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"I love how the stories leave a question to be examined!" Smart Math Stories present big math ideas in rich contexts. Designed to elicit math surprise and stimulate thinking and communication. Full colour. Classroom-tested. Get all 16 Smart Math Stories on CD for as low as $75 for an individual license and $115 for a school-wide license (with interactive content, an easy-to-use button, and switch between English/français with a click of a button) . Or get the Smart Math Stories as 16 book bundle for $96: in English, en français, or as dual language books (English/français). Use the Add to Cart button below. ... or buy them individually below ... |
Math Stories are also available on CD (see demo) - ideal for computers and interactive whiteboards.
Lesson plans
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| Something Odd, Gr. 1-8 ($6) | Making 10, Gr. 1-3 ($6) |
Math insights: Concrete representations of consecutive odd numbers fit to form squares (for example: 1+3+5 make and 3x3 square). What shapes do even numbers make? Grade-specific activities: In grades 1-4: Students use linking cubes to represent consecutive odd numbers as Ls; they notice that the Ls fit to form squares; they repeat this for even numbers and notice the shapes that emerge. In grades 5-8: In addition to the above, students develop algebraic expressions for the sums of odd numbers [NxN] and the sums of even numbers [Nx(N+1)]. In grade 11: The above activities serve as an introduction to the topic of sequences and series. ISBN 978-0-9810927-3-7 |
Math insights: Students are surprised by the staircase patterns that emerge from concrete representations of missing number equations like __ + __ = 10. Explore the patterns below (move slider).
Grade-specific activities: In grades 1-3: Students solve missing number equations like __ + __ = 10. They roll a die to get the first number and calculate the value of the second number; they represent the sums using two different colours of linking cubes (like 3 yellow and 7 green) and notice patterns (the linking cube representations form a staircase pattern); they compare concrete representations of __ + __ = 10 with those of missing number sentences with different sums (like __ + __ = 8 and __ + __ = 6). ISBN 978-0-9810927-4-4 |
| Making 10, Stage 2, Gr. 4-8 ($6) | Do Parallel Lines Meet? Gr. 2-8 ($6) |
Math insights: Students are surprised by the patterns that emerge when plotting pairs of missing numbers from equations like __ + __ = 10. How can we change the missing number equations so that the points line up in a different direction, or curve? Explore the patterns below (move slider).
Grade-specific activities: In grades 4-8: Students solve missing number equations like __ + __ = 10. They roll a die to get the first number and calculate the value of the second number; t hey represent the pairs of missing numbers as ordered pairs and plot them on a grid. They notice patterns (the points form a line); they compare graphical representations of __ + __ = 10 with those of missing number sentences with different sums (like __ + __ = 8 and __ + __ = 6); they explore how we might change the missing number equations so that the points line up in a different direction, or curve? In grades 9-10: The above serves as introduction to linear and non-linear functions. ISBN 978-0-9810927-9-9 |
Math insights: Students are surprised that two "straight" paths that point North (two "parallel" lines) eventually meet; students realize that concepts like "straight" and "parallel" are much more complex and interesting than they might have assumed. Grade-specific activities: In grades 2-8: Lines on a sphere are typically not introduced to students in elementary school math (but they are discussed in geography/social studies (mapping). Yet, students live and walk on a sphere on a daily basis (or an approximate sphere); through this story students learn that lines on a sphere do not behave in the same fashion as lines on a flat surface. ISBN 978-0-9810927-6-8 |
| Tortosie & Hare Hop to the Pond, Gr. 1-8 ($6) | Wolf gets Hurt! Gr. 2-8 ($6) |
Math insights: When rolling a single die, each number is equally likely to occur; when rolling two dice, students are surprised that the sums are not equally likely; students realize that some sums can be made in more ways than others; for example, there is only 1 way to get 12 with two dice (6+6), while there are 6 ways to get 7 (1+6, 2+5, 3+4, 4+3, 5+2, 6+1). Grade-specific activities: In grades 1-3: Rolling a singe die students race to the pond using bar graphs. Students repeat this for two dice; students compare their bar graphs and notice patterns; students practice addition facts to 12; students learn to use bar graphs to record and interpret data from probability experiments; while students in grades 1-3 are not typically expected to learn about probability with two dice, they do easily understand (and in our grade 2 classroom experience, suggest on their own) that 7 is more likely than 12 because there are more ways to get 7; it is important for young students to learn in situations that are mathematically rich and surprising. In grades 4-6: In addition to the above, students list all the possible ways of getting each sum (when rolling two dice). In grades 7-8: In addition to the above, students determine the theoretical probability for each sum (when rolling two dice) - for example, the theoretical probability for the sum of 12 is 1/36, and for 7 it is 6/36 or 1/6; students may also explore the theoretical probability when using dice with more than 6 sides, or when using three dice. ISBN 978-0-9810927-5-1 |
Math insights: A rectangular patio of 16 patio stones can be made using a variety of arrangements (1 by 16, 2 by 8, and 4 by 4); although the number of patio stones (area) is always the same, the fence needed to surround the patio (perimeter) can change. Grade-specific activities: In grades 2-3: Students use 16 snap cubes as the 16 patio stones. And they use a piece of string (the length of 18 snap cubes) as the fence that the Three Little Piggies have available; students follow along with the story and build the various rectangular arrangements possible with 16 patio stones; students record their findings in a table (available in the book), using numbers and diagrams; students develop an early understanding of multiplication: 1 by 16 = 16, 2 by 8 = 16, 4 by 4 = 16; students realize that arranging the 16 stones in different rectangular arrays leads to different distances around the patio (the same rectangular area can have different perimeters). In grades 4-6: In addition to the above, students explore what rectangular dimensions would lead to the greatest area, for a given perimeter. In grades 7-8: In addition to the above, students plot data (length versus perimeter and length versus area) on a grid and explore graphical patterns. ISBN 978-0-926699-01-1 |
| Smart Multiplication, Gr. 3-6 ($6) | Add it Up! Gr. 2-4 ($6) |
Math insights: Students learn that flexible multiplication procedures help make mental multiplication easier (and more fun!). Grade-specific activities: In grades 3-6: Students learn to multiply products like 19x6 by first multiplying 20x6 and then subtracting 6; students are also introduced to other flexible multiplication procedures. ISBN 978-0-926699-00-4 |
Math insights: Students learn that flexible addition procedures help make mental addition easier (and more fun!). Grade-specific activities: In grades 2-4: Students learn to add sums like 39+25 by first adding 40+25 and then subtracting 1; students are also introduced to other flexible addition procedures. ISBN 978-0-9810927-8-2
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| Who's the Big Bad Wolf? Gr. 1-8 ($6) | To Infinity and Beyond! Gr. 2-8 ($6) |
Hoodie loves math, but overhears her Mom saying she hates it. So she dreams meeting the Big Bad Wolf, who offers her a math adventure. Will Mom approve? ISBN 978-0-9810927-7-5 |
Rapunzel waits for the prince to save her, but she has the key to her cell door. Why doesn't she escape on her own? And what does infinity have to do with it? P.S. In this book you learn that you can hold infinity in the palm of your hand! ISBN 978-1-926699-21-9 |
| How Big is a Billion? Gr. 1-8 ($6) | Mirror, Mirror, Gr. 2-8 ($6) |
They also see a newspaper headline advertising a billion dollar tax cut. What can they do to help? What can you do to help? ISBN 978-1-926699-48-6 |
Will the Queen be able to decide which one is the fairest of all? ISBN 978-1-926699-49-3 |
| Math Waves, Gr. 1-8 ($6) | Math Trains, Gr. 2-8 ($6) |
... and in the path of dot on a car tire: Imagine a yellow dot on a car tire, turning as the car moves forward. If the dot leaves a trail as it moves, what will the trail look like? ISBN 978-1-926699-47-9 |
Piggy discovers math train growth patterns. When she plots them on a bar graph she notices that some are steeper than others, and wonders why. ISBN 978-1-926699-50-9 |
| Smart Division, Gr. 3-8 ($6) | Big Party, Small Party, Gr. 1-4 ($6) |
Math insights: Students learn that there are lots of ways to divide and that flexible division procedures help make mental and paper-and-pencil calculations easier (and more fun!). ISBN 978-1-926699-51-6 |
Math insights: Students learn that the number of chairs that fit around a rectangular array of 16 tables varies depending on their arrangement. An excellent way to introduce relationships between area (tables) and perimeter (chairs). ISBN 978-1-926699-70-7
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Savannah and Tanner are waiting for their Moms to finish shopping when they see a homeless family, huddling against a cold breeze. 
When the Queen’s mirror can’t tell whether her quilt pattern is the fairest of all, the Queen hosts a Quilting Festival. Quilters from here and there and from near and far come to the palace with their beautiful quilts.
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The Second Little Piggy loves trains, and Wolf has a math train surprise for her. Should she follow Wolf into the woods to see it? 
When the Queen's mirror can't decide whether her division method is the fairest of all, the Queen hosts a Division Festival. Will the Queen be able to decide which division method is the fairest of all? 
Little Bear helps plan a party that is not too small, or too big. He helps plan a party that is just right, by exploring the number of chairs that will fit around 16 small tables that are joined to form a large dinner table.