Using Literature to Teach Addition

Many of us use a curriculum to teach math, but using literature to teach math can be a great teaching tool. I am beginning this math literature series with some of the best books to teach addition. With my love for literature and math, it only makes sense to combine the two so I have gathered some of my favorite books that teach addition in the elementary classroom.

Quack and Count by Keith Baker introduces students to addition as they slip, slide, leap, and dive with a family of seven lively ducklings as they get ready to fly for the very first time. Keith Baker’s playful, rhyming text and bold collage illustrations capture the excitement of a day’s adventure – and gently introduce counting.

Animals on Board by Stuart J. Murphy reinforces the concept of addition as students ride along with trucker Jill and her dog as they add up the animals passing by on the other trucks. But these are no ordinary animals, and they are bound for a surprise destination! Lively illustrations by R.W. Alley make adding truckloads of fun.

Domino Addition by Lynette Long shows students that math and addition can be fun and easy when you use dominos. Black and white dominos make up each number on various bold backgrounds and each page gives the various properties of numbers zero to twelve. With simple but imaginative approach, Lynette Long has created a perfect resource that teaches students how to add up each dot on an individual domino as well as how to spot different number combinations. The bright illustrations introduce basic addition to both eager and reluctant math students.

A Fair Bear Share by Stuart J. Murphy teaches simple math in story form as four bear cubs gather nuts, then blueberries, and finally seeds for their mother’s special blueberry pie. Each time they fill their baskets, the cubs count in groups of tens and ones to see if they have enough ingredients for the pie. These irresistible bear cubs make this lesson in regrouping one children will enjoy.

These are only a few of my favorite books that teach addition; there are so many more out there! Feel free to share in the comments what you consider the best book to teach addition.

Welcome to My Happy Homeschool! http://www.myhappyhomeschool.blogspot.com/  My name is Susan Reed and my heart’s desire is to encourage the homeschool mom to live out God’s calling and stay the course.