Cowboys Count, Monkeys Measure, and Princesses Problem Solve : Building Early Math Skills Through Storybooks

Nervous about teaching math to young children? Too pressed for time to teach all of the math concepts children need to know? Now there¿s a practical, stress-free guide to one of the most effective ways to enhance children¿s mathematical thinking in pre-K¿Grade 3¿by weaving math concepts into storytime. Ready for any educator to pick up and start using, this concise book gives teachers the guidance they need to find high-quality storybooks on their own bookshelf, read them to children effectively, and develop age-appropriate math problems based on the story¿s plot, characters, setting, and illustrations. This creative, field-tested approach to math instruction is a must in every classroom because it helps teachers meet NCTM guidelines; targets foundational math skills; improves literacy skills; works with any storybook; connects math with real life; keeps students engaged; and polishes teachers¿ own ¿mathematical lenses.¿ Teachers will implement the ideas in this book right away with a helpful list of more than 40 popular storybooks for teaching math and grade-specific sample lessons that model higher-level questions and problem-solving activities. The ideal way to meet high-stakes standards for math education without investing significant resources in additional curricula, this guidebook will help educators teach math with confidence and lay the foundation for their students¿ long-term success.

Jane M. Wilburne, Ed.D., is Associate Professor of Mathematics Education at Penn State Harris burg. Jane B. Keat, Ph.D., is Associate Professor of Education and Program Coordinator of Early Childhood Education at Penn State Harrisburg. Mary Napoli, Ph.D., is Assistant Professor of Reading and Children's Literature at Penn State Harrisburg.