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POEMATICS
Learn, Understand, and Enjoy Elementary School Mathematics Through Poetry
By Joseph A. Porzio
iUniverse, Inc.
Copyright © 2011 Joseph A. Porzio
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4620-2987-7
Chapter One
Numbers All Around Me I see numbers all around me,
Everywhere I go,
Numbers all around me,
All of which I know.
My parents have a license
On the family car they drive.
I know the numbers on the plate:
Four, one, two, three, six, five.
My telephone has numbers,
But there are letters too.
Can you guess my telephone number
From the letters I give you?
I see numbers all around me,
Everywhere I go—
My date of birth, my height and weight,
And at stores to which I go.
I see numbers all around me,
Everywhere I go—
Buses, trains, trucks, and planes
With the numbers they all show.
You'll see numbers all around you
On each street and avenue.
You'll find numbers on your building
And the house next door to you.
I see numbers all around me
When I sit and watch TV.
The remote control and channels
Are no mysteries to me.
But most of all, what I like best
Is the number that I see
On the birthday cake that always means
More toys and gifts for me!
Tens and Ones I practiced writing numbers.
There were dots I had to trace,
Not really understanding much
About a number's
place.
I write my numbers very well.
They're clear as they can be.
I use them in my daily work
For one and all to see.
I add 'em up, I take away
Arithmetic each day.
I use my numbers everywhere—
At home, at school, at play.
But now to show how numbers change,
I'll use the digit two (2)
To demonstrate how changing
place Will increase two (2) for you.
I write the numeral two (2) in
place And show it to my friends,
Then move it to the left of
ones To the column we call
tens.
The pennies that I have in hand
Are shown by writing two (2).
By writing zero (0) after it,
It's ten times more for you.
And as you grow, I'm sure you know
You'll always make new friends
Just like the numbers that we write
As they move from
ones to
tens.
You too can be a superstar,
A mathematics hero,
By making numbers grow for you
By simply adding zero (0).
So come on, try it; it's not hard.
It really is quite nifty.
What would you do with number five (5)
To make it number fifty (50)?
Lost Numbers Have you ever wondered if we could
Get by from day to day
If all the numbers in the world
Were lost—just gone away?
Just think about the people
Who use numbers in their lives—
Uncles, aunts, your friends at school,
Husbands and their wives.
And what about you—isn't it true
That the numbers which you know
Are used each day in a special way
At the places where you go?
There are numbers on our houses,
On our streets and avenues,
You'll even find a number tag
In caps and shirts and shoes.
You're right, you know—I must agree,
There are numbers all around me
On license plates and telephones
And at the public library,
So I'll get to know my numbers
At home, at school, and at play,
And how they're used to help me
In a very special way.
Numbers, numbers everywhere
What would we ever do
Without the numbers that we use for
1=2?
The Class Pizza Party Our class won the Math Fair.
The kids were really great.
We're having a pizza party
To help us celebrate.
My teacher bought four (4) pizza pies
'Cause our class won the fair.
With thirty-two (32) students in my class,
What part of a pie is my share?
If each of the pies were cut in half
And the slice we got was great,
But look—4 divided into halves (1/2)
Will only give us eight (8).
"And what about us—we want a slice!"
Is soon what would be heard.
Divide the pizzas not into halves (1/2),
But this time into thirds (1/3).
She carefully cut the pizzas
So each slice would be a third (1/3).
"Now there's only enough for twelve (12) of us!"
Was the shouting that I heard.
Some hungry students raised their hands.
"Please, teacher, don't be mean!"
If you slice four (4) pizzas into fourths (1/4),
You can only feed sixteen (16)."
Since we cannot make more pizza pies
To make their number greater,
We'll have to take a closer look
At the lowly denominator.
I'll give a slice to each of you,
And I'll be quick and swift,
But whoever heard of a pizza pie
Where each slice was a fifth (1/5)?
I'm telling you, it still won't do
Even though it's plenty.
If you cut four (4) pies into fifths (1/5),
It's enough for only twenty (20).
Halves (1/2), thirds (1/3), fourths (1/4), and fifths (1/5),
The denominators grew,
But see what happened to the slice
I gave to each of you.
We could increase the slices
To number twenty-eight (28).
But whoever ate a seventh (1/7) of a pie
Served on a paper plate?
Halves (1/2), thirds (1/3), fourths (1/4), fifths (1/5)
Sixths (1/6), and sevenths (1/7) too
Show what happened to each slice
As their denominators grew.
A cheer went up when someone showed
How all the students' plates
Would have a slice of pizza
If we cut each pie in eighths (1/8).
Now remember what you learned today
From the pizza man who knows
There can always be enough for all
When the denominator grows!
A Bus Ride on a Hundreds Chart I drive my bus on a hundreds chart.
There's a pattern there for you.
The bus I drive makes all the stops
At the multiples of two (2).
You drive your bus on a hundreds chart.
There's a pattern you can see.
The bus you drive makes all the stops
At the multiples of three (3).
She drives her bus on a hundreds chart.
There's a pattern there and more.
The bus she drives makes all the stops
At the multiples of four (4).
He drives his bus on a hundreds chart.
See the patterns come alive.
The bus he drives makes all the stops
At the multiples of five (5).
Pam drives her bus on a hundreds chart.
You can tell the bus she picks.
The bus she drives makes all the stops
At the multiples of six (6).
He drives a bus on a hundreds chart.
I know his name is Kevin.
The bus he drives makes all the stops
At the multiples of seven (7).
Sue drives a bus on a hundreds chart.
The pattern sure looks great.
The bus she drives makes all the stops
At the multiples of eight (8).
Phil drives a bus on a hundreds chart.
There's a pattern that looks fine.
The bus he drives makes all the stops
At the multiples of nine (9).
Can you drive a bus on a hundreds chart
If I tell you where to start?
Will you know the stops you need to make
From the pattern on the chart?
(1, 2, 4, 8, 16 ...)
What's the third stop on the five (5) bus?
Ask your neighbor next to you.
And would she know the fourth stop
On the bus that's number two (2)?
I've done my best to pass this test,
Now my bus is low on gas.
Tomorrow, I will fill 'er up
And drive to the head of the class!
Skip Count to Multiplication Children learn to multiply
By counting every day.
They count in school, they count at home,
They even count at play.
When playing games like hide and seek,
They count by fives with friends,
Then afterwards it's jumping rope
And Double Dutch by tens.
I jump, I fly—the ropes go by—
I count by tens and then
I'm out! You jump! We start to count.
We count by tens again.
Skip counting makes it easier
When nickels and dimes you count.
Count nickels by fives and dimes by tens
To get the total amount.
Skip counting makes it easier
When counting boots and shoes.
Don't count by ones. It's much more fun
When you count 'em—count by twos.
Now watch my fingers, look for clues.
Let's skip count, let's count by twos.
2-4-6-8
Counting by twos is really great!
Let's not stop, let's count some more!
Can you skip count to twenty-four (24)?
2-4-6-8-10-12-14-16-18-20-22-24
We count by twos to twenty-four (24).
Let's not stop, let's count some more!
Now watch my fingers, if you please.
Let's skip count, let's count by threes.
3, 6, and then comes 9
We skip count on a number line.
Let's not stop, let's count some more!
Let's count by threes to twenty-four (24).
3-6-9-12-15-18-21-24
Can you skip count to thirty-six (36)?
I'm sure you can with ease.
Let's not stop, let's count some more!
Again, let's count by threes.
3-6-9-12-15-18-21-24-27-30-33-36
When riding in the family car
Or playing games outdoors,
Count the wheels on passing cars.
When you count 'em—count by fours.
I'll skip count to twenty-four (24)
And then I'll count some more.
4-8-12-16-20-24
Now watch me show that I really know
How to count by fours—I'm smart!
I'll skip from four (4) to forty-eight (48)
As I count on a hundreds chart.
4-8-12-16-20-24-28-32-36-40-44-48
We count in school, we count at home,
We even count at play.
We learned how to multiply
By counting every day.
By counting on a number line
Or on a hundreds chart
We mastered all our basic facts
And now we're really smart!
We count with ease and fluency.
We're ready, willing, and able
To show you how we multiply
On a multiplication table.
How to Make Your Money Grow Coins are money that you know.
Learn about them and you'll show
How to make your money grow.
This coin is brown; it's called a cent.
On it find a president.
The value of the coin is low
But it helps your money grow.
If you have a cent or two,
Soon they'll start to grow for you.
They're not seeds for planting deep.
Put them in your bank to keep.
Count five pennies one by one.
Change them for a Jefferson.
Look for words and phrases too
On this coin of silver hue.
Counting pennies can be fun
When you count them one by one.
You can change them any time.
You'll need ten for one thin dime.
Coins are money, they can grow
Underneath your soft pillow.
The Tooth Fairy helps you every time—
A nighttime tooth, a morning dime.
Coins are money that you know.
Learn about them and you'll show
How to make your money grow.
The Calendar Poem January is a month
When people young and old
Button up their overcoats
Against the winter cold.
February, you are very
Difficult to spell.
Is the "r" before the "u"?
I can never tell.
March winds blow as winter ends.
The lion is chased by sheep.
I hear the sounds of springtime birds.
The robin sings—cheep, cheep!
April flowers, lots of showers.
Some days still are cool.
I like the first of April best
'Cause I'm no April fool!
The fifth month of the year is May,
With longer daylight hours,
Singing birds, blooming trees,
And lots and lots of flowers
The school year ends—summer starts!
Look at the strawberry moon.
My favorite is the sixth month.
I like the month of June.
During July, you'll really fry.
The weather's very hot.
People travel 'round the world
To their vacation spot.
In New York City, we get humidity.
It's August and it's hot.
I visit all the beaches
'Cause they cool me off a lot.
September's here—Labor Day.
Autumn nights are cool.
Pencils, books, and teachers' looks,
And homework—back to school.
October is a time for fun.
Count its days ... thirty-one (31).
The series and your favorite team,
Trick or treat and Halloween!
November has Election Day
No matter where you're living.
It's also time for turkey,
And of course, that means Thanksgiving!
Another month, a brand new season,
Holidays and cheer.
December 31st
it ends—
To all, a happy New Year!
Think Metric It's a pleasure when you measure,
Be it liquid, mass, or length.
It's a measure you will treasure
'Cause it has a built-in strength.
Take the base of any unit,
Such as liter, meter, gram,
And attach a prefix to it,
Then behold a brand new name!
Be it milli-, centi-, deci-,
They're sub-multiples, you know.
Or add deka-, hecto-, kilo-,
Which permit the base to grow.
It's a system based on tens,
Moving decimals left and right.
No four-letter words for friends
(inch, foot, yard)—
Now think metric day and night
Let me say this in conclusion.
I'll be very brief and quick.
You should never think conversion
When you measure—think metric!
(Continues...)
Excerpted from POEMATICS by Joseph A. Porzio Copyright © 2011 by Joseph A. Porzio. Excerpted by permission of iUniverse, Inc.. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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