Math Literature

River Road Elementary School / El Camino del Rio

Our school has adopted a new math curriculum for the entire school, grades K-5. Vital to the implementation of that curriculum are supplemental materials, including mathematics-related literature titles. Two literature lists, one for grades K-3 and one for grades 4-6, are pare of the supplemental requirements.

The school librarian checked the lists and found that most of the required titles are not part of the existing library collection. The 2004-2005 school budget for library acquisitions is $600 and the average price of a library book is approximately $18.00 to $20.00, so there is no possibility of purchasing this core collection of mathematical-related literature without financial assistance.

Our intent is to purchase one copy of each title for general circulation for students and one additional copy of each title, as far as the $2000 budget will allow, to be held on reserve for circulation for teachers. That way, the books will be available as part of the library collection for students and their families to read on their own and teachers will always have the books they need for teaching.

Why is this project important?

In many ways that mathematics, literature and libraries and the connections between the three are important, so, too, is this purchase of a core collection of mathematical-related literature books.

Who, and how many, will be served?

The entire student population of approximately 320 K-5th grade children, as well as approximately 20 teachers and other staff members will be using these books. We also foresee that the after-school students and staff will be using them as well.

How will you evaluate the success of the project?

The success of the project will be measured by how many of these books circulate during this year and in the future.

Does this proposal build upon existing programs at your school?

The purchase of these books will augment the existing library collection. A very few of the books on the list supporting the new math curriculum are already in the library, and these new purchases would complete that collection. Additionally, these books will be used in various unforeseen ways as they will be available for students to check out regardless of whether or not they are being used for math. All stand as children's literature on their own without any connection to the curriculum and are, thus, valuable additions to the library.

The duplicate copies will be reserved for school staff and will be used in support of their classroom math teaching which, of course, builds in several ways on their teaching of other subjects and the math being taught at other grade levels. One of the fine rationales for using literature to reinforce curriculum in the sciences is that links are forged between disciplines which are mutually beneficial. These books would directly support that concept.

How will the funds be spent?

Two copies of each title on the literature lists: one copy for general circulation and one copy to be held on reserve for staff.