Tag Archives: library

Sneaky Math

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sneaky mathWant a side of math with that story time? From simple to semi-sophisticated, here are some ways I’ve worked math into my library programs!

COUNTING SUPPLIES

There are multiple steps in my story time projects, and some of those steps involve selecting certain amounts of art supplies. So we’ll count together. For example, if the kids need 2 pipe cleaners for their project, I’ll hold out a bunch of pipe cleaners and count aloud as each kids selects them, “One…two! Great!”

NUMBERED SUPPLY CONTAINERS

During projects, I’ll often put  a line of supplies on the windowsill, and kids walk down the line and select certain amounts of supplies from each container. I used to use post it notes to mark the number needed on each container….

post it note numbersBut then I found these little babies!

holder with numberThese are 8″ table card holders. I purchased mine from an online restaurant supply company (The Web Restaurant Store). Don’t they look snazzy?

card holdersDIAGRAMS

Sometimes, I’ll have a project that requires a diagram to demonstrates how much of something is needed. For example, this rainbow cloud project needed to be covered in cotton balls, so I drew a diagram showing how many balls needed to be attached, and how many cotton balls you’d need in total. Numbers, beautiful numbers.

sneaky math

I’ve also been known to sneak math into story time projects, like this lemonade stand that involves counting, sorting, and sequential thinking.

Now who’s up for something a little more…elaborate?

In 2012, my library hosted a large-scale Robin Hood event. I knew we just had to do something on taxes. But how were we going to design something that involved taxes, math, Medieval history, but was also simple enough for kids of various ages to grasp quickly? The answer came from my brilliant event assistant Katie. We would design a tax wheel game based on Hi Ho Cherry-O.  We called it “Your Tax Dollars at Work.”

tax wheelHi Ho Cherry-O is a classic early math game involving counting and numbers. The game is driven by a spinner that dictates whether you add or remove cherries from your basket during game play. But what if the spinner for our version pointed to various Medieval taxes, the game pieces were coins? We could even throw some Robin Hood characters on the wheel. Perfect.

We knew needed to go big and durable at such a large, crowded event. So I ordered a 36″ blank roulette wheel from Spinning Designs Incorporated. The company was very tickled by the novel use of the wheel. Perhaps that’s why they gave me a fantastic (and much appreciated) deal on a wheel that had “minor surface imperfections” (which I honestly could never find).

Then Katie and I researched the different types of taxes from Robin Hood’s day. There were a lot (honestly, who taxes you for churning your butter?). We also had to find a way to gain coins back during the game.

Ultimately, we came up with the following “Lose” and “Gain” categories.

Lose Coin

  • Travel tax
  • Churn your butter tax
  • Bake your bread tax
  • Pay your lord
  • Grind your grain tax
  • Sheriff steals
  • Prince John takes all
  • Land tax

Gain (or at least not lose) Coin

  • Harvest time
  • May Day
  • Good day at market
  • Robin Hood gives you coins

As you can see, there were more ways to lose your money than gain it. We intentionally designed the game that way. There were going to be so many people at the event (3,500 actually) we wanted the game play to average 3 minutes so lots of kids could have multiple turns. If you’re interested, here are the complete game instructions.

group of kidsIn addition to the wheel, there were game boards designed to look like Medieval money bags. You placed 5 coins in your “bag” at the start of the game, then added or removed coins as the wheel dictated. We used metal replicas of Medieval coins. Because we’re nerds like that.

game boardsWhen all your coins were gone, the game was over! As a “consolation” prize, kids got a chocolate foil-wrapped coin. Kids with food allergies or dietary restrictions got to take home one of the metal replica coins.

The “Your Tax Dollars at Work” wheel and game boards were drawn by Kemi Lin, an amazing Princeton University student artist. She did it all. By hand. With packs of Sharpies. After the event, the game was donated to the Somerset County library system. Long may it live!

Our 50th Post!

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our 50th postWow, that was fast. Cue the band and fill up the punch bowl. It’s our 50th post!

It seems only yesterday that I launched this blog and became a first-time blogger. Thank you for your interest and support, especially the subscribers who have joined me along the way, and the folks who have sent in questions, comments, and suggestions.

Now that there’s a good stock of posts to explore, this seems as good a time as ever to announce my new blogging schedule. Moving forward, I’ll be posting one story time project a week (I’ll aim for Tuesday mornings), with at least 2 posts from other categories per month. We’ll see how it goes!

I’d love to hear from you. What parts of this blog do you like? The story time projects? The art supply recommendations? What would you like to see more of? Are there any new directions you’d like me to take? Is there a book you’d like to see featured? A craft project you’d like me to develop? The goal of Pop Goes the Page is to be a creative resource for librarians, teachers, museum educators, parents, and children…so how can I serve you best?

E-mail me! danas@princeton.edu

One tantalizing glimpse into the future…I’m planning a contest to celebrate our first birthday in August, and the prize is plenty o’ goodies for your art cabinet. So stay tuned!

The Other Half

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tiger talesQ: I’m curious about the read-aloud portion of your story times. Do you have any suggestions, advice, or tips?

Sure! Most of the projects you see on this blog are from Tiger Tales, our story time for 3 – 5 year-olds, so I’ll talk specifically about that.

Tiger Tales doesn’t require registration, so it’s first-come, first-served until we fill (24 kids maximum for the project portion of the story time). We do restrict by age range, so while everyone is free to listen to the story, only 3 – 5 year-olds can actually do the project. We bring out bins of toys to occupy the younger sibs (older sibs read or help with the project).

It’s time for story time to begin. Behold the tools of my trade!

tools of my tradeAt the very beginning of the program, kids line up to receive a name tag (I use these handy-dandy name tag stickers). I use a Sharpie to write the tags because kid-friendly markers tend to smudge something fierce.

Name tags are useful for many reasons:

  1. It helps me learn names!
  2. I ask kids to spell their names for me, so it gives them some practice with their spelling (and sometimes breaks the ice with the shy ones).
  3. Later in the program, it’s much easier to say “Pat! Stop running with those scissors!” then “Hey you! Stop running with those scissors!”
  4. I count out 24 name stickers at the start of the program and then recount at the end of the program to tally my attendance numbers. Simple. This technique is also useful at super busy story times. When my 24 stickers run out, I know the program is full!

It can be quite hectic before story time begins. Rather than trying to shout over the din, I ring a story time bell, wait for everyone to quiet down, and then I make the announcements. I ask adults to refrain from cell phone conversations and, if someone gets restless or cries during the story, to please move to the front of the gallery so we can work on our listening skills in the story time area.

Then I ask a few questions about the book (“What’s on the cover?” “Would you like a dragon for a pet?”), connect the questions to the book (“Well, this boy knows exactly what it’s like to have a dragon for a pet…”) and announce the title of the book. But before I even open it, I have everyone put on their “listening ears” and then I do…THE BIG SHUSH. Basically, THE BIG SHUSH is everyone putting a finger in front of their mouths and, all together, we count:

One (big, audible breath)
Two (big, audible breath)
Three (big, audible breath)
SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

If you think one person shushing is effective, try everyone in the room shushing! It even quiets the babies down!

Then I start reading.

My reading style involves multiple character vocalizations (and even a few sound effects). Sometimes, the book becomes a prop as I flap it like a butterfly, climb it up a tree, or jiggle it during a storm. At times, I ask kids to act things out or make sounds to match the story (“Stomp your feet!” “Let’s hear your best parrot squawk!”) Often, while I’m reading, I’ll offer a little comment on the story, ask the kids a question, or pause while a kid makes a comment on the book.

That said, sometimes I’ll read a book all the way through without very much audience interaction at all. Just character vocalizations, a steady narrative, and the riveted attention of the children. It always feels a little magical when that happens.

Story time with kids is about engagement with the text, but let’s face it – it’s also about crowd control. That’s where those name tag stickers come in handy. “OK Paul, I’m going to read again now…” or “Avery, shhh, sit down, sit down please.” Once the book concludes, I reveal the project and we proceed to the project area to get started!

project area I never reveal the project before the book, and the toys for the younger kids don’t come out until the book is finished. The focus is always on the book first.

You might notice that I don’t do songs or finger play. That’s because the Princeton Public Library features these things pretty regularly at their story times and I wanted to supplement, rather than replicate, their offerings. I don’t do flannel boards either (the folks at Flannel Friday have that totally covered!). I did, however, do a post on some amazing conductive thread that will illuminate your next flannel board story time!

If you’re wondering what book I’m reading in this post, you’ll find the answer here.

Have a question of your own? E-mail me!