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Math Cure

Language: English

This episode, Math Cure, based on the book Math Curse by Jon Scieszka is a zany and hilarious look at how most everything in our lives is math related. LeVar tracks down, scouts out and sneaks up on math-in action, and he find out firsthand that a factor—and life—can’t run without it.

Here are activities to do after watching this episode:

What’s different?

Your young child will enjoy this number recognition game. You will need a deck of cards. Arrange four cards, three of the same number and one that doesn’t belong. Have your child pick out the one that doesn’t belong. After playing awhile, have your child arrange the cards for you.

Egg Carton Numbers

Try this counting activity with your youngest mathematicians.

You will need:

  • an egg carton
  • 78 dried beans or other small objects
  • marker

Directions:

  1. Have your child help you label the sections of an egg carton by writing the numbers 1 through 12.
  2. Have your child count out 78 beans (or other small objects). Then have him/her count out the corresponding number for each of the sections of the carton. There should be one bean in the section marked “1” and two beans in the section marked “2” and so on.
  3. If your child has counted accurately, exactly 78 beans will be needed.
  

Add Them Up!

This is an addition game played with a deck of cards.
Two players divide a deck of cards and place the cards face down.
Each child turns over the top card. The first player to correctly add up the two numbers, takes the cards.
Your children will have to assign values to Ace (1), Jack (11), Queen (12) and King (13). Whenever a Joker is turned over, the player who had the card automatically takes both cards

Counting

Practice counting … when you ride in the car next time, count how many cars of a certain color pass along the highway until you get to your destination. Count how many signs there are in one block. Count the number of streetlights you pass that are green, and so on.

Sizing Things Up

Play a riddle game with your child by asking him or her to find something that is…

  • larger than a pea but smaller than an apple
  • larger than a pencil but smaller than a telephone pole
  • longer than a comb but shorter than your bed
  • taller than a stool but shorter than a door

And so on…

Check out some of these books on your
next trip to the library:

  • Marvelous Math: A Book of Poems by Lee Bennett Hopkins
  • Twelve Snails to One Lizard by Susan Hightower
  • Pigs on a Blanket: Fun With Math and Time by Amy Axelrod

READING RAINBOW has a resource library that includes teacher guide materials as well as reading programs for use in the public libraries. You can download these resources from GPN at:
www.gpnresources.com

If you would like more information about READING RAINBOW or if you would like to learn more about other educational products please visit the GPN web site.

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