Review of Math & Art In a Children's Book

The following children’s book is called How Many Snails?, written by Paul Giganti Jr. and illustrated by Donald Crews. The story follows a child as they wander around different environments, such as a library or a beach, and ask questions concerning the objects surrounding them (Giganti, 1988). Per each situation, the book poses three ‘how many’ questions. The characteristics included in each of ‘how many?’ questions become more specific throughout the three asked on each page. There are ten environments in total, which readers are urged to use their number sense to deduct the answer. The storybook ends with the individual stating that even though they have all these questions about quantities, they know how many goodnight kisses they will receive (Giganti, 1988).

Giganti’s storybook is an excellent introductory source for teaching children how to count. Although the story does not require readers to count above ten, it challenges the early learners on their ability to source out the correct number of objects. This investigation also stimulates knowledge of relationships between objects and quantities. By asking ‘how many?’, children are going beyond the basics of seeing the picture as a whole and thinking critically by solving for a specific quantity. Also, it requires children to inquire about the pictures on the page to answer the questions concerning amounts. The particular characteristics prompt children to use their deduction knowledge to eliminate the images that do not match the exact criteria of the ‘how many?’ question.

The lesson idea to incorporate this storybook incorporates elements of mathematics and art. The storybook is first read together as a class, providing time for discussion between each page and set of questions. This strategy provides the educator with the opportunity to hear the different answers or observations students make throughout the class discussion. Once the reading of the book is complete, students are sent back to their desk with their paper-page booklet to fill out. The cover page will include the storybook’s name, author, illustrator, colour-in snail picture, and a place for the student to fill-out their name. Inside the book, the third question from the ten environments displayed in the book will be written on top of every blank page. Students must then draw the answer from the story to the question posed. Pictures of the book pages can be displayed on the projector, allowing students a chance to review the book to calculate the correct answer. Drawing the answers out provides students with a fun route for making connections between objects and quantity. In addition, a hard copy of their learning material allows for self-review or the sharing with others, such as parents or guardians. Multiple forms of learning are present, such as reading, writing, auditory, and kinaesthetic, which aids in targeting different types of learners for mathematics and the arts.

How Many Snails? and the following lesson idea can be used within the kindergarten curriculum for play-based learning concerning mathematics, or it can be integrated into the grade one math curriculum for number sense and numeration. For kindergarten, it helps with promoting inquiry within a storybook. Play-based learning is a primary focus within the Ontario Kindergarten curriculum, which is notable within using a storybook to teach an element of math and art (Ministry of Education, 2016). As for the grade one curriculum, quantity relationships and counting are present within the ‘how many?’ questions. In quantity relationships, students are required to demonstrate connections using concrete materials and use ordinary numbers to represent the meaningful context (Ministry of Education, 2005). As for counting, students must be able to count forwards by one’s and represents a one-to-one object to number relationships using materials (Ministry of Education, 2005). In the grade one visual art requirements, students learn how to use elements of drawing and design to communicate a meaningful message or understanding (Ministry of Education, 2009). All of these curriculum requirements are present within the lesson plan involving Giganti’s storybook, as students are using inquiry to solve the answer, drawing pictures to represent information, counting objects, and using concrete material (pictures) to comprehend the object to quantity relationship.

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Work Cited

Giganti, P. (1988). How Many Snails? A Counting Book. Greenwillow Books.

Ministry of Education. (2005). The Ontario Curriculum Grades 1-8 Mathematics. Retrieved October 14, 2019, fromhttp://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/math18curr.pdf

Ministry of Education. (2009). The Ontario Curriculum Grades 1-8 The Arts. Retrieved October 14, 2019, from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/arts18b09curr.pdf

Ministry of Education. (2016). The Ontario Curriculum the Kindergarten Program. Retrieved October 14, 2019, from https://www.ontario.ca/document/kindergarten-program-2016?_ga=2.115847430.121875197.1571084356-318421105.1571084356