Early Math Project

Back to Children's Literature

Animals on Board

by Stuart J. Murphy

Anno's Counting Book

Where are all the animals going? 

​

 Math Connections: 

           Addition                          Equations

​

Activities to Do Together: 

• Talk about how the numbers, addition signs, and equal signs represent what is happening in the pictures of this story.

• Talk about what it means to be equal. 

• Make your own addition equations. For example, if you have three crayons and four pencils write an equation to show how many objects you have, 3 + 4 = 7. 

• Explore whether 3 + 4 and 4 + 3 equal the same number.

• Talk about why it is correct to write the pencil and crayon problem both of these ways: 7 = 3 + 4 and 3 + 4 = 7.   

• Compare the values of numbers. In this story, five different types of animals were driven to the merry-go-round. Put the number of each type of animal in order from least to greatest.

​

Extension Questions: 

1. Find the pages of the story that show two trucks driving five tigers. Why does 3 + 2 = 5 explain what is happening on these pages. What do the 2, 3, and 5 stand for?

2. What does it mean when something is equal? What is the purpose of the equal sign in the equation 2 + 3 = 5?

3. If 2 + 3 = 5, is it also true that 5 = 3 + 2? Why do you think so? How could you prove you are correct?

4. What are some of the different ways that two trucks could be loaded with 10 horses?

5. Find the pages that show the trucks taking the pandas to the merry-go-round. Why does 9 + 0 = 9 explain what is happening with the two trucks? What is different about the second truck? What do you think that truck is doing?

​

Vocabulary for Building Math Concepts:  

        add, all, another, big, count, eight, finally, five, four, little,

        more, nine, one, seven, six, ten, three, two, zero