Math At The Zoo

In this entertaining volume, a class trip to the zoo is the backdrop for introducing and reviewing foundational math concepts such as comparing quantities, sizes, and lengths. Readers will love seeing their favorite animals such as tigers, giraffes, penguins, monkeys, and even a baby koala! They’ll be encouraged to recognize mathematics in similar situations in their own lives.

A collection of stories, poems, riddles, games, and hands-on activities focusing on the mathematical aspects of a trip to the zoo.

20 zoo animals for children to trace and color! Children learn the names and properties of shapes as they trace and draw each shape. Then they put the shapes together to make zoo animals, learning how to compose shapes to make a drawing.

The work for this book began with a course I created and taught called Animal Behavior. I always knew that there was a strong magnetic bond between people and animals, but it wasn't until I began working on my curriculum that I truly found out how strong this bond really was. Millions of people, young and old, will visit zoos and aquariums each year. People stand in front of the animals, hypnotized by the every movement of the animal. People seemed to be looking not just at the animal, but almost as if they were looking inside these animals, wondering and questioning about the lives of some of our most distant animal relatives. In my classroom, I found the exact same kinds of responses. The discussions and questions of my students motivated me to share with you the lives and abilities of some of the most amazing living creatures in the world. People realize that humans are also animals, but the belief that we have superior intelligence and problem solving abilities makes us think we are far superior to all of the rest of our Animal World. As I began to learn more and lead my student discussions, I soon realized that maybe our intelligence was the only thing that we really did have in our superiority over the rest of our animal relatives. I began to look into the idea of comparing humans to animals in a wide variety of behaviors and activities, and soon a brand new window into the REAL world of animals began to open up. I soon realized that even the most "insignificant" animals in our world were really superstars when compared to humans. By using math, we are able to truly get a comparison of animals and how they relate to our own human abilities. As I began to create the problems and "do-the-math," it became very evident, that I began to get the responses that I had hoped for. I soon began to call these responses, the "Wow factor." A number of times, the teachers that have worked on the problems would actually go back and do the problems a second time because "there has to be a mistake" or "no way that this can be true." There were no mistakes and the math did not lie. The math allowed us to look at the animals in a totally different way. I hope that you too will be amazed and "wowed" by some of these amazing animals that we share our world with.

Introduces basic concepts of mathematics using zoo animals as examples. Contents include: Which animal eats first? Which animal comes next? Which group has more? Which animal eats less? Which groups are equal? How many animals are awake? How many animals are here now? How can gorillas share? How much money do you need? What will tell you the time?

When a young girl makes a trip to the zoo with her aunt, she amuses herself by comparing the numbers of different groups of animals that she sees.

The inspiration for this book began when I was teaching a high school class called Animal Behavior. This was an elective Science class that combined Biology, Zoology, Psychology, and Sociology. During the course we would talk about a variety of different animals and the different behaviors that they would exhibit. One of the goals that I would always try to do is show the students how amazing or truly "unbelievable" some of these animals really were. People very seldom think of themselves as being a part of the animal world, and when we do we only think of how we are so superior to all of the rest. I soon realized that when I "put the math" to some of these human-animal comparisons, it was as if a whole new window opened up to the World of Animals. These math problems showed us just how awe inspiring animals really are.

Have you ever wondered how long a giraffe's tongue is? To find the answer to this question and many more, join the family in this book on a trip to the zoo. Use objects like cubes and scales to measure how tall, short, big, or small the animals at the zoo are.

Join a family on a trip to the zoo as you learn nonstandard measurement! You'll use objects like cubes and scales to measure how tall, short, big, or small the animals at the zoo are. With vibrant photos, math charts and diagrams, grade-appropriate text, and informational text features to help navigate the text, students will learn practical, real-world applications of math skills as they learn nonstandard measurement and build their STEM skills.

Travel through the zoo and learn about zoo animals through rhyme. Count up all of the animals you have seen. Includes section "For Creative Minds" with cards and activities.