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Picture book activities

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Teaching and learning activities to accompany picture books with mathematical content. Each activity is linked to the levels and strands of the NZC.

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Friends You Can Count On

Level One
Number and Algebra
Picture book activities
This is an activity based on the picture book Friends You Can Count On. This book may no longer be available for purchase.

Students will be able to identify pairs of features for counting by 2s.

Students will be able to create equal sized groups and count the total set either by counting all or by skip counting.

Students will be able to create models of equal sized groups using materials to represent features in a book...

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Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons

Level One
Number and Algebra
Picture book activities
This is an activity based on the picture book Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons.

Students will be able to accurately model subtraction equations using equipment.

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Ernest

Level One
Geometry and Measurement
Picture book activities
This is an activity based on the picture book Ernest.
  • Students will be able to compare the areas of paper required to create life size drawings of different sized objects.
  • Students will be able to describe the relative size of objects using a vocabulary of length and area (such as bigger, taller, small, thin, wider).
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The Warlord’s Beads

Level Three
Number and Algebra
Picture book activities
This is an activity based on the picture book The Warlord’s Beads
  • Students will be able to model their place value understanding by creating a whole number counting frame.
  • Students will be able to demonstrate their understanding of decimal place value by modeling large numbers on counting frames.
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Wild Fibonacci: Nature’s Secret Code Revealed

Level Two
Geometry and Measurement
Picture book activities
This is an activity based on the picture book Wild Fibonacci: Nature’s Secret Code Revealed
  • Students will be able to accurately measure (in standard or non-standard units) the length or a spiral.
  • Students will be able to describe the characteristics of a spiral and identify examples of it in nature.
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Big Numbers

Level Four
Number and Algebra
Picture book activities
This is an activity based on the picture book Big Numbers
  • Students will be able to create a model of the “whole” of a specific length of time and use a meaningful scale to illustrate fractions within that length of time.
  • Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the mathematical relationships between of units of time.
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The Emperor’s Army

Level Four
Geometry and Measurement
Picture book activities
This is an activity based on the picture book The Emperor’s Army

Students will be able to model their understanding of volume through creating models and calculating volume using a formula.

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The Warlord’s Kites

Level Four
Geometry and Measurement
Picture book activities
This is an activity based on the picture book The Warlord’s Kites
  • Students will be able to derive a formula for finding the area of a triangle based on their understanding of the area of a square.
  • Students will be able to accurately calculate the area of triangles and parallelograms and explain how they achieved their answer.
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100 Things

Level One
Number and Algebra
Picture book activities
This is an activity based on the picture book 100 Things. This book may no longer be available for purchase.
  1. Students will be able to identify the sets within sets, especially the groups within 100 and within 10.
  2. Students will be able to use skip counting to count large sets.
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Lemonade for Sale

Level Two
Statistics
Picture book activities
This is an activity based on the picture book Lemonade for Sale
  • Students will be able to create possible explanations for variance in data displays.
  • Students will be able to compare and evaluate interpretations about the data within a simple display.