Math Literature Connections:   Number Sense

Featured Book: How the Stars Fell into the Sky

Read the Navajo legend How the Stars Fell into the Sky by Jerrie Oughton.   Discuss the stars and both the orderly constellations and the randomness of many stars in the night sky.

  • Use magnetic number cards randomly placed on the board and ask students to find specific numbers.
  • Discuss how hard it is to find a number when the numbers are "all mixed up."
  • Distribute the number cards to students and ask them to place the numbers in order.   Help students create the hundred chart in rows of 10.
  • This activity can be added as a math center using number cards on any magnetic surface so that students can build the hundred chart using number pattern clues to assemble it correctly.
  • This activity is easily differentiated by varying the numbers students are given (e.g. #1-20 or #1-50).
  • Download number cards for #1-100

Ten Apples up on Top

Young students will enjoy Ten Apples up on Top by Theo LeSieg.   The story is amusing to students and they will wonder if the apples will topple.   Because ten is such a pivotal number in our base-ten system, students need many experiences constructing this number.   Consider combining this book with the traditional fall apple theme for a strong math lesson.


Ten Black Dots

Young students will enjoy Ten Black Dots by Donald Crews.   Students will enjoy predicting how many dots come next and how they are arranged.   Students also see a triangular arrangement of dots for each of the numbers at the end of the book.   Because ten is such a pivotal number in our base-ten system, students need many experiences constructing this number.