Tag math

A bright striped cover features a white a circle with the title and author information in it.

Hooray! I Ate My Math Homework!

jeanboone1 Leave a comment
A bright striped cover features a white a circle with the title and author information in it.

by Jean B.

HCLS offers many resources for supporting students: skill building activities on our website, research materials and guidance, Brainfuse online tutoring, and free access to computers and printing, to name just a few. Explore a new place to look for homework help – the cookbook aisle!

Why not start the school year with a plan to do more family cooking that fosters math learning and fun? Cooking with kids builds a wide range of math skills — from counting, sorting, and measuring, to sequencing, fractions, ratios, and budgeting. Best of all, instead of a completed worksheet, cooking produces something delicious to eat and share!

Start early and involve even the youngest children in kitchen tasks and food conversations. Ask them to count the ingredients or compare the measuring cups to find the biggest or smallest. Talk about the steps in the recipe and let them name what goes first, second, third, last. Make a pattern with cookies on a pan or fruit on a plate.

To get some great ideas for things to make with the littlest cooks, check out Look and Cook Breakfast: A First Book of Recipes in Pictures by Valorie Fisher. With simple recipes presented visually, pre-readers can decipher what happens at each step, while the grown-up oversees the sharp tools and oven. You’ll soon be feasting on Tasty Toast, Choco Pillows, and Topsy-Turvy Eggs! Older chefs can tackle more involved tasks. Challenge them to double or halve the quantity of one ingredient or work out the fractions involved in dividing a pizza equally. Let them help with grocery shopping, evaluating the price of ingredients for value or the correct quantity for a recipe.

Inspire them with The How-to Cookbook for Young Foodies by Janna Saltz and the editors of Delish, which offers great information on cooking techniques as well as recipes the whole family can enjoy like Mexican Beef and Rice Skillet, Chicken Tacos, or Chocolate Pizza.

Even cleanup can be a math game – your student builds spatial reasoning skills by puzzling out the best way to fit dishes in the dishwasher.

Cookbooks + Kids + Math = a win for everyone! This fall, strengthen your student’s math skills, create new and interesting meals, get help in the kitchen, and inspire a young chef!

Jean is a Children’s Instructor and Research Specialist at HCLS Central Branch. She loves talking about books with people of all ages, but especially enjoys leading the Heavy Medals book club for fourth and fifth graders, exploring award-winning books of all genres. 

A collage of book covers: Picks for Kids, math made simple with Storytelling Math

Math Made Simple with Storytelling Math

Sylvia H. Leave a comment
A collage of book covers: Picks for Kids, math made simple with Storytelling Math

by Sylvia H.

Summer is wrapping up as the new school year gets underway! If you are looking for ways to share early learning concepts with your kiddo(s), I present to you: Storytelling Math.

When you hear the words “storytelling” and “math,” the subject may seem self-explanatory. Maybe you picture the “How many ___?” stories, filled with little variety or excitement. Well, this is not your typical “count the bears” series. These stories feature diverse characters and cultures, blending math with everyday activities and allowing children and their caregivers to explore math together. Notes following the story often include comments from the author delving more into the topic and/or culture discussed, as well as examples of hands-on activities to try at home.

Topics covered include, but are not limited to: sorting, measurement, patterns, spatial sense, and fractions. Some stories are in board book format for the youngest learners, while others are in picture book format for preschool and prekindergarten-aged children. Both formats have titles available to borrow in English and Spanish.

Below is an overview of some of my favorites from the series. I will say, it was hard to choose! If you are interested in more recommendations, visit your local branch. We will be happy to help!  

A small child holds a wooden bird house, with blue birds sitting nearby.

Board Books

Circle! Sphere! by Grace Lin 

Olivia, Alex, and Mei are all set to blow bubbles. When they each get a different shape of bubble wand they wonder, “will their bubbles be different shapes?” Three-dimensional shapes are introduced in a fun, relatable way in this sweet story of friends playing together. 

A Beautiful House for Birds by Grace Lin 

Olivia is decorating a birdhouse and decides to paint a pattern. But when she accidentally paints the wrong color, what can she do to mend her mistake? This story explores patterning while incorporating problem-solving and perseverance, skills useful for children of all ages. 

The Last Marshmallow by Grace Lin 

After a fun time in the snow, Olivia and Mei come in to warm up with some hot cocoa. When it’s down to one marshmallow left for the two of them, they work to find a fair way to share their treat. 

A child holding an armful of balls appears to be outdoors in front of trees and bushes.

Picture Books 

Usha and the Big Digger by Amitha Jagannath Knight 

On a night of stargazing, Aarti, Usha, and Gloria see different things. Aarti sees the Big Dipper, Usha sees the Big Digger, and Gloria sees the Big Kite! Who is right? Explore spatial sense, orientation, perspective, and more as the three discover constellations. 

The Animals Would Not Sleep by Sara Levine 

As Marco prepares for bedtime, his mother asks him to tidy his toys. He decides to sort his stuffed animals, but they will not sleep! Marco tries different categories: how the animals move, their size, and color, but it doesn’t seem to work. What will help the animals feel safe? Readers will explore the concept of sorting and classifying objects, with a focus on how different methods of organization can lead to different outcomes. 

Too-Small Tyson by JaNay Brown-Wood 

As the youngest and smallest, it’s not always easy for Tyson to keep up with his four older brothers. When the family pet gerbil, Swish, escapes from his cage, Tyson and his older brothers begin a search to find him. When his brothers cannot locate Swish, Tyson thinks, “If I were Swish, where would I go?” When Swish is found under the bed, Tyson uses proportional thinking to help his little friend, showing his brothers that even though he may be the smallest, he can still think big.

Look, Grandma! Ni, Elisi! by Art Coulson 

Bo’s family is preparing for the Cherokee National Holiday festival, and he has worked hard making homemade marbles to sell at his family’s craft booth. The problem is that there is limited space to display them, so he has to find something to hold them that will not take up too much room. Bo sets out on a mission for the perfect container, experimenting with the concepts of estimation and volume along the way. Will he find something that works?

Did you know that Howard County Library System has on-demand classes for all ages? Check out our Learning for Children playlist. 

  1. Storytelling math series. (n.d.). Charlesbridge. https://www.charlesbridge.com/pages/storytelling-math-series 

Sylvia is a Children’s Instructor and Research Specialist at HCLS Miller Branch. She enjoys crafting, listening to audiobooks, naps, and walks with her dogs in 75 degree-ish weather.

STEAM Machine with blue awning deployed sits on a grassy patch, with a popup tent next to it.

Visit us at the Howard County Fair

Kristen B. Leave a comment
STEAM Machine with blue awning deployed sits on a grassy patch, with a popup tent next to it.

Do you love the fair? Deep fried everything? Rides? Awards for livestock and hand-crafts? What’s not to love?

This year, as you come in the front gates, look for Howard County Library System’s new STEAM Machine. Stop by to participate in a STEAM-related activity, watch a demo, or take a tour of our new (air conditioned!) mobile unit. The 33’ Farber diesel bus features a climate-controlled classroom that seats twelve students. It is equipped with Wi-Fi, laptop computers, two 49” LED TVs, sound system, video production equipment, materials, and supplies, including science kits to conduct experiments and complete projects. A 55” LCD monitor and two awnings allow classes to be taught and activities conducted outside.

As the mobile classroom goes out into our community, students can borrow books and other materials on STEAM subjects. Our goal is to transform students into scientists investigating new phenomena and engineers designing solutions to real-world problems.

Tonya Aikens, President & CEO of HCLS, notes, “Howard County Library System is coordinating with community partners to schedule STEAM Machine classes across the county. Our goal is to bring opportunities for hands-on STEAM education to students from under-resourced communities and families who, for an array of reasons, are often unable to come to our branches.”

HCLS instructors will teach most classes with contributions from scientists and engineers from the Maryland STEAM community, who will be recruited for special events. HCLS is collaborating with community partners to determine student aspirations and needs, identify community locations for STEAM Machine visits, and schedule classes and events. 

The STEAM Machine is funded in part by an American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Grant through the Institute of Museum and Library Services and administered by the Maryland State Library Agency.

See you at the Fair!