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Writing Thank You notes is an activity that can integrate social studies, literacy, mathematics, science, and visual arts. See: Thank You Notes: A Children’s Story about Exponential Growth, an open-source children’s book in pdf form that is available at https://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewSite.htm?id=9162542 and NGSS@NSTA Hub.
The story begins with questions about ways people are helping one another in their families, neighborhoods, and communities. A child, Jasmine, decides to write a thank you note and the next day asks a friend to write one too. Each day, each note writer asks a sibling or a friend to write one. Exponential growth occurs because the number of thank you notes written each day doubles. Intended for children in grades 3-5, this book uses upper elementary students’ mathematics skills in multiplying by 2, adding multi-digit numbers, and creating bar graphs. A guide suggests ways for teachers and parents to help children understand what exponential growth is in a positive context separate from its implications during a pandemic or natural disaster.
We would be delight with feedback if you choose to use this with your students.
Emily van Zee: [email protected]
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