Fiction Friday: Chapter 2

Happy Fiction Friday folks!

This week I read two books related to math...well, sort of.

Sophie Simon Solves Them All

by Lisa Graff

Sophie Simon is brilliant. Mensa brilliant. She's the only 3rd grader in the world who would rather study calculus and perform open heart surgery on an earthworm than attend a pool party extravaganza. Her parents are worried though because Sophie doesn't have any friends. In Sophie's quest to earn enough money to buy a fancy graphing calculator she ends up using her smarts to help her classmates and discovers friends may not be such a bad thing to have.

Sophie Simon Solves Them All is another introductory chapter book that will surprise you! Lisa Graff, author of Umbrella Summer and Double Dog Dare, creates a fun filled page turner.  It can be difficult to develop characters and a quality story line that keeps young and old readers engaged in less that 125 pages, but Lisa Graff does so flawlessly. This would be a great read aloud grades 2-4 and a must for any classroom collection of emerging chapter book readers. (Other great introductory chapter books I have previously reviewed include Waiting on the Magic, Hamster Magic, EllRay Jake is NOT a Chicken, and How Oliver Olsen Changed the World)

Athlete vs. Mathlete

by W.C. Mack

Owen and Russell Evans are fraternal twins, who are in the 7th grade and the polar opposite of each other. Owen is the athlete, the basketball player, the popular kid. Russell is the book worm, the nerd, the genius. He's in charge of the Masters of the Mind club and has zero coordination. Everyone agrees that the last place Russell belongs is the basketball court. However, when the new coach recruits Russell to try out for the basketball team because of his height, no one is more surprised than Russell to find out he's got skills. He may not be able to dribble,but he can block shots and make the ever elusive jump shot. Suddenly, Owen is no longer the only basketball star of his family and the focus of all his father's attention. Oh, sibling rivalry. 

Athlete vs. Mathlete is a fast paced, easy read, with solid character development. The story is told from alternating perspectives of Owen and Russell allowing the reader to see the two dramatically different points of view.  Both brothers are extremely likable, even Owen as you watch him become more and more jealous of his twin. Poor kid! I completely understood where he was coming from. It would be tough to have a brother who was a basketball star, a super genius, and an all around nice guy. Sheesh! Satisfying plot and very relatable for kids.

Another thing I liked about this book was the readability. The characters are both older giving the book a wide range appeal, but the language and structure of the book keep it right at a 4th grade level. This would be a great book for 5th/6th grade reluctant readers who may be reading slightly below grade level. It's engaging, it's relevant, it's funny, and most importantly it's readable. 

This would be another good read aloud for upper elementary and I'm certain will be a hit with my 4th graders this year, especially the boys!

What did you read this week?  We'd love to hear about your newest finds or your oldest favorites. Link up to Fiction Friday to celebrate children's literature and share books. Please don't forget to grab the Fiction Friday button and link back to here.

Thanks so much and happy reading!

An InLinkz Link-up

Quick, Easy, Engaging Independent Math Activities

Raise your hand if you like to have quick, easy, engaging, independent math activities on hand in the classroom?  

I'm talking about activities that take minimal materials, are quick to clean up, require thinking, and are enjoyed by the students. 

If you are like me, then you love those kinds of activities.

I've spent the last week or so going through all my school stuff little by little. I've been weeding things out and organizing like crazy. One of the things I tackled was my Math Stations bin. I pulled out games that I hadn't used in years. I had things from my first year of teaching that I'm not even sure I've ever used. Gasp! It was labeled, it was organized, but...it was never used. No bueno. I made a pile of stuff to give away, a pile to recycle, and a pile to trash. Purging... it feels good. 

But, I digress.

What I really wanted to share with you was some of the really great activities that I had in my bin that I have used and  enjoyed. Some of these I've shared in the past, but just in case you missed it I'm including them again.

Block It Out
Addition Facts/Problem Solving

Materials: game board, expo marker or colored tiles

Objective: Create addition equations using adjacent squares on the game board to cover the entire board.

Details:  Like a word search, students look for addition equations that can be created with adjacent squares within the game board. (7+2=9) Students then cover the 7, 2, and 9. If the puzzle is done correctly, all squares will be covered. If not, dump the tiles and begin again. This set includes 4 boards that get progressively more difficult.

Appropriate for grades 2-4.

You can download this fun game for free at TPT by clicking here!

Bowling Facts
Addition/Subtraction Facts

Materials: game board, expo marker, number cube (die)

Objective: Create equations using three numbers to eliminate as many bowling pins as possible.

Details: Students roll the number cube three times and write down their numbers. Then, using only those three numbers, come up with as many equations possible that equal 1-10.  All operations welcome. Equations can include more than one operations. Each equation knocks over that number pin.

For example, if you roll a 3, 6, and 2 you could come up with the following equations:
3+6=9
3+2=5
6-3=3
6-2=4
6+3-2=7
6-2-3=1

Using these equations, you would have knocked down pins #9,5,3,4,7,1.

If you can knock down all pins on with your first three numbers, you get a STRIKE!
If not, roll three more numbers and try for a SPARE!

Appropriate grades 2-5.

You can also download this fun game for free at TPT by clicking here!

Puppy Place Value Paths
Ordering Numbers/Place Value

Materials: game board, expo marker, digit cards

Objective: Complete the path by placing putting numbers in order from least to greatest.

Details: Students draw 3 digit cards to arrange into a three digit number and write it somewhere on the path. Play continues until a path is created with numbers in order from least to greatest.

This is also available in my TPT store for free, just click here!

Appropriate grades 2-4.

Leapfrog
Problem Solving

Materials: game board, 8 colored counters (4 of each color)

Objective: Following the rules of Leapfrog, switch the colored tiles on the right with the colored tiles on the left (See my full post on this logic puzzle here!)

Details: Leapfrog is a logic puzzle game that is simple in design but difficult to solve. To set up your game board, you need 8 game pieces of 2 different colors. I like to use the two-sided math counters. Put one color on one side and the other on the other side. The counters represent the frogs - red frogs and yellow frogs. To play, you can move any counter you want, but you must follow these rules.

You can only move each frog forward - never backward.
You can leap over 1 frog at a time.

The puzzle has been solved when both colors on the board have switched places and the rules have been followed.

You can also download this logic puzzle for free at my TPT store by clicking here! 

So, that's it. Four super simple games that are easy to use, fun to play, and promote mathematical thinking. These are not *new* ideas by any means, but they are great activities my kiddos have enjoyed over the years. I hope they are just as helpful in your classroom as they have been in mine.

 I'm linking up with Classroom Freebies for Manic Monday!

Questions?  Comments?  Let me know!