Preparing Young Children for Math by Claudia ZaslavskyReview by: Tommie A. WestThe Arithmetic Teacher, Vol. 28, No. 1 (September 1980), p. 57Published by: National Council of Teachers of MathematicsStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41189363 .

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learning that can constitute a mathematics pro- gram at the kindergarten level and of how mathematics can be incorporated into the day of the kindergartener.

Three chapters contain activities. Chapter 2 lists all the objectives that are addressed in the activities.

Preparing Young Children for Math. Claudia Zaslavsky. 1979, 139 pp., $10.95. Schocken Books, 200 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016.

This little book, written by Claudia and punc- tuated by the charming line drawings of hus- band, Sam, should be subtitled, "the glory of the ordinary." In it, Zaslavsky lovingly describes simple activities and games which those who deal with young children can use to make "doing mathematics as natural as talking." The objects used to develop mathematical concepts, vocabu- lary and thinking are those present in any home. The directions are simple and clearly written, with the activities grouped into six short chap- ters. The appendix provides a useful assemblage of lists:

Recommended Children's Books Songs and Singing Games Beautiful Junk Commercial Materials Board and Table Games Adult Books and Resources Resource Catalogues

The opening chapter, which is addressed to the parent of the young child, should be given to every young (and those not-so-young, too) par- ent. Without knowing the Zaslavskys' back- ground, one would guess that this is a book de- scribing many of the things they did with their own children - and probably with their grand- children, if they have any.

Skateboard Practice: Multiplication Division. Peggy McLean and Mary Lay- cöck. 1980, 64 pp., $4.95. Activity Resources Company, Inc., P.O. Box 4875, Hayward, С А 94540.

Cuisenaire rods and base-ten blocks are used to build models for division and multiplication in this lab-text exercise booklet. Although the in- tent is admirable, the execution is lacking. It is really not clear who is the intended audience for this publication. If it is a self-discovery text, the directions are neither adequate nor clear for chil- dren or teachers. For example, on the first page, the student is instructed to "build piles for X" and "break into piles for -?-," and shown a dia- gram like the following:

О О О 4x3 18 -s- 3 3x3 12 ̂ 3 5X3 9-нЗ

Students who interpret 4 X 3 as "four threes" will be nonplussed by the appearance of three rings.

The book also lacks an overall plan and se- quence. It appears to be a collection of odds and ends concerning multiplication and division. The exercises and pages are not well ordered. The page following one on three-digit multiplication and division contains an activity showing multi- ples of 3 using a meter stick, Cuisenaire rods, and a hundred-square chart.

The text also suffers from poor graphics. Much of it is hand-lettered in felt-tipped pen, although there are a couple of pages of type-set text and one which is typewritten. Directions and descrip- tive material should be type-set, with examples hand-lettered.

Although this publication has some interesting ideas, it would be tremendously improved if teacher comments were supplied for teacher-di- rected activities, which were then followed by exercise worksheets. It looks like a publication pulled a little too green.

The Tokyo Puzzles. КоЪоп Fußmura. Martin Gardner, ed. 1979, 184 pp., $3.95. Charles Scribner's Sons, 597 Fifth Avenue, New York 10017.

That mathematics is indeed the universal lan- guage, is attested by this English translation of the Japanese work, Paruzu, Parusu, Paruzu.

This is a collection of ninety-eight puzzles, largely classical, which have been dressed up in Japanese garb for the Japanese puzzle enthusi- ast. Each of the puzzles is presented on a single page, with solutions to all puzzles given at the end of the book. Line drawings from the original text illustrate many of the puzzles either aestheti- cally or functionally, and help the reader visual- ize the problem situations.

All of the problems are simply and clearly stated. In the set are included matchstick, coin measurement, card, and mental arithmetic, and geometric problems. The teacher who wishes to "enrich" a program by including problems in logical thinking will find this a useful addition to the resource shelf. The book would also make a great gift for the young mathematically talented.

Visual Masters for Informal Geome- try. J. D. Gawronski, G. R. Prigge, and К. E. Vos. 1979, $11. J. Weston Walch, Publisher, Box 658, Portland, ME 04104.

A suitable subtitle for this set of single sheets might well be "Euclid According to Socrates," for the fifty sheets of assorted geometric graphics presented in this collection are accompanied by corresponding pages of questions and answers a la the Socratic method.

Sample questions and answers, "Point, Line, Line Segment" (p. xiii)

What is represented by the capital letter Ä*? The point K. A point is not a defined term. A point has location. The idea of a point is rep- resented by a dot.

What is represented by the figure with point A andtf? A line A B. A line is also not a defined term. A line is represented by a figure that extends in-

definitely without a limit, in opposite direc- tions.

Sample graphics, "Point, Line, Line Segment" (P- 1) .K

** А В

*

The set of visual masters is prefaced by a table of contents and an eight-page glossary of terms. Copy permission is granted for student use.

A Young GeniUS in Old Egypt. Beatrice Lumpkin. 1979, 22 pp., $2.50. Dusable Mu- seum, 740 East 56th Place, Chicago, IL 60637.

It is unfortunate that this delightful little booklet is not published in hard cover for it will find a welcome place on the shelves of the children's li- brary or as a resident of the classroom. It is the story of a young boy, Senefer, who lived in an- cient Egypt. Charmingly told and cleverly illus- trated, it presents an explanation of the Egyptian system of numeration and how it is used in com- putation. The Egyptian method of duplation is described here along with a description of how the obelisks were raised.

Not only should this little book prove to be of interest to children who are doing a unit on Egypt but also it should be a delightful read- aloud book for younger learners.

The book is published by the Dusable Mu- seum of Afro- American History. Its purpose is to depict the contribution of the African people of Egypt to world culture.

next month In The Arithmetic Toeacher Look for -

• the second article in the NAEP se- ries, this one on students' atti- tudes toward mathematics;

• the first of a series of editorials re- lated to NCTM's recommendations for school mathematics in the 1 980s.

September 1980 57

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