Mathematizing Storytimes: Comparisons (more than and less than) storytime lesson plan
Books
Big, Bigger, Biggest by Harriet Ziefert, Blue Apple Books, 2016.
Big Little by Leslie Patricelli, Candlewick, 2003.
Equal Shmequal by Virginia Kroll, Charlesbridge, 2005.
How Many Blue Birds Flew Away by Paul Giganti Greenwillow Books, 2005.
Goldilocks and the Three Bears by Byron Barton, Harper Festival, 1991.
I’m the Biggest Thing in the Ocean! By Kevin Sherry, Dial Books, 2007.
Magic Opposites by George Patrick, Boxer Books, 2013.
The Mitten: a Ukrainian folktale by Jan Brett, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1989.
The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister, NordSud Verlag, 1992.
Stickiest, Fluffiest, Crunchiest: Super Superlatives by Jane Brocket, Millbrook Pr Trade, 2015.
Teddy Bear Counting, by Barbara Barbieri McGrath, McGrath Math, 2010.
Songs
“Ant Comparisons” - Miss Jenny (1:44), accessed 5-24-16
“Mr. Alligator can Chomp” - Jack Hartman (3:05), accessed 5-24-16
“One More, One Less” - Hap Palmer (1:43), accessed 5-24-16
Fingerplays & Action Rhymes
Baby Shark, accessed 5-13-16
Let’s Go Riding on an Elevator, accessed 5-26-16
Zoom, Zoom, Zoom, with sign language, accessed 5-24-16 (counting backwards)
Props
Counting Bears, accessed 5-12-16
Flannel Friday: Baby Shark and Slippery Fish, Accessed 5-13-16
Nature objects - Pinecones, flowers, rocks etc. Talk about the amount of the objects. How many do we have? If we add two more how many are there in total? Talk about the qualities of the object. Which of these is the smoothest? Which is smoother, the pinecone or the rock?
Art Projects
Put the Animals in the Mitten, accessed 5/31/16
Multimedia
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
10 Activity ideas for Goldilocks and the Three Bears, accessed 5-24-16
Small Medium Large writing activity, accessed 5-31-16
Every Child Ready to Read Skills and/or Practices
Letter Knowledge: “What is the beginning of letter knowledge for very young children? It is not doing letter flashcards with your baby. Your baby learns through all his/her senses. Letting your children feel shapes will later help them make out shapes in letters. Talking to children about what is alike and different in pictures or in the things you see around you teaches them to recognize similarities and differences which will help later in distinguishing differences in letters.” What Can I Say? Sampling of Early Literacy Asides By Saroj Ghoting, accessed 5-12-16
Read: When we read picture books to children, researchers have found that 95% of their attention is on the pictures. When you point to the words, letters and numbers in a book, you are helping them realize that the text in the book represents the words you are saying out loud. And vice versa when you talk about the pictures in a book beyond the words that are on the page you are helping your child develop their conversation and comprehension skills.
Write: The letters in a child’s name are often the first letters he learns to write. Likewise children love to know the number for how old their are. Have them write their age next to their name on their art projects. And to take it to the next level have them write the date!
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?
Background Knowledge: Traditional folk and fairy tales have many opportunities for comparisons - teaching comparison in storyform can help your child relate to these scientific and mathematical concepts in a creative way. And the more ways a child experiences a concept the more fully they will understand it. In addition to Goldilocks and the Three Bears, the Three Billy Goats Gruff and the Three Little Pigs also have elements of comparison in the stories. Can you think of any other tales that compare objects or characters to each other?
Letter Knowledge and Writing: Talking about shapes and comparing things are two good ways to build the skills children need to develop letter knowledge. For example, by understanding tall and short they will be able to see the differences between a short vertical line for a lowercase ‘a’ and a tall vertical line for the similar lowercase ‘d.’
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! I think that today is going to be a very exciting storytime! We are going to “Sing, Talk, Read, Write and Play” with values and comparisons. By intentionally comparing objects we will be helping your child build her mathematic and scientific thinking skills at the same time that we are helping her get ready to learn to read.
Intro Song: “These are my glasses,” Laurie Berkner, Whaddaya Think of That? (1:42)
Book: Goldilocks and the Three Bears by Byron Barton, Harper Festival, 1991.
Parent Aside: Traditional folk and fairy tales have many opportunities for comparisons - teaching comparison in storyform can help your child relate to these scientific and mathematical concepts in a creative way. And the more ways a child experiences a concept the more fully they will understand it. In addition to Goldilocks and the Three Bears, the Three Billy Goats Gruff and the Three Little Pigs also have elements of comparison in the stories. Can you think of any other tales that compare objects or characters to each other?
Activity:“Big Medium Small” activity from 10 Activity ideas for Goldilocks and the Three Bears, accessed 5-24-16. Use other characters from traditional tales to remind parents of more stories they can use with their child to play with comparisons. Give each child a set of three items (small, medium and large) and let them come up and place them with the appropriate bear character.
Action Rhyme: Baby Shark, accessed 5-13-16
Book: Big, Bigger, Biggest by Harriet Ziefert, Blue Apple Books, 2016.
Action Rhyme: Let’s Go Riding on an Elevator, accessed 5-26-16
Activity: High, Higher, Highest and Tall, Taller, Tallest. Point to items around the room that are on shelves or on the wall. Ask the children to find things that are high, higher and highest, low, lower and lowest. Compare the children’s heights. Who is tall, taller, tallest? Who is short, shorter and shortest? Can they line themselves up?
Book: Stickiest, Fluffiest, Crunchiest: Super Superlatives by Jane Brocket, Millbrook Pr Trade, 2015.
Song: “Ant Comparisons” - Miss Jenny (1:44), accessed 5-24-16
Parent Aside: Talking about shapes and comparing things are two good ways to build the skills children need to develop letter knowledge. For example, by understanding tall and short they will be able to see the differences between a short vertical line for a lowercase ‘a’ and a tall vertical line for the similar lowercase ‘d.’
Writing Activity:Small Medium Large writing activity, accessed 5-31-16 Have parents do this with their child at the storytime or at home.
Teddy Bear Counting, by Barbara Barbieri McGrath is a great book for exploring the idea of more and less than at home.
Closing Song: Goodbye Rap, Rob Reid, accessed 5-10-16
Further Resources
Early Numeracy: Oregon Department of Education, accessed 3-25-16
Every Child Ready to Read 2nd Edition Fun with Science and Math for Parents and Children
Math is Everywhere When We Know What to Look for, FINE Newsletter, Volume VIII, Issue 2, Harvard Family Research Project, accessed 5-24-16
Mathematizing Read-Alouds in Three Easy Steps, Allison Hintz and Anthony Smith, The Reading Teacher, Vol. 67 Issue 2 October 2013.
Minnesota Early Childhood Indicators of Progress
Saroj Ghoting’s Storytime Resources
Valuable Initiatives in Early Learning that Work Successfully (VIEWS2)
What Can I Say? Sampling of Early Literacy Asides By Saroj Ghoting, accessed 5-12-16