Open Discussion Forum

Hi All,

The Early Math Interest Forum (EMIF) facilitators sponsor a Math Picture Book of the Month post for the Hello community. Here was the first post. Check out the second one below.

I recently became a grandmother-or Gigi as I'm hoping my grandson will call me. My grandson was born on the birthday of his uncle Charles whom we call Chas. It felt right for my grandson to be named after the uncle with whom he shares a birthday-17 years apart. It gives them a special bond. Names are a big deal in our family. We stick with family names for the most part. Baby Charles was named after his uncle but also his great grandfather, his great-great grandfather, and half a dozen great-great uncles. It's a classic!

In the book I'm sharing this month, Alma and How She Got Her Name, by Juana Martinez-Neal, Alma Sofia Esperanza José Pura Candela feels she has far too many names: six! Yet as she learns the story of her name, Alma realizes that it is a history of where she came from and whom she may one day be. This 2019 Caldecott Honor Book provides context for discussions about culture, families, and diverse backgrounds that make our classrooms vibrant and unique. Math concepts include:

• Counting items such as letters in a name
• Graphing the number of letters in a name
• Identifying patterns and relationships in data

Suggested activities:

• Students can build towers with one cube for each letter of their names then look for a classmate with a name that is longer, shorter, or the same length.
• Make a bar graph showing the number of letters in students' names. Discuss the graph to make comparisons and look for patterns in the data. For example, what number of letters is most/least common for names of students in the class?
• At home, use an online family history website to learn what names are popular among your ancestors. Are they some that pop up a lot?

I hope you're enjoying some time with loved ones this season and that this book provides a math-rich springboard for sharing about the names in your family tree and in your classroom. Happy Reading!

--Gigi Carrie

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Carrie Cutler
Clinical Assistant Professor
University of Houston
The Woodlands TX
www.carriecutler.com
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What a great book recommendation and suggestions for activities.  Thank you!  And, thank you for sharing your family story.  Congratulations on your new grandson!  Blessings.

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Stephanie Calabrese
Graduate Student
George Mason University
Falls Church VA
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Original Message:
Sent: 12-06-2022 09:52 AM
From: Carrie Cutler
Subject: Math Book of the Month

Hi All,

The Early Math Interest Forum (EMIF) facilitators sponsor a Math Picture Book of the Month post for the Hello community. Here was the first post. Check out the second one below.

I recently became a grandmother-or Gigi as I'm hoping my grandson will call me. My grandson was born on the birthday of his uncle Charles whom we call Chas. It felt right for my grandson to be named after the uncle with whom he shares a birthday-17 years apart. It gives them a special bond. Names are a big deal in our family. We stick with family names for the most part. Baby Charles was named after his uncle but also his great grandfather, his great-great grandfather, and half a dozen great-great uncles. It's a classic!

In the book I'm sharing this month, Alma and How She Got Her Name, by Juana Martinez-Neal, Alma Sofia Esperanza José Pura Candela feels she has far too many names: six! Yet as she learns the story of her name, Alma realizes that it is a history of where she came from and whom she may one day be. This 2019 Caldecott Honor Book provides context for discussions about culture, families, and diverse backgrounds that make our classrooms vibrant and unique. Math concepts include:

• Counting items such as letters in a name
• Graphing the number of letters in a name
• Identifying patterns and relationships in data

Suggested activities:

• Students can build towers with one cube for each letter of their names then look for a classmate with a name that is longer, shorter, or the same length.
• Make a bar graph showing the number of letters in students' names. Discuss the graph to make comparisons and look for patterns in the data. For example, what number of letters is most/least common for names of students in the class?
• At home, use an online family history website to learn what names are popular among your ancestors. Are they some that pop up a lot?

I hope you're enjoying some time with loved ones this season and that this book provides a math-rich springboard for sharing about the names in your family tree and in your classroom. Happy Reading!

--Gigi Carrie

------------------------------
Carrie Cutler
Clinical Assistant Professor
University of Houston
The Woodlands TX
www.carriecutler.com
------------------------------