Classroom Applications

1.  For the book Dinosaurs Before Dark there is an activity in which you can incorporate Mathematics. This activity is called Counting Baby Dinosaurs.  In the book, Jack and Annie come across Anatosaurus eggs.  The activity is a fun activity to introduce multiplication.  First you split the class into  small groups and you give each group a paper cup which represent nests.  Then you give each group a handful of dried beans and those represent dinosaur eggs.  After handing those out, you write a multiplication problem on the board.  So for example, you could write 4x3.  You explain that the first number is the number of nests (4) and the second is the number of eggs per nest (3).  Next, you let the students use their nests and eggs to show the problem and to help them find the solution.  You can repeat using new problems as many times as needed. You follow this up by letting the students write word problems to share.  (Example: Jack and Annie found 3 Anatosaurus nest with 6 eggs in each.  They also found 5 Stegosaurus nests with 3 eggs in each.  How many eggs did they find all together?) You can adjust these multiplication problems to be easier or harder depending one your class. You could make sure you are near the children who might need help so you can answer any questions or aid them in finding the right answer.    

2. This activity includes the book Pirates Past Noon and can be brought into Mathematics.  This activity has to do with the use of the Cartesian coordinate system and practicing with them.  You will give the children a copy of a "Pirate Cartesian Coordinate" graph and pictures of ships (worksheet attached to website).  You will then have them cut out the ships and tape them to the grid-lining them up with the squares.  Next, pair up the students and have have them sit back-to-back.  Let them take turns calling out coordinates to locate each other's ships.  They can mark successful guesses in one color and unsuccessful ones in another.  If a student is struggling with this activity, the teacher could pair up with them and work with them to help them understand the coordinate system and the concept of locating those coordinates. 

• Website used for activities one and two: http://www.polk-fl.net/staff/grants/pefgrants/documents/lkcountry.pdf

3.   Titanic Timeline Match up is an activity you could do in your class that would encompass Mathematics as well as Mary Pope Osborne's books Tonight on the Titanic and Titanic (the research guide).  For this activity, all around the room there will be clocks with pictures underneath in chronological order of the important events that took place on the Titanic from April 10 to April 18, 1912.  The students will get a worksheet that has the dates and events that are out of order.  For them to match them correctly, they have to go around the room and find the right matches.  (Specific events listed on website) 

• Website used for activity three: http://www.sturdyforcommonthings.com/2012/04/adventures-of-annie-aboard-the-titanic/