The book Big Math Activities for Young Children: For Preschool, Kindergarten and Primary Children reveal the manner in which young children are taught basic arithmetic’s using the readily available materials. The book expresses various concepts that include addition, and subtraction among others. Thus, the book guides children in developing mathematical reasoning using reasonable mathematic language, and thereby making them to enjoy learning mathematics. The young scholar are thus encouraged to take mathematics as a critical subjects because most careers require one to perform well in mathematics.
Questions from the book
- The children are required to carry out simple mathematical equations of additions and subtraction using sticks as their practical tools.
- The children are asked what they think about the how mathematics is employed in daily activities, this includes activities in school, and in their households.
- The children are asked to describe why they find mathematics being a simple or complicated subject, and how they can do to enhance their success in the subject and in their future careers.
The story of the Three Little Pigs revolves around a mother pig sending the little ones to go into the world to look for their fortune. The first pig builds a house using straws; however, the pig is eaten after the wolf blow the house. The second little pig builds a house using furze sticks, the pig ends up being eaten too by the wolf. The third pig builds a housing using bricks; however the wolf is able to break into the house. The wolf makes attempts to trick the pig to get out of the house so that the wolf can eat the little pig. However, the third pig is wise and outwits the wolf. Eventually the wolf gets into the roof of the brick house and attempts to get into the brick house through the chimney. The little pig ends up confusing the wolf that gets into a cauldron containing boiling water, and puts a lid on it. The wolf is cooked and eaten by the little pig; hence the third pig survives the wrath of the wolf. The rule of three is literary device expressed in story through the different approach used by the pigs to escape the attacks by the wolf (Jacobs, 1890, pp. 68-72.
Questions from the book
- The children are asked to give a story that was most interesting to them and the reason.
- They there required to tell which of the three pigs is wise while giving reasons for their answers.
- Each child is required give express how they could have reacted to the attack by the wolf in efforts to save their lives.
After the mathematics lesson, the children are which career that involves mathematic they would like to pursue in future and why they think mathematics can is essential in the career. After the children have been narrated the story of the Three Little Pigs, the children are required to explain the manner in which they can enhance security in their houses in efforts to keep away strangers.
References
Jacobs, Joseph (1890). English Fairy Tales. Oxford: Oxford University.
Overholt, J. L., White-Holtz, J., & Dickson, S. S. (1998). Big math activities for young children for preschool, kindergarten, and primary children. Albany, N.Y: Delmar Publishers.
