Mathematizing Storytimes: “Two by Two” an advanced counting storytime lesson plan

Created Feb. 7, 2024 by Jackie Blagsvedt

Books

10 times 10 by Herve Tullet, Tate Publishing, 2014.

Almost Gone: The World’s Rarest Animals by Steve Jenkins, HarperCollins, 2006.

Count Down to Fall by Fran Hawk, Sylvan Dell Publishing, 2009.

Each Orange had 8 Slices by Paul Giganti, Mulberry Books, 1992.

How Much is a Million? By David M Schwartz, Reading Rainbow Books, 2004.

Lemonade in Winter: a Book about Two Kids Counting Money by Emily Jenkins, Schwartz & Wade, 2012.

Let’s Count to 100! By Masayuki Sebe, Kids Can Press, 2014.

Mouse Count by Ellen Stoll Walsh, Harcourt Books, 1991.

One Hundred Hungry Ants by Elinor Pinczes, Turtleback, 1999.

Teddy Bear Counting, by Barbara Barbieri McGrath, McGrath Math, 2010.

Ten Pigs: an Epic Bath Adventure by Derek Anderson, Orchard Books, 2015.

Zero is the Leaves on the Tree by Betsy Franco, Tricycle Press, 2009.

Songs

“10 in the Bed/Roll Over: Storytime Song” - Jbrary, video accessed 5/13/16

“The Ants Go Marching” BusSongs.com (2:04), accessed 5-16-16

“Jacky Jackson” - Franz Ferdinand, Colours are Brighter (3:17), video accessed 3-25-16

“One day old” Elizabeth Mitchell, Little Seed (1:59)

Fingerplays & Action Rhymes

Five Elephants in the Bath Tub: Storytime Flannel Song, accessed 5-13-16

Up to the Heavens, Down to the Sea: Lifting Rhyme, accessed 5-13-16

Props

Bathtub, accessed 5-16-16

Five Elephants in the Bathtub Flannel Printouts, accessed 5-13-16

Double 12 Color Dot Dominoes, for counting play, accessed 5-13-16

Counting Bears, accessed 5-12-16

Nature objects - Pinecones, flowers, rocks etc. Talk about the patterns on the objects and place the objects in sequential patterns (pinecone, flower, rock, pinecone, flower, rocks.

Hand drum (or cardboard boxes or clapping to count how many times), accessed 5-12-16

Learning Resources Pretend and Play Cash Register and Money, accessed 5-16-16

Activities

Ways to make 25, accessed 5-16-16 (a coin counting activity)

Money math for preschoolers, The Measured Mom, accessed 5-16-16

Multimedia

Coins! By ABCmouse.com, accessed 5-16-16

Other

Opening Song: “These are my glasses,” Laurie Berkner, Whaddaya Think of That? (1:42)

Closing Song: Goodbye Rap, Rob Reid, accessed 5-10-16

Every Child Ready to Read Skills and/or Practices

Print Conventions/Awareness: Reading from birth is important so that children understand that letters and print have meaning. Exploring numbers and counting is also important so that children understand that numbers represent values. One way to explore numbers and value with a preschooler is to play with and talk about coins and money.

Letter Knowledge: Just like children need to recognize the letters of the alphabet to be able to learn how to read, they also need to be able to recognize numbers to succeed with math. When you go shopping together point out the cost of items on the shelf or on price tags. Talk out loud about how you are making your purchase decisions, “Three dollars a pound seems expensive for broccoli. Let’s buy green beans instead; they are on sale for two dollars a pound.”

Vocabulary: Just like we do not need to teach our children to read before preschool, we also do not need to teach them math. But we should be using mathematical vocabulary when we talk and explore the world with them. Using the terms by and times and equal in conversation will help them understand multiplication concepts. When playing hide and go seek with a preschooler who can’t count to twenty yet suggest, “if you count to ten two times that will equal twenty.”

Play: Play with money, sort coins and talk about the value of different piles. Play grocery store and buy and sell things for money. This pretend play can help introduce the mathematical words how much, how many, change, owe, each, total, equal, and enough.

Possible Asides to Parents & Caregivers

“We support young children’s numeracy development when we purposefully introduce and use mathematical language and concepts during enjoyable activities and everyday experiences. Some people call this process “mathematizing.” ~authors of Mathematical Language in Early Childhood Settings: What Really Counts?

Vocabulary: “Children need language, or vocabulary, to think about mathematics. Children need to know the words for numbers and the language of geometry (shapes) and words for quantity (more, less, etc.). The more mathematical language children hear as young children, the more their mathematical knowledge increases over the school year. They can learn a lot of these kinds of words from the way we read picture books as well as informational books with them.” What Can I Say? By Saroj Ghoting.

Background Knowledge: “Often when we talk with children, we are simply telling them what to do—please pick up your toys, or it’s time to take a nap. This is called business talk. Researchers have found that it is the extra talk that makes a difference in the amount of language and knowledge that children have. Adding information or talking about experiences helps children learn more about their world.” What Can I Say? By Saroj Ghoting.

Sing: You can use songs and rhymes to help your child learn her numbers. Repeating songs and rhymes over and over again helps your child internalize the concepts and makes these concepts part of her background (or world) knowledge.

Read: Children’s books intentionally have few words and many pictures. The pictures are intended to inspire dialog between the child and adult that helps a child to internalize and comprehend the story. When you read to your child leave time to ask open ended questions about the pictures in the books and give your child time to respond. This is called dialogic reading.

Write: “As we do this fingerplay [or craft activity] you will notice that children have to use finger motions. These motions help them later when they are learning to write.” What Can I Say? By Saroj Ghoting.

Minnesota Early Childhood Indicators of Progress

Domain: Language, Literacy and Communications:

Emergent Reading

Listening

Speaking

Domain: Cognitive Development:

Mathematical and Logical Thinking

Scientific Thinking and Problem Solving

Storytime Implemented

Storytime for 3 to 5 year olds

Introduction: Good morning, today we are going to explore numbers beyond simply counting to ten. storytime! We will “Sing, Talk, Read, Write and Play” with numbers in new ways. By intentionally exploring numbers and counting we are helping your child build his mathematical and logical thinking skills at the same time that we are helping him get ready to learn to read.

Intro Song: “These are my glasses,” Laurie Berkner, Whaddaya Think of That? (1:42)

Parent Aside: “Often when we talk with children, we are simply telling them what to do—please pick up your toys, or it’s time to take a nap. This is called business talk. Researchers have found that it is the extra talk that makes a difference in the amount of language and knowledge that children have. Adding information or talking about experiences helps children learn more about their world.” What Can I Say? By Saroj Ghoting. This next book is about two children who ignored their parent’s business talk because they were so excited about their good idea!

Book: Lemonade in Winter: a Book about Two Kids Counting Money by Emily Jenkins, Schwartz & Wade, 2012.

Talking Activity: Talk about the different ways to make 50 cents. Use flannel board coins or real coins. Let the children participate and choose coins until they add up to 50 cents. Or let them choose coins and then count the coins as a group and see how many cups of lemonade you can purchase with your handful of coins.

Segue: That was a lot of talking and thinking. Let’s get up and dance to this crazy counting song!

Song: “Jacky Jackson” - Franz Ferdinand, Colours are Brighter (3:17), video accessed 3-25-16

Book: How Much is a Million? By David M Schwartz, Reading Rainbow Books, 2004.

Song: “The Ants Go Marching” BusSongs.com (2:04), accessed 5-16-16

Counting Activity: Have the children line up and march around the room. Have them march to the beat of a drum or your clapping. Tell them, “you are in a line and marching one by one.” Blow a whistle and have the group stop. Now count them off into pairs and have them hook elbow with their partners. Begin marching, “now you are marching two by two.” Blow the whistle and count them off into groups of three, etc. As parents to join in when you need extra people to complete a group. Ask the children what they noticed? How many groups of two were there? How many groups of three? etc.

Book: Teddy Bear Counting, by Barbara Barbieri McGrath, McGrath Math, 2010.

Parent Aside: Vocabulary - Just like we do not need to teach our children to read before preschool, we also do not need to teach them math. But we should be using mathematical vocabulary when we talk and explore the world with them. Using the terms by and times and equal in conversation will help them understand multiplication concepts. When playing hide and go seek with a preschooler who can’t count to twenty yet suggest, “if you count to ten two times that will equal twenty.”

Segue: Counting backwards is another good way to explore numbers and the concept of taking away or subtracting.

Action song: “10 in the Bed/Roll Over: Storytime Song” - Jbrary, video accessed 5/13/16

Lap Book Recommendation: 10 times 10 by Herve Tullet, Tate Publishing, 2014. is a great book for exploring advanced counting concepts at home in a one-on-one setting

Closing Song: Goodbye Rap, Rob Reid, accessed 5-10-16