Emeka's Gift is a book about, Emeka, a boy in an African village that is traveling to see his grandmother. Along the way, he comes across various numbers of things. The numbers one through ten are introduced as his journey progresses. Also, different information concerning some of his tribe's traditional practices and objects are explained in the book. Emeka's Gift is a counting book that can be used in teaching a math lesson to kindergarten or first grade students.
Lesson:
Depending on the children's level in mathmatics, all of these objectives could be covered in one lesson using this book. With a new kindergarten class, addition and subtraction might not be used right away, but the book can be brought back later in the year to introduce addition.
The main objective of a mathematics lesson using this book would be counting. While reading the book out loud to a class have the kindergarten or first graders count out loud as each number was introduced while pointing to the objects. When finished reading the book ask the children to write the numbers from one through ten while drawing pictures about what they would like the numbers to represent. Also, have different numbers of things out on a table in the room and ask children in the class to bring certain numbers of an item to the front of the class while the class helps them count aloud. Emeka's Gift could also be used to introduce addition and subtraction. Go to various pages in the book and ask, "What if Emeka came upon four brooms and six necklaces at the same time? How many things would he have?" Have the children count using the book as a viual aid and they would be adding. The same thing could be done with subtraction by asking, "If Emeka saw six necklaces and someone bought one, then how many necklaces would Emeka see?"
Other activities:
To purchase this book or find other books written by Ifeoma Onyefulu click on Emeka's Gift
To get a list of other children's books that can be used in an elementary mathmatics classroom you can vist my professor Elaine Young's Math 3213 Children's Literature in Mathmatics webpage.
Because Emeka's Gift uses real photos from Africa, this book could be used as a Social Studies lesson to introduce the African culture. This book could also be used in a litereature lesson by having kids make thier own book by drawing what they see on a trip and putting numbers to them like Emeka.