Tikki Tikki Tembo retold by Arlene Mosel, illustrated by Blair Lent (an old Chinese folktale)
May 29, 2011
Tikki Tikki Tembo (Books 63-64)
Is it Time? by Marilyn Janovitz (I thought it was a little boring, but Austin liked it. Good for babies or young toddlers.)
Tikki Tikki Tembo retold by Arlene Mosel, illustrated by Blair Lent (an old Chinese folktale)
Tikki Tikki Tembo retold by Arlene Mosel, illustrated by Blair Lent (an old Chinese folktale)
May 25, 2011
Good Children's Books (Books 52-62)
I don't really have anything bad to say about these books. They were all pretty entertaining.
The Cake That Mack Ate by Rose Robart, illustrated by Maryann Kovalski (even I was surprised at the end- short read, but very cute)
If You Give a Moose a Muffin by Laura Joffe Numeroff, illustrated by Felicia Bond (If you've never read the this one or the others in this series, you really should. They are classics.)
This is the House that was Tidy and Neat by Teri Sloat, illustrated by R.W. Alley (Moms everywhere will be entertained by this one.)
Snip Snap! What's That? by Mara Bergman, illustrations by Nick Maland (onomatopoeia again)
New Dinos written by Shelley Tanaka, illustrated by Alan Barnard (nonfiction book- They really have discovered a lot more about dinosaurs since we were kids.)
The Flea's Sneeze by Lynn Downey, illustrated by Karla Firehammer (cute)
Rolie Polie Olie by William Joyce (I've never seen the cartoon on Disney, but the book is cute. Austin really liked it because the characters are alien robots.)
My Little Sister Ate One Hare by bill Grossman, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes (borderline weird, but it has a funny ending)
The Wheels on the Bus by Maryann Kovalski
Mrs. McNosh Hangs Up Her Wash by Sarah Weeks, pictures by Nadine Bernard Westcott (great for even little ones)
We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury (I just remembered that I told Austin we would go on a bear hunt today. I guess I'd better get off here and go hunting.)
The Cake That Mack Ate by Rose Robart, illustrated by Maryann Kovalski (even I was surprised at the end- short read, but very cute)
If You Give a Moose a Muffin by Laura Joffe Numeroff, illustrated by Felicia Bond (If you've never read the this one or the others in this series, you really should. They are classics.)
This is the House that was Tidy and Neat by Teri Sloat, illustrated by R.W. Alley (Moms everywhere will be entertained by this one.)
Snip Snap! What's That? by Mara Bergman, illustrations by Nick Maland (onomatopoeia again)
New Dinos written by Shelley Tanaka, illustrated by Alan Barnard (nonfiction book- They really have discovered a lot more about dinosaurs since we were kids.)
The Flea's Sneeze by Lynn Downey, illustrated by Karla Firehammer (cute)
Rolie Polie Olie by William Joyce (I've never seen the cartoon on Disney, but the book is cute. Austin really liked it because the characters are alien robots.)
My Little Sister Ate One Hare by bill Grossman, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes (borderline weird, but it has a funny ending)
The Wheels on the Bus by Maryann Kovalski
Mrs. McNosh Hangs Up Her Wash by Sarah Weeks, pictures by Nadine Bernard Westcott (great for even little ones)
We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury (I just remembered that I told Austin we would go on a bear hunt today. I guess I'd better get off here and go hunting.)
May 24, 2011
More than just a pig in the pond
Book 51:
The Pig in the Pond by Martin Waddell, illustrated by Jill Barton
Here's another one of those weird books that I've run across the past few weeks. The basic storyline is as follows: Neligan's pig really wants to cool off in the pond like the ducks do, but he thinks that pigs don't swim. Finally he jumps in anyways, and all the farm animals are shocked that there is a pig in the pond. As shocked as they all are, none were as shocked as I was when farmer Neligan comes home, strips down naked and jumps in himself. I was very surprised to find a naked old man in one of our library books. Very weird indeed.
The Pig in the Pond by Martin Waddell, illustrated by Jill Barton
Here's another one of those weird books that I've run across the past few weeks. The basic storyline is as follows: Neligan's pig really wants to cool off in the pond like the ducks do, but he thinks that pigs don't swim. Finally he jumps in anyways, and all the farm animals are shocked that there is a pig in the pond. As shocked as they all are, none were as shocked as I was when farmer Neligan comes home, strips down naked and jumps in himself. I was very surprised to find a naked old man in one of our library books. Very weird indeed.
May 23, 2011
On a different note...
For those still wondering how my thyroid biopsy went, I wanted to let you know that it came back benign. No cancer, thankfully.
I wish that were the end of it, but it isn't. The cysts/nodules probably won't go away on their own, so my endocrinologist will continue to monitor their growth every six months. If any of the nodules grow again, they will need to do another biopsy. I will likely have surgery to remove my thyroid at some point in the future, at which point I will start taking thyroid medication.
They also diagnosed me with Hoshimoto's Disease. Boo! for autoimmune disorders.
However, like I said before, no cancer at this point. For that I am very thankful.
I wish that were the end of it, but it isn't. The cysts/nodules probably won't go away on their own, so my endocrinologist will continue to monitor their growth every six months. If any of the nodules grow again, they will need to do another biopsy. I will likely have surgery to remove my thyroid at some point in the future, at which point I will start taking thyroid medication.
They also diagnosed me with Hoshimoto's Disease. Boo! for autoimmune disorders.
However, like I said before, no cancer at this point. For that I am very thankful.
May 22, 2011
Bob Books
Joseph is teaching Austin how to read using Bob Books. He worked as a reading tutor when we first came to Louisville, so he has taken the initiative to work with Austin. I couldn't be more thrilled!
Each box of Bob Books has twelve little books that build upon one another. The first book only uses four sounds M, A, T, S. Austin is currently working on Book 1 and Book 2 and has great enthusiasm.
I recently read something from The Well Trained Mind that changed my perspective on teaching a child to read and write.
I was encouraged to read this. Austin, for example, has very poor fine motor skills. He cannot color in the lines or draw recognizable pictures yet. However, he shows enthusiasm for reading, and he knows all his letters and their sounds. We are foraging ahead with reading. His motor skills will catch up.
Each box of Bob Books has twelve little books that build upon one another. The first book only uses four sounds M, A, T, S. Austin is currently working on Book 1 and Book 2 and has great enthusiasm.
I recently read something from The Well Trained Mind that changed my perspective on teaching a child to read and write.
Some good phonics programs insist that you combine writing with reading and tell you not to progress on until the child is able to both read and write sat, fat, bat, from dictation. I think this tends to frustrate very young readers. Your goal is to get the child to read quickly, easily, and early. Many children are ready to read before they have the muscular coordination to write as fast as they can learn to read. I have done the reading and writing drills separately until first grade. Teach one letter (always do capital and small letter before going to next letter) at a time.. you can just go through the alphabet, or you can follow the order in your primer, going back to the beginning with the writing, but forging ahead with the reading. It is important to closely supervise the forming of the letters in the beginning. It is more work to break incorrect habits later.
I was encouraged to read this. Austin, for example, has very poor fine motor skills. He cannot color in the lines or draw recognizable pictures yet. However, he shows enthusiasm for reading, and he knows all his letters and their sounds. We are foraging ahead with reading. His motor skills will catch up.
May 19, 2011
Halfway To Our Goal! (Books 47-50)
Top Pic:
Duck in the Truck by Jez Alborough (Great book! Funny storyline, lots of rhyming words)
Less Impressive Reads:
Can I help? by Marilyn Janovitz (about a little wolf who tries so hard to be helpful)
Drummer Hoff adapted by Barbara Emberley, illustrated by Ed Emberley (Caldecott Medal winner- I wasn't very impressed. Although, if you are studying about canons used for war, you might be interested in this one.)
I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie by Alison Jackson, pictures by Judith Byron Schachner (I thought this was going to be really funny, but it was just strange. At the end of each page, after the old lady ate something outrageous, it would state "Perhaps she'll die." Austin and I were both uncomfortable with this, but I thought it would have a clever ending or something. Instead.... The old lady becomes a blimp at the Thanksgiving Day parade. Not sure if it was suppose to be funny or some kind of wise crack about obesity. Austin and I both thought it was pretty weird.)
Duck in the Truck by Jez Alborough (Great book! Funny storyline, lots of rhyming words)
Less Impressive Reads:
Can I help? by Marilyn Janovitz (about a little wolf who tries so hard to be helpful)
Drummer Hoff adapted by Barbara Emberley, illustrated by Ed Emberley (Caldecott Medal winner- I wasn't very impressed. Although, if you are studying about canons used for war, you might be interested in this one.)
I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie by Alison Jackson, pictures by Judith Byron Schachner (I thought this was going to be really funny, but it was just strange. At the end of each page, after the old lady ate something outrageous, it would state "Perhaps she'll die." Austin and I were both uncomfortable with this, but I thought it would have a clever ending or something. Instead.... The old lady becomes a blimp at the Thanksgiving Day parade. Not sure if it was suppose to be funny or some kind of wise crack about obesity. Austin and I both thought it was pretty weird.)
May 18, 2011
Silly Frog (Book 46)
Ribbit! by Bender & Bender
This is an adorable spiral bound book that has tri-cut pages so you can "flip and see who froggy can be." There are more than 3,000 silly combinations with different hats, facial expressions and clothing to choose from. I highly recommend it.
May 17, 2011
Some Grown Up Books
Joseph has been blogging lately, so I thought I would share the links to some of his recent book reviews. One is a book about homeschooling, and the other is about public schools.
http://josephgould.wordpress.com/
http://josephgould.wordpress.com/
May 16, 2011
Cute Boys
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| Barefoot in Tennessee- This city boy loved it! |
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| Easter morning- Austin's train whistle and Dave's rubber ducky. |
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| David enjoyed the Tennessee countryside as well. |
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| Football |
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| Peek-a-Boo |
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| I love that face! |
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| Austin's worm- see earlier post for explanation |
Ever Heard of Onomatopoeia? (Books 38-45)
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| Austin listening to a book on tape. |
39. Storytime: First Tales for Sharing by Stella Blackstone, illustrated by Anne Wilson (volume of 7 stories- Austin really liked this book. There are a lot of words on each page, though, so small listeners might become restless.)
40. The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein (very interesting- true story about a man who tightroped between the World Trade Center Towers when they were being built)
41. A Picture Book of Helen Keller by David A. Adler, illustrated by John & Alexandra Wallner (informative- I had forgotten that Helen Keller was both blind and deaf. Austin got a little bored with this one, though.)
42. The Napping House by Audrey Wood, illustrated by Don Wood (cute story where each page builds on the next; funny ending)
43. Owl Babies by Martin Waddell, illustrated by Patrick Benson (I thought this one had the lamest storyline, but interestingly enough, it was Austin's favorite story of the day.)
44. The Paper Crane by Molly Bang (Japanese folktale- good story)
45. Hot-Air Henry by Mary Calhoun, illustrated by Erick Ingraham (boring)
May 14, 2011
Worms and Dragons are for Boys (Books 28-37)
A few words about worms:
About a month ago, Austin participated in a ZooperKids class at the Louisville Zoo, and the topic was about earthworms and their importance to life at the zoo. Every since, he has been on a worm kick. In fact, he has become quite taken with bugs in general.
A few weeks ago, we found an ugly brown caterpillar that had made its way into our living room. I called Austin over to look at it, and the creature immediately became Austin's pet worm. He carried it around for several hours, and much like Eeyore and his pet caterpillar, they were the best of friends. Then I had to break the news to Austin that he could not keep the worm in the house. He was heartbroken when he had to turn his (nearly dead) worm loose on our deck. He was convinced that it was going to be eaten by a bird. I encouraged him that the worm would be happier in the wild. Since this incident, whenever Austin finds a new "pet" outside, in order to avoid similar heartbreak, I am quick to remind him that he will not be able to bring the creature into the house. We haven't had anymore pets, thankfully.
I saw Austin digging in a pile of rollie pollies the other week out in our courtyard. He let them roll around in his hand.
The locust-like cicadas have emerged in full force in middle Tennessee. Austin thought they were great when we visited our parents last week. He would hold them by their wings with no fear and even let them crawl up his arm. Ugh! I still have horrible memories of being swarmed by these noisy creatures when I mowed the grass as a teenager. (They come out every 14 years, I think.)
Austin held a "skeeter eater" (those ugly bugs that look like giant mosquitos) by one leg at my parent's house.
He tried to play with a beetle type bug that must have come in through my mom's screen door. (I quickly informed him that we do not play with anything that resembles a roach. Yuck!)
A year ago, Austin would have been scared of any of the above mentioned creatures. He is becoming more of a boy, and it is fun to watch. (even if bugs are gross to me, a girl)
Favorites books from this week:
Thesaurus Rex written by Laya Steinberg, illustrated by Debbie Harter (cartoonish pictures, introduces new words like foraging and frolic)
About dinosaurs: Austin's new thing is Godzilla. Joseph found a big box of unopened Godzilla toys at his parent's house that he had collected as a child, and it was like Christmas morning when he gave them to Austin. Joseph really likes it when Austin shows interest in the things that he liked as a kid- Godzilla, Star Wars, Mario, etc.
The Dragons are Singing Tonight poems by Jack Prelutsky, pictures by Peter Sis (I was very impressed with the quality of the writing in this one. Great vocabulary words- amiable, disparage, plume of fire, ferocious, maneuvers, pallid blue, cacophonous chorus, once upon a happenstance, miserable brute, talons designed to dismember.... You get the idea. The illustrations are like something you might see as a print on someone's wall. I highly recommend this for preschool aged boys, and even older boys.)
Since we are talking about dragons, have you see the movie How to Train Your Dragon? Very good movie. Joseph even liked it.
Other books we read this week:
Martha Speaks by Susan Meddaugh (The original story behind the PBS show.)
Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin, pictures by Harry Bliss (Austin listened to this one on an audio cd and followed along with the book.)
Do You Want to Be My Friend? By Eric Carle (The best thing about Carle are his illustrations. This book only has a total of 8 words. It would be good for little babies, too.)
Worm Gets a Job by Kathy Caple (comic book style- Austin is on a worm kick. He picked this one out.)
Let's Go Home, Little Bear by Martin Waddell, illustrated by Barbara Firth (along the lines of Goodnight Moon)
Chicken Soup with Rice by Maurice Sendak
Pierre a cautionary tale in Five Chapters and a Prologue by Maurice Sendak
The Story Tree: Tales to Read Aloud retold by Hugh Lupton, illustrated by Sophie Fatus (seven classic stories from around the world)
If you've made it to the end of this post, you must be a good friend, so I'll let you know that I am having a biopsy performed on my thyroid Monday morning. It is a very painful procedure, which I have endured 3 times before, and I would appreciate your prayers. The biopsy will determine if the cysts on my thyroid are cancerous and/or whether or not I need to have surgery to remove my thyroid. I would like to keep my thyroid since it is still functional, so please pray that the biopsy comes back normal. Also, pray that the procedure would be quick and as comfortable as possible. Thanks!
About a month ago, Austin participated in a ZooperKids class at the Louisville Zoo, and the topic was about earthworms and their importance to life at the zoo. Every since, he has been on a worm kick. In fact, he has become quite taken with bugs in general.
A few weeks ago, we found an ugly brown caterpillar that had made its way into our living room. I called Austin over to look at it, and the creature immediately became Austin's pet worm. He carried it around for several hours, and much like Eeyore and his pet caterpillar, they were the best of friends. Then I had to break the news to Austin that he could not keep the worm in the house. He was heartbroken when he had to turn his (nearly dead) worm loose on our deck. He was convinced that it was going to be eaten by a bird. I encouraged him that the worm would be happier in the wild. Since this incident, whenever Austin finds a new "pet" outside, in order to avoid similar heartbreak, I am quick to remind him that he will not be able to bring the creature into the house. We haven't had anymore pets, thankfully.
I saw Austin digging in a pile of rollie pollies the other week out in our courtyard. He let them roll around in his hand.
The locust-like cicadas have emerged in full force in middle Tennessee. Austin thought they were great when we visited our parents last week. He would hold them by their wings with no fear and even let them crawl up his arm. Ugh! I still have horrible memories of being swarmed by these noisy creatures when I mowed the grass as a teenager. (They come out every 14 years, I think.)
Austin held a "skeeter eater" (those ugly bugs that look like giant mosquitos) by one leg at my parent's house.
He tried to play with a beetle type bug that must have come in through my mom's screen door. (I quickly informed him that we do not play with anything that resembles a roach. Yuck!)
A year ago, Austin would have been scared of any of the above mentioned creatures. He is becoming more of a boy, and it is fun to watch. (even if bugs are gross to me, a girl)
Favorites books from this week:
Thesaurus Rex written by Laya Steinberg, illustrated by Debbie Harter (cartoonish pictures, introduces new words like foraging and frolic)
About dinosaurs: Austin's new thing is Godzilla. Joseph found a big box of unopened Godzilla toys at his parent's house that he had collected as a child, and it was like Christmas morning when he gave them to Austin. Joseph really likes it when Austin shows interest in the things that he liked as a kid- Godzilla, Star Wars, Mario, etc.
The Dragons are Singing Tonight poems by Jack Prelutsky, pictures by Peter Sis (I was very impressed with the quality of the writing in this one. Great vocabulary words- amiable, disparage, plume of fire, ferocious, maneuvers, pallid blue, cacophonous chorus, once upon a happenstance, miserable brute, talons designed to dismember.... You get the idea. The illustrations are like something you might see as a print on someone's wall. I highly recommend this for preschool aged boys, and even older boys.)
Since we are talking about dragons, have you see the movie How to Train Your Dragon? Very good movie. Joseph even liked it.
Other books we read this week:
Martha Speaks by Susan Meddaugh (The original story behind the PBS show.)
Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin, pictures by Harry Bliss (Austin listened to this one on an audio cd and followed along with the book.)
Do You Want to Be My Friend? By Eric Carle (The best thing about Carle are his illustrations. This book only has a total of 8 words. It would be good for little babies, too.)
Worm Gets a Job by Kathy Caple (comic book style- Austin is on a worm kick. He picked this one out.)
Let's Go Home, Little Bear by Martin Waddell, illustrated by Barbara Firth (along the lines of Goodnight Moon)
Chicken Soup with Rice by Maurice Sendak
Pierre a cautionary tale in Five Chapters and a Prologue by Maurice Sendak
The Story Tree: Tales to Read Aloud retold by Hugh Lupton, illustrated by Sophie Fatus (seven classic stories from around the world)
If you've made it to the end of this post, you must be a good friend, so I'll let you know that I am having a biopsy performed on my thyroid Monday morning. It is a very painful procedure, which I have endured 3 times before, and I would appreciate your prayers. The biopsy will determine if the cysts on my thyroid are cancerous and/or whether or not I need to have surgery to remove my thyroid. I would like to keep my thyroid since it is still functional, so please pray that the biopsy comes back normal. Also, pray that the procedure would be quick and as comfortable as possible. Thanks!
May 6, 2011
The Beauty of Productivity (Books 26-27)
Wow, have I been productive this morning! After rising at 5:00 a.m., I have gotten myself ready for the day, read my Bible, got the kids up, fed and dressed, ran three loads of laundry, vacuumed, swept and mopped, cleaned the kitchen and bathroom and checked my email. And, it's not even 9:30 yet! (I normally hit the snooze for awhile, but I set three alarms today, which got me out of bed a little quicker than usual!)
We are going on vacation next week, so I'm trying to get everything in order before we leave. Joseph and I have never both had a whole week off work at the same time, so this is going to be great!
Here's the books we read yesterday:
26. Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs written by Judi Barrett and drawn by Ron Barrett (There is also a movie with the same title. Basically, there is a town where it rains food. Pretty entertaining for a toddler or preschooler.)
27. Town Mouse, Country Mouse by Jan Brett (Austin's first introduction to this classic tale. This version was a bit wordy, but it had nice illustrations.)
We are going on vacation next week, so I'm trying to get everything in order before we leave. Joseph and I have never both had a whole week off work at the same time, so this is going to be great!
Here's the books we read yesterday:
26. Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs written by Judi Barrett and drawn by Ron Barrett (There is also a movie with the same title. Basically, there is a town where it rains food. Pretty entertaining for a toddler or preschooler.)
27. Town Mouse, Country Mouse by Jan Brett (Austin's first introduction to this classic tale. This version was a bit wordy, but it had nice illustrations.)
May 5, 2011
Resources for Choosing Children's Books (#20-25)
How do I go about picking books to check out from the library?
Sometimes I let Austin pick some off the shelves. (This is usually overwhelming, though, since good books are mixed in with not-so-good books.) More often, I do an online search for books relating to topics that interest him. I also found this PBS website that gives lists of age appropriate books on different topics. Then I see if our library has the book, and I reserve it online. Then the library notifies me when it is ready to be picked up.
The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease highlights some interesting research about the importance of exposing children to WORDS, and lots of them. It also has lists of recommended books in the back, which is a good starting place if you don't know which children's books are classics and which ones are duds.
Mysteries of the Komodo Dragon by Marty Crump (a non-fiction book- very interesting facts and pictures about real "dragons")
Math for All Seasons by Greg Tang (would be great for school aged kids learning to add and subtract)
Madlenka's Dog by Peter Sis (about a girl and her "imaginary" dog- I had an imaginary friend as a girl. Didn't you?)
Moses Goes to a Concert by Isaac Millman (about a class full of deaf children who listen to a concert through its vibrations- easy segway into talking with Austin about those who aren't able to hear)
Top Picks:
Lucy's Picture by Nicola Moon (I actually got teary eyed at the end when I realized that her grandfather was blind. This was a great way to teach Austin about what it means to be blind.)
What a Wonderful World illustrations by Ashley Bryan (the words of Louis Armstrong's famous song put to pictures- beautiful! Shows children of different skin colors.)
The PBS website gave me the option to search for books about people with special needs, which is why we read the books about the blind man and the deaf children. Until I saw those books, I never really thought about teaching Austin about people with special needs. I certainly wouldn't have thought to look for a children's book about it. What great resources to teach children while they are young so these handicaps don't seem so strange to them when they are older.
Sometimes I let Austin pick some off the shelves. (This is usually overwhelming, though, since good books are mixed in with not-so-good books.) More often, I do an online search for books relating to topics that interest him. I also found this PBS website that gives lists of age appropriate books on different topics. Then I see if our library has the book, and I reserve it online. Then the library notifies me when it is ready to be picked up.
The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease highlights some interesting research about the importance of exposing children to WORDS, and lots of them. It also has lists of recommended books in the back, which is a good starting place if you don't know which children's books are classics and which ones are duds.
Mysteries of the Komodo Dragon by Marty Crump (a non-fiction book- very interesting facts and pictures about real "dragons")
Math for All Seasons by Greg Tang (would be great for school aged kids learning to add and subtract)
Madlenka's Dog by Peter Sis (about a girl and her "imaginary" dog- I had an imaginary friend as a girl. Didn't you?)
Moses Goes to a Concert by Isaac Millman (about a class full of deaf children who listen to a concert through its vibrations- easy segway into talking with Austin about those who aren't able to hear)
Top Picks:
Lucy's Picture by Nicola Moon (I actually got teary eyed at the end when I realized that her grandfather was blind. This was a great way to teach Austin about what it means to be blind.)
What a Wonderful World illustrations by Ashley Bryan (the words of Louis Armstrong's famous song put to pictures- beautiful! Shows children of different skin colors.)
The PBS website gave me the option to search for books about people with special needs, which is why we read the books about the blind man and the deaf children. Until I saw those books, I never really thought about teaching Austin about people with special needs. I certainly wouldn't have thought to look for a children's book about it. What great resources to teach children while they are young so these handicaps don't seem so strange to them when they are older.
May 4, 2011
Take Advantage of your Local Library
If you haven't noticed, I'm a big fan of the public library system. We participate in the Summer Reading Program each year, and we have started going to the weekly story hour. They also have special activities throughout the summer months. Austin will get to participate in a special program this summer for kids heading into kindergarten.
The special events and story hours are great, but I have found the best thing about our library system is that I can request specific books online and pick them up at the front desk of my local library (within walking distance!). I don't have to wait for books to show up on the shelves, and if I want to seach for books on a certain topic, I can do it from the comfort of my own laptop. It's great!
Moral of the story- Make use of your local public library. Your tax dollars pay for it, so you might as well use it!
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| Inside the children's castle at the library |
The special events and story hours are great, but I have found the best thing about our library system is that I can request specific books online and pick them up at the front desk of my local library (within walking distance!). I don't have to wait for books to show up on the shelves, and if I want to seach for books on a certain topic, I can do it from the comfort of my own laptop. It's great!
Moral of the story- Make use of your local public library. Your tax dollars pay for it, so you might as well use it!
May 3, 2011
Factorial Anyone? Books 16-19
I learned something new today.
10! is pronounced "ten factorial" which means 10x9x8x7x6x5x4x3x2x1 =3,628,800
Likewise, 4! would be 4x3x2x1, etc.
Now, I made an A in high school calculus and aced the AP exam, but I don't remember learning about factorials. I'm sure I did at some point, but it was like learning it all afresh today when Austin and I read Anno's Mysterious Multiplying Jar by Masaichiro and Mitsumasa Anno. Such a fun way to teach math! I definitely recommend it.
Cir Cumference and the First Round Table: A Math Adventure by Cindy Neuschwander is another great math story. (about King Arthur and the "round table")
Paul Bunyan, a tall tale retold and illustrated by Steven Kellogg was a fun read as well.
Splash! by Ann Jonas was a simple counting book (appropriate for children learning to count- Austin enjoyed it)
Note about Kindergarten: For those who care enough to read my blog, you will probably be interested to know what we plan on doing for school in the Fall. While it is not carved in stone, we are intending to send Austin to the public school nearest to our home, Field Elementary. It is supposed to be one of the best schools in Louisville, and it has a good principal. We are also happy that the school is only about a mile away- we could walk him to school some days if the weather is nice!
Even though this decision has kept me up at night recently, now that we have a plan, I am relieved and actually excited about sending Austin to school!
Stay tuned to our blog throughout the summer as we read lots of books and start teaching Austin to read.
10! is pronounced "ten factorial" which means 10x9x8x7x6x5x4x3x2x1 =3,628,800
Likewise, 4! would be 4x3x2x1, etc.
Now, I made an A in high school calculus and aced the AP exam, but I don't remember learning about factorials. I'm sure I did at some point, but it was like learning it all afresh today when Austin and I read Anno's Mysterious Multiplying Jar by Masaichiro and Mitsumasa Anno. Such a fun way to teach math! I definitely recommend it.
Cir Cumference and the First Round Table: A Math Adventure by Cindy Neuschwander is another great math story. (about King Arthur and the "round table")
Paul Bunyan, a tall tale retold and illustrated by Steven Kellogg was a fun read as well.
Splash! by Ann Jonas was a simple counting book (appropriate for children learning to count- Austin enjoyed it)
Note about Kindergarten: For those who care enough to read my blog, you will probably be interested to know what we plan on doing for school in the Fall. While it is not carved in stone, we are intending to send Austin to the public school nearest to our home, Field Elementary. It is supposed to be one of the best schools in Louisville, and it has a good principal. We are also happy that the school is only about a mile away- we could walk him to school some days if the weather is nice!
Even though this decision has kept me up at night recently, now that we have a plan, I am relieved and actually excited about sending Austin to school!
Stay tuned to our blog throughout the summer as we read lots of books and start teaching Austin to read.
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