Early Math Project

Topics: comparison, counting, shape recognition

​

Activities To Do Together: 

Use the book Soup Day to explore how math is related to the art of cooking. Cooking provides many mathematical opportunities that include measurement, fractions, ratios, and time.

​

As you read the book together:

• Compare the seven ingredients in the basket. Talk about how the ingredients are similar and different. What do the parsley, zucchini, and celery have in common? Which ingredients are long and narrow? Which are round? How are celery, carrots, and parsley alike? How are they different?

• Notice the different shapes of the chopped vegetables. What shape was the cut zucchini? The cut carrot?

• The vegetables were used to make one pot of soup. Talk about how many vegetables would be needed to make two pots of soup and three pots of soup.

• Talk about the foods your family eats during different times of the year. What do you like to eat when the weather is cold? When the weather is hot? Does the time of year make a difference in what you like to eat? 

​

When you are done reading Soup Day:

• Ask your child to tell you about the steps involved with soup making. What happens first, second, next, and last? 

• Make the recipe for Snowy Day Vegetable Soup at the end of the story or make another favorite recipe. 

• Talk about kitchen safety with hot and sharp objects. 

• Explore and compare different measuring tools. The story recipe uses tablespoons, teaspoons, cups, 1/2 cups, and 1/4 cups. How do these units of measurement compare to each other? 

• Learn what the weight of an ounce feels like. Estimate an ounce of rice, an ounce of pasta, or an ounce of chocolate chips. Test with a kitchen scale to see if your estimate is close. 

​

Please check out the Book Guide for Soup Day for more!

​

Online External Resources for Soup Day:

• Coming Soon!