In the following lessons, students participate in activities in which they focus on connections between mathematics and children’s literature. Three pieces of literature are used to teach geometry and measurement topics in the mathematics curriculum, from using and describing geometric figures to estimating volume of figures. These lessons were adapted from "Ideas: Mathematics and Children’s Literature," by Martha H. (Marty) Hopkins, which appeared in The Arithmetic Teacher, May 1993, pp. 512‑519.
Math Content
In this unit, students will:
- Recognize geometric figures
- Draw and describe geometric figures
- Interpret positional words
- Solve problems involving estimation of volume
- Examine the need for a standard unit of measure
Individual Lessons
Lesson 1 - Shapes and Poetry Students read the poem "Shapes" from A Light in the Attic, by Shel Silverstein, and create their own illustration of the poem. In this lesson, students explore geometric figures and positional words. Lesson 2 - Estimating Volume by Counting on Frank In this lesson, students read the book Counting on Frank. They use information in the book to make estimates involving volume. In particular, students explore the size of humpback whales. Lesson 3 - How Big Is a Foot? In this lesson, students read the book How Big Is a Foot?, by Rolf Myller. They then create non-standard units (using their own footprints) and use them to make "beds." As a result, students explore the need for a standard unit of measure.
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