EDRE 3287 Matching Books with Learners

Known as the human computer, Shakuntala Devi, once said, “Without mathematics, there is nothing you can do. Everything around you is mathematics. Everything around you is numbers.” I don’t agree with everything Devi said, but I think there are some important ideas one can gain from her perspective on mathematics.   The main idea I can agree on is the importance of a basic understanding of mathematics for children to be able to one day contribute to society. In close proximity to the importance of reading, mathematics can be very complicated for people of all ages, but there are supports that can help with understanding mathematical terminology. One type of assistance is through books such as the book called, “Sir Cumference and the Round Table” written by Cindy Neuschwander and Wayne Geeham.           The book takes children back in time to Camelot when King Arthur ruled. King Arthur had a problem in that everyone at his table had to shout to be heard which caused their throats to

Benjamin Franklin was a great man who was also a founding father of the United States of America and when he was struck by lightning while chasing it, he said it provided:         “a universal blow throughout my whole body from head to foot, which seemed within as well as without; after which the first thing I took notice of was a violent quick shaking of my body.” Now imagine being struck by lightning yourself. How do you think it would feel? Would you feel about the same as Franklin did? The book, “Storms” by Seymour Simon provides great detail on lightning and its effects, as well as many other aspects of numerous storms.            Storms are something that we often encounter, and they are something I have wondered about myself. Seymour examines many different storms like thunderstorms, tornadoes, hailstorms, and hurricanes, while providing a clear understanding of how these storms are formed and their effects on Earth. An excerpt from the book includes, "Each year,