Counting Stories: Mathematical
Storytelling
Suggested Time: 45-60
minutes
Overview
The lesson will begin with the teacher reading a story with the class,
interjecting feeling into the phrases and telling the story with energy.
Then the students will practice storytelling to one another, working
through the stories in the book. Finally, students will work in groups
to solve the mathematical problems provided.
Vocabulary
- Mathematics
-
Operations
-
Storytelling
Objectives
- Students will practice public speaking, presentation, and
storytelling.
-
Students will gain number sense by solving mathematical problems in
real-world situations (at least for the characters in the story).
-
Students will practice collaborating in groups.
Next Generation Science
Standards
- PS1-6. Asking Questions; Planning and Carrying Out Investigations;
Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information
Common Core Mathematical
Standards
- OA. Operations and Algebraic Thinking
-
NBT. Number and Operations in Base Ten
-
MD. Measurement and Data
Required Project
Materials
Multimedia Resources
- The Man Who Counted: a Collection of Mathematical Adventures.
Malba Tahan, Patricia Reid Baquero, Leslie Clark, and Alastair Reid.
http://amzn.com/0393309347
Optional Multimedia
Resources
Before the Lesson/ Background
Information
Homework from Previous
Session:
The Lesson
Part 1: Reading Together (15
mins)
- Read a story from The Man Who Counted: a Collection of
Mathematical Adventures with the students.
-
Make it fun: read with energy and have the kids work as “voice
actors” when characters are speaking.
Part 2: Group Work: Voice Actors! (15
mins)
- Separate the students into groups. Assign one story from the book to
each group.
-
Within each group, have the students decide who is doing what part. If
there are voices in the story, some of them can be voice actors. If
not, each student can read a different part.
Part 3: Solving Problems (15-30
mins)
- Have each group work on the mathematical problems associated with each
story.