Math At The Zoo

In this entertaining volume, a class trip to the zoo is the backdrop for introducing and reviewing foundational math concepts such as comparing quantities, sizes, and lengths. Readers will love seeing their favorite animals such as tigers, giraffes, penguins, monkeys, and even a baby koala! They’ll be encouraged to recognize mathematics in similar situations in their own lives.

The work for this book began with a course I created and taught called Animal Behavior. I always knew that there was a strong magnetic bond between people and animals, but it wasn't until I began working on my curriculum that I truly found out how strong this bond really was. Millions of people, young and old, will visit zoos and aquariums each year. People stand in front of the animals, hypnotized by the every movement of the animal. People seemed to be looking not just at the animal, but almost as if they were looking inside these animals, wondering and questioning about the lives of some of our most distant animal relatives. In my classroom, I found the exact same kinds of responses. The discussions and questions of my students motivated me to share with you the lives and abilities of some of the most amazing living creatures in the world. People realize that humans are also animals, but the belief that we have superior intelligence and problem solving abilities makes us think we are far superior to all of the rest of our Animal World. As I began to learn more and lead my student discussions, I soon realized that maybe our intelligence was the only thing that we really did have in our superiority over the rest of our animal relatives. I began to look into the idea of comparing humans to animals in a wide variety of behaviors and activities, and soon a brand new window into the REAL world of animals began to open up. I soon realized that even the most "insignificant" animals in our world were really superstars when compared to humans. By using math, we are able to truly get a comparison of animals and how they relate to our own human abilities. As I began to create the problems and "do-the-math," it became very evident, that I began to get the responses that I had hoped for. I soon began to call these responses, the "Wow factor." A number of times, the teachers that have worked on the problems would actually go back and do the problems a second time because "there has to be a mistake" or "no way that this can be true." There were no mistakes and the math did not lie. The math allowed us to look at the animals in a totally different way. I hope that you too will be amazed and "wowed" by some of these amazing animals that we share our world with.

Learning math with zoo animals.

Introduces basic concepts of mathematics using zoo animals as examples.

Have you ever wondered how long a giraffe's tongue is? To find the answer to this question and many more, join the family in this book on a trip to the zoo. Use objects like cubes and scales to measure how tall, short, big, or small the animals at the zoo are.

Join two friendly and funny robots, Beep and Boots, as they learn all about time and discover that math is everywhere they look. Beep and Boots are looking forward to a day out at the zoo, especially getting to see their favorite animal – the giraffe. But they have to keep an eye on the time else they’ll miss feeding time! It’s all too easy to get distracted by lions, tigers, and tasty snacks – 15 minutes here, half an hour there! Pretty soon, Beep and Boots realize they might be late. Will they make it to the giraffe enclosure in time? This fun and educational math book for children features: - A fun and engaging introduction to telling the time for children aged 5-7. - Lively illustrations and rhyming text that brings the characters and math topics to life. - Key math topics including shapes, time, measurements, division, and fractions – all essential learning for this age group. - Illustrations that are in a non-gendered color palette, making the traditionally male subject relatable for all genders. - A relatable storyline for young readers, encouraging them to look for math in their homes and environments, and seeing how, often without even knowing it, they use math everyday. Characterful illustrations and rhyming text bring Beep and Boots to life. Children aged 5–7 will love seeing the adventures the robot duo go on and will learn key mathematical concepts concerning time in a gentle, fun way, including telling the time and hours, minutes, and seconds. Questions at the end of the book reinforce learning and encourage kids to look at the math they can see in the world around them. At DK, we believe in the power of discovery. So why stop there? The Math Adventurers series uses everyday scenarios to show how math is all around us, making this difficult subject more accessible. If you loved The Math Adventurers: A Day at the Zoo, then you’ll love The Math Adventurers: Chip and Christine Build a Friendship!

The inspiration for this book began when I was teaching a high school class called Animal Behavior. This was an elective Science class that combined Biology, Zoology, Psychology, and Sociology. During the course we would talk about a variety of different animals and the different behaviors that they would exhibit. One of the goals that I would always try to do is show the students how amazing or truly "unbelievable" some of these animals really were. People very seldom think of themselves as being a part of the animal world, and when we do we only think of how we are so superior to all of the rest. I soon realized that when I "put the math" to some of these human-animal comparisons, it was as if a whole new window opened up to the World of Animals. These math problems showed us just how awe inspiring animals really are.

When a young girl makes a trip to the zoo with her aunt, she amuses herself by comparing the numbers of different groups of animals that she sees.