Betcha! Estimating (Mathstart, Level 3)

Product Description

Help kids with their math skills plus their reading skills with the engaging and fun MathStart series!
Betcha! is perfect for teaching estimating to second, third, and fourth graders. What do cars, toys, people, and jelly beans have in common? They can all be estimated. Two friends try out their estimating skills and find out that estimating can have real rewards––especially when there’s a contest to enter!
Kids will love the story and the illustrations by S.D. Schindler. Parents and educators will love how the story and pictures make understanding the math concepts a breeze—as well as the concrete examples of how math works. The book contains activities for adults to do with kids to extend math into their own lives. Math = Fun!
MathStart is an award-winning series by Stuart J. Murphy that teaches math through stories and visual models. Young readers find the stories engaging and relatable, because each story revolves around practical applications of the math concept being presented and features lively art from top-notch illustrators.
Charts and other visual representations help children understand how the math works and promote deeper comprehension. This unique combination of stories, illustrations, and visual models helps teachers and parents in the teaching of math and provides all children with the opportunity to succeed.
The 63-book series is divided into three levels with 21 books in each. The math concepts taught in MathStart books conform to state and national standards. Level 1 is Pre-K–Kindergarten; Level 2 is Grades 1–3; Level 3 is Grades 2–4. The series follows math topics across grades so there is a foundational path to learning that runs through the levels.

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-4?On their way to a store sponsoring a contest that involves guessing the number of jellybeans in a jar, two friends encounter situations that involve numerical determinations; e.g., how many people are on the bus, the number of cars in a traffic jam. One boy counts one by one to obtain the answers, whereas the other one uses simple techniques to come up with near estimations. The easy-to-read picture-book format with only one or two sentences per page will appeal to reluctant readers, and the boys’ urban environment provides common situations to which many students will easily relate. The uncomplicated drawings show how the boy’s brain is processing data and the skills he employs to arrive at an educated guess. The last two pages give suggestions and ideas for adults to help children further their understanding of the concept. A short list of similar concept books is included. This title will be especially useful for classroom use as it provides many possibilities for related activities.?Stephani Hutchinson, Pioneer Elementary School, Sunnyside, WA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

“Playing with numbers – that’s what this book from Murphy is all about.”Kirkus Reviews”A real winner.”Booklist

From the Back Cover

What do cars, toys, people, and jelly beans have in common? They can all be estimated. Two friends try out their estimating skills and find out that estimating can have real rewards––especially when there’s a contest to enter!

About the Author

Stuart J. Murphy is a visual learning specialist. A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, he has a strong background in design and art direction. He also has extensive experience in the world of educational publishing. Drawing on all these talents, Stuart J. Murphy brings a unique perspective to the MathStart series. In MathStart books, pictures do more than tell stories; they teach math.
Stuart J. Murphy and his wife, Nancy, live in Boston.

S. D. Schindler is the popular illustrator of many bestselling picture books, including How Santa Got His Job, Big Pumpkin, the Math Start title Betcha!, and the 2005 Newbery Honor Book Whittington. S. D. Schindler lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.