the grapes of math mind stretching math riddles greg tang

It is a great tool for the classroom and a lot of fun to read at home, too. This is a fun little book that teaches creativity and problem solving in math. Here is an example of one of the fun riddles: While teaching these important lessons, the illustrations are bright and cheery making this book appealing to look at and read. Never Fear, I have a hunchThere is a match for every bunch Greg Tang, a lifelong lover of math, shares the techniques that have helped him solve problems. To simplify problems by looking for patterns To use time-saving methods, like using subtraction to add.Ĥ. To encourage children to think strategically, by grouping numbers to make adding easier.ģ. To be open minded and consider many approaches in math.Ģ. Tang writes in his introduction that his hope is to teach children four important lessons in problem solving:ġ. When reading with my fifth grade son, he used many of Tang's creative suggestions for calculating the answer.īoth of my children came up with the same answers, but used problem solving skills at their own levels. When reading this book with my kindergartner, she used her fingers a lot and counted the old-fashioned way. With fun illustrations by Harry Briggs, each page of Math For All Seasons has it's own riddle, asking the reader to use problem solving math skills to find the answer.Įach riddle could be answered a number of different ways. Tang's first book, The Grapes of Math, appeals to children ages 7-10. This book is the second book in Tang's Math Riddles series.

This book is geared for children ages 5-8 years old. (Mar.Math For All Seasons by Greg Tang is a fun little book full of math riddles that revolve around the 4 seasons. Any time of year is a good time to delve into these pictorial puzzles. Summer-themed poems show a pigeon wearing swim goggles diving into a bird bath and a lemonade-drinking butterfly. With 10 dandelions pictured on the opposing page, Tang poses the question 'How many plants are still in bloom?' then suggests: 'Count by fives the plants you see,/ Then subtract the seedy three!' Briggs sprinkles his computer-generated artwork with fun-loving graphics throughout. Several creatively convey facts about their timely topics, as in 'Not-So-Dandy Lions': 'These lions are a stubborn breed- / There's never just a single weed./ The trouble starts when they get loose,/ They catch a breeze and reproduce!' the simple verse then hints at effective strategies to make counting faster and easier. Each poem poses a 'how many' question about the accompanying picture of seasonal items, from acorns and hatching chicks to dandelions and icicles. With titles like 'Raining Cats and Frogs' and 'Amazing Grain,' the poems span the seasons, encouraging readers to look for patterns and symmetry in the playful illustrations.

Once again proves that posing number problems through verse and vivid pictures is a powerful path to math learning. Move over, worksheets and pencils! The team behind The Grapes of Math

The grapes of math mind stretching math riddles greg tang