Skip to main content

Every Picture Tells a Story, Don't It? Well, Math Storymats do!

Hi All,

Kids like stories. Kids like touching and moving things around. Here's a way to use both those "likes" to enjoy some math exploration: Storymats!

Storymats are simple templates where students can use manipulatives to "act out" a story and actively solve word problems. For example, the storymat attached here has two ladybugs side by side. Neither has spots. I know you already see where this is going, you teacher-types!

 

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1j5v_iu0n0FXFVgwvk3HWtB0laIzdJ06b/view?usp=sharing

I usually begin by making a copy of the storymat for each student and letting them color in their mats and put their names on them. Just caution them not to add dots. This step is a good free-time or home activity. 

Now you have some choices. You can laminate the mats and give kids dry erase markers to use or provide each student with either a set of black dots that have been cut out or small circular manipulatives like bingo chips or bottle caps.

Once they have these materials, tell a simple story problem for them to act out/manipulate and solve. For example:

Adding: The first ladybug had 3 dots. The second ladybug had 4 spots. How many spots did they have all together?

Subtracting: The first ladybug had 5 dots. The second ladybug had 6 spots, but then she lost 2. How many spots do they have all together?

Logical Thinking/Open-Ended: The two ladybugs had 9 dots in all. The ladybug on the right had fewer than the the ladybug on the left. How many dots could each ladybug have?

The manipulatives or dots students draw provide them with a way to solve, learn, explore the problem, and show proof that their solutions are correct.

The more elaborate and interesting your story, the more fun the experience can be. You can always add distractors such as:

The ladybugs had 6 legs all together. The second ladybug had 1 spot more than the fingers on your hand. Each one also had 4 antennae. The first ladybug had 3 spots. How many spots did they have all together?

If you poke around you can find some books that consist entirely of storymats. One of my favorites is Instant Math Storymats by Mary Beth Spann (Scholastic, 1999) https://www.amazon.com/Instant-Math-Storymats-Grades-K-2/dp/0590603396

You'll find storymats that feature barnyards, classrooms, street scenes, and so on. You can easily make your own simple storymats to fit whatever themes you might be working on or interest your class.

Have fun! All the best to you and your students!

Bob

Ladybug Storymat from Fresh and Fun: Summer by Pamela Chanko (Scholastic, 2000)

PS - Did you know? That in the UK, ladybugs are called ladybirds? There is a well-known series of books for early readers called Ladybird Books. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ladybird_Books


 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What Does Not Belong?

 Hi All,   "What Does Not Belong" is such a great little concept and can be applied to so many different areas of math as well as other content areas. Great little game when you are waiting, like for buses to be called or for the day to begin. Also a great game for long car or bus rides where if there are no written numbers or pictures you really have to do the mental math. Present a group of numbers. Start with maybe six. Say, 10     56     17     122     4     98 Ask the players to identify which number does not belong and have them explain why. We want players to look at the characteristics of the numbers and compare them to try to find the selection criteria or "rule" so they can determine which does not belong. For example, we have a mix of 1, 2, and 3 digit numbers, so it's not the "rule" is not the number of digits. We have five even numbers and only one odd number. That's it! 17 does not belong,...
2 comments
Read more

Piaget Would be Proud! Assessment, Mental Math, Manipulatives, Thinking, Missing Addends, and Kumquats!

 Hi All, This is a super simple, but very revealing activity and so works as a good assessment. Fantastic for Pre-K, Kindergarten, and Grade 1. Try it out and see what you learn about your students. Display a small number of objects in your open hands. Here we have 4 kumquats. (Because I have a kumquat tree in my yard. Any small manipulative will do.) Put your hands behind your back. Close one hand and bring both hands back out in front of you to display 2 kumquats visible in one hand and a closed hand with the rest of them. Remind students that you started with 4 and there are still 4 all together. Ask students, what is in the closed hand. Ask how they know this. Then reveal and discuss. Try another one. Show the 4 objects again, 2 in each hand. Put your hands behind your back and redistribute with 1 object in one hand and 3 objects in the other. Bring your hands to the front and ask how many are in your closed hand. Ask how they know this.  Then reveal and discuss.   Yo...
Post a Comment
Read more

Calculator Caller!

Hi All, I had a colleague I taught with for years. She was a passionate second grade teacher with a lot of solid experience. A parent once asked her, "What is the most important thing you can teach a child?" I was thinking that's a tough question. Maybe, to treat others like you would treat yourself? Her immediate reply was, "Place value." Ha, ha! She was a real math maven! Place value is important though! Here's one fun partner activity that gives kids practice with calculators (which they need in standardized tests as well as real life), place value, number recognition, and number words. It's motivating because most kids love to get their hands on calculators and as teachers and parents we're usually telling them, "No calculators!"   1. Each player gets a calculator and a recording sheet. The lead player decides on a number, inputs it into his calculator, writes it down on the record sheet, says it aloud, but does not let his partner se...
Post a Comment
Read more