Check Out These Books!

In every area of Math, there is a huge variety of great children's literature that will help students with certain difficult concepts.  I encourage you to check out the list below and decide which books would work best for your child!

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Books that you could use with Algebra unit:


"The Grapes of Math" Mind-Stretching Math Riddles
Written by: Greg Tang
Recommended for 3rd grade and up

"The Grapes of Math" is the perfect book to discuss patterns, combinations, and word problems.  The book takes pictures like grapes, fish, mushroom slices on a pizza, etc., and turns it into a combination word problem.  The book is written in a poetry style.  Greg Tang uses the left page of each spread to give a visual representation of whatever that topic is.  The right page display poetic word problems that ask the reader to find a solution to figuring out how many of something there is.  One of the great things about this book is that it gives strategies to solving problems that students may not have thought of.  The question that the students are finding the solution too is usually listed in a different color.  That helps them identify what exact problem they need to solve. 

Here is an example of one of the pages in the book:

"I stroll along a vineyard path,
And there I see the Grapes of Math!
Overhead the sun is blazin',
Soon each grape will be a raisin.

How many grapes are on the vine?
Counting each takes too much time.
Never fear, I have a hunch
There is a match for every bunch!"

Readability: 
      Flesch Index:  83.5
      Flesch-Kincaid Index: 4.3

**The Flesch Index, developed in 1940 by Dr. Rudolph Flesch, is another indicator of reading ease. The score returned is based on a 100 point scale, with 100 being easiest to read. Scores between 90 and 100 are appropriate for 5th and 6th graders, while a college degree is considered necessary to understand text with a score between 0 and 30.
**The Flesch-Kincaid Index is a refinement to the Flesch Index that tries to relate the score to a U.S. grade level. For example, text with a Flesch-Kincaid score of 10.1 would be considered suitable for someone with a 10th grade or higher reading level.



"The Quilt Maker's Gift"
Written by: Jeff Brumbeau
Recommended for 1st-4th grade

This book shows various intricate patterns through the making of beautiful quilts.  A quilt maker helps a selfish king learn that giving is the true secret to happiness. The heartwarming, strongly moral tale supports important values, and the detailed illustrations, featuring dozens of lovingly rendered quilt patterns that are perfect for students to see patterns.  The book also offers an "I Spy" page in the beginning that students can use to test their skills.

While this book is a brief intro into patterns, it is really more of a literary piece.  It has beautiful illustrations.  The author uses the end-pages and various other text features to bring the reader completely into the story.  The positive message throughout the book is also a nice bonus!

Readability: 
Flesch Index: 79.4
Flesch-Kincaid Index: 5.5

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When you are looking for books for your child, here are some helpful things to keep your eyes open for.

MATH BOOKS                                                              LITERATURE BOOKS
Content                                                                      Way it is written
Accuracy                                                                     Age-appropriate Vocabulary
Vocabulary                                                                   Storyline
Storyline                                                                     Presentation
Visuals                                                                         Illustrations Match the Content

There are also books available that you can download onto your IPhone, IPad, or other smart phone devices! Check out these books spanning all content areas and genres below!


        • Ellison the Elephant - $1.99
        • Kundersanterbleebin: A Christmas Tale - $4.99
        • The Lorax by Dr. Seuss - $4.99
        • Horton Hears A Who by Dr. Seuss - $4.99

If you have come across any great books that have helped your child, feel free to leave it in the comment section below!  We would love to hear what has worked for you!

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