...Bloggers, & Other cool Bookish People
I have a mission that I need your help on. In case you didn't know I'm a seventh grade math teacher (eighth grade too if you count my Pre-AP class) and I LOVE to read (hence the book blog), which my students find quite odd. Though they are loving my book recommendations and it really helps those reluctant in math to relax a little.
Anyway, in a random conversation with my students yesterday, the topic of math in reading and writing was brought up (it was started with the "why so I need to know this? "when will I ever use math?"..you know the drill....i've been there, oh how I HATED geometric proofs). I preceded to mention a couple books where I though math played a role, even if it was an indirect role, there was math there.
For example, in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, they had to use math to calculate the point for the house cup. Plus you could even do the math to find the age of some of the characters. Then there is the game field in Catching Fire, totally math related, but that's all I'll say because I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't read it.
So, the reason for this babble, it that I NEED YOUR HELP to find other books where math (even if used indirectly) is present (even better if it's apporpriate for 7th & 8th graders).
Feel free to also include if you as a writer, editer, publisher, cover art designer, trailer maker, blogger, etc have used math in your work.
I know math is not everyone's favorite subject, but how can you cook your favorite recipe
without seeing a fraction?
Thanks for taking time to read my little challenge and I can't wait to read what you have to share!
I like the Winston Breen books (The Puzzling World of Winston Breen, The Potato Chip Puzzles) - there's math and problem-solving, and the books are clever and well-written.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I'm sure you know about Danica McKellar's work (Math Doesn't Suck) - my husband is a middle-school math teacher, and the girls in his classes love these books to pieces.
I will have to look into the books you mentioned, thanks!
ReplyDeleteI have Danica's first book in my classroom & its checked out to a student. I wish more kids would read her books!
ASHFALL by Mike Mullin makes you feel like an idiot if you didn't pay attention in school or read a lot of non-fiction to know how to survive a post-apocalyptic event. Not math directly, but science for sure, FFA type things, engineering type things, being resourceful for sure with your wits. It does have some cautionary scenes but fits the context of the book. you can see my review and my caveat to educators if interested.
ReplyDeleteMy dad used to always tell me that I wouldn't always have a calculator on me, but now that mobile phones have taken over the world...I win! But not really. I mean, I still have to use math all the time in ways that would be embarrassing to take out my smart phone. Like figuring out 20% on a tip--(or how to be angry and only give 10%). And how to make a batch and a half of frosting because I love frosting without busting out my fractions calculator.
ReplyDeleteAs a writer, though, I was constantly trying to figure out how many miles my character could travel in a day, calculating the speed of his means of transportation (bus, truck, foot, motorcycle) and adding in however many hours he should be sleeping, eating, complaining... And, most recently, was figuring out how many of my books I can afford to buy with my author discount. (: