Sea Squares

by Joy N. Hulme, Carol Schwartz (Illustrator)

Rhyming text and illustrations of such sea animals as whales, gulls, clown fish, and seal provide opportunities to practice counting and squaring numbers from one to ten

Genres: Mathematics, Picture Books, Animals, Childrens, Multiplication

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

Reviews

[Sylvia Ulmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this would be a wonderful read-aloud for primary grades. I appreciate the content-specific vocabulary used in the poetry (anemone, fronds, &c). It should be read-aloud for the full effect of its rhyme, rhythm and alliteration, but I would let the kids linger over the illustrations on their own. The sea creatures are depicted with color, variety and accuracy. It's a great way to present equal groups in the context of natural beauty as opposed to always using boxy arrays to visualize squared numbers.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.3.OA.A.3
Use multiplication and division within 100 to solve word problems in situations involving equal groups, arrays, and measurement quantities, e.g., by using drawings and equations with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just read this book at a Writing Conference. It's a picture book about counting sea creatures by squaring, or multiplying by the same number. The number of sea creatures doubles at first than goes into 3 squared, etc. You can easily see the connection to 3X3, than 4X4, 5X5. You can look for Math Patterns as well if you count the sea animals. There are whales, sea stars, and many other creatures of the sea. Great way to introduce a class to squaring numbers and to help teach multiplication. Great for the primary grades as a read-aloud.

[Dorothy Mahoney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations of sea creatures with specific names: clown fish, sea lilies, sea stars, bottom-walking tubfish... Although it appears as a counting book from one to ten, each page also squares the
featured number, hence the title "Sea Squares." An interesting way to introduce squaring numbers.
A simplified complexity.

[Kathryn Hogan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book that uses rhyming and alliteration. Very wonderful pictures and is told as more of a story that has counting in it, than a hard instruction book based on counting. The book is also very educational about the see and the creatures that live in it. I think it would be fun to a guide along with props with the book having the children name the animals and maybe even do some play interaction time acting like each animal. I also like how the book uses the number 1 through 10 is a basic order the kids do not have to guess what comes next. I also like how is uses multiplication! This book would be great for fourth grade.

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of the math concept books I have read, Joy Hulme's Sea Squares is by far my favorite. This book uses beautiful airbrushed and painted illustrations to depict sea creatures in the ocean. These animals are squared, teaching the students about squaring numbers, and for the more basic reader the animals and their appendages could be easily counted. Despite its repetitive nature, the author uses unique and interesting adjectives to captivate the reader.

[Lbrown107 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just adore math books that are cute, silly, and use rhymes! This book has many concepts that could be used to enhance a math lesson. You could use it for a multiplication lesson, basic counting, and squaring numbers. I love this book because you could integrate science content as well due to the nature of the book. It could open up a discussion about sea creatures. The illustrations are really extravagant!

[Cindy]

This book uses a lot of pictures and animals to guide students to multiply. This would be great for introducing multiplication because it goes up to ten. However, it only shows the multiples of each number. For example, 2:4, 3:9, 4,16 and so on. It multiplies the number with its self. Another great thing about this book is that it has the best adjectives!! You could have students point out the adjectives pushed to describe the animals.

[Julie]

Square numbers...

[Rocheal Hoffman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book would be great for introducing students to multiplication. Integrated with LA, students can explore underwater and also with adjectives!

[Nancy (Colorado) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read in math class for my third graders.