ANOTHER Picture Book I Would Use in the Classroom

"chalk + sitting = school"

"chalk + jumping = hopscotch"

clever words + lively illustrations = This Plus That: Life's Little Equations

Amy Krouse Rosenthal is the author of this delightful book that adds, subtracts, multiplies, and divides experiences, feelings, challenges, and celebrations. And Jen Corace's fun artwork is the perfect complement!

My dear friend Rebecca Smith gave me this great picture book as a retirement gift, and on the back two pages, she placed white sticky labels so that I could add original equations after reading the book with my grandchildren. Mia, age 8, wrote "Mia + Daddy = Happy". 

To my amusement, I often see similar equations on Facebook and Twitter, and I wish I had written them down so I could share them with you, but I didn't!! The point is that after reading the book with students, they can create equations about their world along with original artwork to illustrate them! 

grumbles + rumbles = hungry for lunch time

12 hours light + 12 hours dark = autumn equinox

This can also be a fun starter or "ender" for older students. Let's say 8th graders have been reading Anne Frank - the play or her diary, and you want students to track and reflect upon the moods, experiences, and writing quality of Miss Frank. To enlist the attention of this "hard-to-engage" age group, assign partners to create life equations for Anne. Some examples might be as follows:

comfort source + confidant = Kitty 

Jews - rights + yellow stars = persecution 

Franks + Van Daans + Dussel + Mouschi = 2 many x 2 years

I hope you'll try this idea on for size, and then share some of your equations and those of your students. In the meantime, take care!