Mathstart A Fair Bear Share Level 2

Blue Ribbon Blueberry Pie. If the bear cubs gather enough nuts, seeds and blueberries, Mama Bear has agreed to make her special, lip-smacking-good pie. Each time they fill their baskets, the cubs count berries, seeds and nuts by putting them in groups of tens and ones to see if they have enough for pie. Everyday activities such as sharing a meal, sorting socks and getting ready for school can be part of learning math. In the MathStart Series, everyday life is the basis for each entertaining story. Simple math concepts are embedded in each story so that young children can intuitively understand them. Adults can use the creative suggestions for activities in the back of each book to extend learning opportunities with children. Developmentally appropriate and correlated to school grade levels and the curriculum standards of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, MathStart can give children a head start!Blue Ribbon Blueberry Pie is the best-but do these bear cubs have enough ingredients to bake one? Regrouping their berries, nuts, and seeds by tens and ones reveals that one cub has not done her fair bear share. John Speirs's irresistible bear cubs make this lesson in regrouping one children will enjoy. Blue Ribbon Blueberry Pie is the best-but do these bear cubs have enough ingredients to bake one? Regrouping their berries, nuts, and seeds by tens and ones reveals that one cub has not done her fair bear share. John Speirs's irresistible bear cubs make this lesson in regrouping one children will enjoy. Editorial Reviews From School Library Journal Kindergarten-Grade 2AIn this math lesson in story form, four bear cubs gather nuts, then blueberries, and finally seeds for their mother's Blue Ribbon Blueberry Pie. All of the contents of their baskets are then placed in sets of 10; because only three did their fair share of the work, a tally of the ingredients shows that there aren't enough for the pie. Then the fourth little cub runs to collect everything and a recount, again in sets of 10s, shows that there are now enough nuts, berries, and seeds for mother's dessert. Each will get a fair bear share. The addition problems are clearly shown. Each bear's items are shown in numeral, pictorial, and word form, although the final addition is just in numeral form. A two-page appendix gives suggestions of more things to count in everyday life such as cars, crayons, kitchen supplies, and even trees and dogs. This seems a bit heavy-handed for the story, yet too slim for those needing an explanatory math text and practice. It will serve caregivers and teachers who need to kickstart their common-sense teaching skills.ANancy A. Gifford, Schenectady County Public Library, NY Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. About the Author Stuart J. Murphy is a visual learning specialist. A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, he has a strong background in design and art direction. He also has extensive experience in the world of educational publishing. Drawing on all these talents, Stuart J. Murphy brings a unique perspective to the MathStart series. In MathStart books, pictures do more than tell stories; they teach math. Stuart J. Murphy and his wife, Nancy, live in Boston.