math and science storytimes
DESCRIPTION
This presentation was given as part of "Storytimes With Purpose and Punch," a pre-conference workshop at the 2011 Kentucky Public Library Association Conference. Contact Mary Landrum ([email protected]) at the Lexington Public Library if you have any questions or need help finding additional resources for your storytime.TRANSCRIPT
WE AREN’T DOING ROCKET SCIENCE…
BUT WE ARE HELPING CREATE
TOMORROW’S ROCKET SCIENTISTS
Math and Science at Storytime
Mary LandrumLexington Public Library
Northside [email protected]
Why Math and Science?
Math and science jobs are good jobs!
BUT American students perform poorly in these fields, compared to their international peers
Early intervention can give children the skills and confidence they need to succeed in STEM fields.
What in the world are STEM fields? Science Technology Engineering Mathematics
How Storytime Builds Math and Science Skills
The story provides a context for math and science concepts
The activity lets children practice math and science skills
Math and science help children make sense of their world
www.mothergooseprograms.org
What Will We Learn Today?
1. Some basic math and science concepts
2. Some books that can introduce those concepts to young children
3. Some activities that will help children develop their math and science skills
EXAMPLES OF HOW TO INCLUDE MATH
AND SCIENCE IN YOUR STORYTIME
3-2-1…BLASTOFF!
Fingerplays Teach Math Skills
Many fingerplays involve counting
Other math skills Number sense One-to-one
correspondence Adding and
subtracting
Nursery Rhymes Teach Math, Too
“One, Two, Buckle My Shoe.”
“Baa, Baa, Black Sheep”
Recommended book: Mother Goose Numbers on the Loose, illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon
Mr. Gumpy’s Outing by John Burningham
Science Concept: Predicting the Outcome What will happen
when all those animals fill up Mr. Gumpy’s boat?
Mr. Gumpy’s Activity: Float or Sink?
Science Concept: Predicting the Outcome Will the duck float or
sink?Science Concept:
Identifying an Item’s Attributes Why do you think the
duck will float?
Lunch by Denise Fleming
Science Concept: Identifying an Item’s Attributes
Attribute: characteristic, “what makes it special”
In this case, the attribute is color
Don’t be shy about using the word attribute!
Sorting our Dessert—Candy!
Science Concept: Sorting Items by their Attributes
The color of the candy wrapper was our attribute we used for sorting
Counting and Comparing our Candy Stashes
Math Concept: Counting
How many suckers does Willow have?
Math Concept: Comparing Quantities
Who has more suckers?
Who has the same number of suckers?
Building and Construction
Math Concepts: Recognizing shapes in
structures Recognizing patterns
and symmetry Counting Measuring
Science Concepts: Understand the
different properties of different building materials
Building Houses for the Pigs!
Math Concept: Recognizing shapes What shape is the roof? What shape are your
walls? Math Concept:
Spatial RelationsMath Concept:
MeasurementScience Concept:
learning what attributes make a structure strong
Conclusions and Questions
These are only a few examples of a few concepts.
Seek out opportunities and resources for further exploration of math and science concepts
Public libraries as essential partners in school readiness
Questions?