by Heather Alexander is a cute book with lots of info on many countries. I would recommend it since I have found it useful especially with notebooking. It has nice illustrations and comes with a popup globe and stickers that you need to stick on the globe as you learn more about the places. If the copy of the book is not too old, the stickers will not have dried out. Other than that this is a really interesting book. The pop-up globe is a hit.
The Geography Book: Activities for Exploring, Mapping, and Enjoying Your World You might find this books really interesting and fun with kids. It has a wide range of activities including many things that kids can make and it is also available in printable format.
Maps and Mapping (Science Kids) I have not used this Kingfisher book yet. It is short -just 47 pages and looks really fun. It has beautiful pictures and nice topics.
Maps and Globes (Reading Rainbow Book) I really like this book which is again by Jack Knowlton, the author of the Glossary book.
Geography Centers, Grades 3-4 It is a neat book just like the other Centers by Evan Moor.
All these books work well when used together and alternatelingly, bi ithnillah.:)

Friday, June 1, 2012