Incorporating Math and Literature can be lots of fun! I especially like to do this with rich math task/performance tasks that students can relate to. It helps for building metacognition and getting them to problem solve together. Be sure to use open-ended questions throughout the task as we want them to investigate the answer. Here is a great one we did during our monthly Math Academy!
By Stuart J. Murphy
Buy it on Amazon
“The Best Vacation Ever” is about a busy family that needs a vacation, but they don’t know where to go. Mom and Dad want peace and quiet. Grandma wants to go somewhere hot. Fluffer wants to go somewhere that pets can go, too! Not to worry, our pig-tailed narrator gathers data and makes a chart to help determine the perfect vacation destination. This is a Level 2 MathStart book, which is perfect for kids ages 6 and up. The MathStart series uses funny stories and colorful art to show kids that they use math every day, even outside of the classroom! Each book features an activity guide to have fun with the math concepts presented in the story.
MATERIALS
- Recording Sheet
- Chart paper to display Special Snack charts
- Markers
- Best Vacation Ever by Stuart Murphy or similar book
PART I
Read the story and have a discussion about the charts. Tell the students that you are going to create 3 charts to decide on the best option for a special snack. The charts will be labeled “Would you like something sweet, or salty?” “Would you like something soft/chewy, or hard/crunchy?” and “Would you like one big piece or several small pieces?” Students will raise their hand and vote and the responses are filled in the charts. Have a discussion about the completed charts, and guide students in creating a tally chart to show the data collected for each question.
PART II
Students will create their own questions to ask classmates that will have at least 3 categories to represent. The students will begin by filling out the title, question and three answer choices on their recording sheet. Give students time to ask classmates their questions and fill in their recording sheet. Then students will interpret the data they have collected and have a discussion about their data and charts. On the back of the Data Collections recording sheet, have students create a tally chart to show their results.
DIFFERENTIATION
- Some students may extend the data collection process to 10 different students. Try to create 4 questions about your data that other students could answer.
- Some students may need assistance in identifying a question or answer choices for collecting the data. Offer multiple examples for students to use.
Click HERE for the full lesson from Georgia Department of Education.
Chart of children’s literature featured in the Math Solutions Publications series Math, Literature, and Nonfiction, listed with grade levels and topics.
Click HERE for the full PDF.
