Are you a teacher or a parent:
- trying to engage the kids in learning Math?
- frustrated from finding ways to help them understand the Mathematics concepts?
- actively steering kids out of the ‘SO BORING’ pit with Math activities (a stage right before the kids declare that they hate Math)?
If so, we’re glad you’re here!
Here, we curate books that can make Mathematics learning better in all ways!
Let’s first talk about the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of using stories to teach Math.
Why use stories to teach Math?
On top of having more fun with learning Mathematics, here are some concrete benefits:
1. Introduce a context to the learning.
Books naturally bring in a context, whether it is a story context or a problem solving context. Either ways, that provides a very convenient starting ground for more discussion and exploration!
Imagine the contrast: Beginning class with a story versus “Let’s talk about adding fractions today.”
Do you hear the kids groaning already?
2. Add variety to the auditory experience.
We all know how hearing to a voice go on and on automatically tunes us out. Whether you are reading the book aloud, or using read-aloud videos, it changes up the monotony of your voice dominating the teaching.
3. Provide an anchor point for memory.
Have you heard of the Story Method that helps our brain remember a chain of unrelated words?
By using a story to teach a mathematical concept, when your kids struggle to recall the conceptyou can easily jolt their memory with some significant character or event in the book!
4. Apply the Math concepts.
Books allow an opportunity to apply the Math concepts – real-world or imaginary.
Let’s be real: some Math concepts have real-life applications, but they are either too far from the kids’ daily lives (engineering?) or just too layered in that they wouldn’t be able to see the connection to their current elementary level of the concept.
With a good book and accompanying lesson, we are spared from that agony.
5. Extend their love for reading.
If your kids love reading, then it is time to open their eyes to Math books (or, the Math in the books they read)! They’ll soon be asking you for more!
6. Expose them to mathematical terms.
As a bonus, some books weave mathematical terms into the sentences, so when we are explaining the terms, the kids would actually have some idea of what they are about.
This is way better than simply throwing out a term out-of-context and making them remember, digest and use the term!
How do we use books to teach Math?
Of course, not every book can benefit your Math lesson in the above ways.
There should be a good match of learners’ age and grade level, their interest, the Math concept we want to cover and the amount of time we have for the course of learning.
At this point, you might be thinking: Sure, these sound great, but realistically I’m not having the luxury of time to scour the book inventories each time I want to teach a new Math concept.
That’s exactly why we set up this website!
We aim to review books suited for teaching Mathematics, accompanied with activities that align learning with the books!
Read more about how to maximize the value of books in Math lessons.
Must I get the book for the lesson?
You don’t always have to own a physical book to use it in your classroom.
If you don’t have time or money to get that ready, consider the following options:
- Check out your public or school library. Perhaps it is possible to borrow a copy.
- Use read-aloud videos of the book. Make sure you do a quick screening through of the video beforehand for quality and clarity.
- Access a digital copy of the book online. Some libraries offer that option and that’s convenience on top of saving cost, a win-win!
How can I show some support?
- Tell us how your experience went with using books in your Math class! We’d love to know if the activity ideas worked well, or if you have further book title/activity to suggest or Math topic to request.
- Any purchases through our Amazon links would earn us some commission to keep the site running! So if you found a book recommendation useful and keen enough to purchase a copy, you can click on the Amazon links there. You don’t have to, but it would mean a lot to us!
We hope you will find this site a handy resource for teaching Math. ❤