Asia Counts - Primary
Numeracy and Studies of Asia
Teacher resource
1863664866 | 2001
128 pp book
$34.95
This exciting new teacher resource provides a Studies of Asia context that links together the key learning areas of Studies of Society and Environment, and Numeracy.
Asia Counts-Primary comprises an imaginative collection of activities that have students developing and applying:
- a sense of number
- a spatial sense
- the ability to handle data and interpret situations involving change
- knowledge and use of measurement
- the ability to recognise and describe patterns and trends leading to conjecture and decision-making.
Numeracy notes are included for all activities and exercises, encouraging the use of computer-based skills in generating spreadsheets, drawing and mapping, and accessing the Internet to obtain the latest data on topics covered. This book provides opportunities for students to enrich their understanding of other countries and cultures while applying practical numeracy skills to the study of current issues. Also available in secondary version.
Review
Asia Counts contains practical activities for classroom teacher with a focus on Asian culture and numeracy. The book is divided into four “Parts”: ‘Introducing Asia’, ‘Transport and Communication’, ‘Customs and Culture’, and ‘Playing Games and Having Fun’. Each “Part” contains units of work consisting of a series of activities that target a particular age range. Activities come complete with procedural instructions and worksheets that can be easily modified to suit your purpose and achieve desired outcomes. Extension activities are related resources are also included.
Kiernan and Reeves have made the book user friendly. It is well set out and you can choose to pick up and run with it or modify activities to suit the year level you teach. The ‘Summary Table of Contents’ is arranged like a scope and sequence and allows you to see at a glance each “Part”, the units or work, targeted year level and areas of foci (both in Numeracy and Studies of Asia).
I found Asia Counts as a teaching resource for primary teachers.
Reproduced with permission
Sharon Beazley, teacher, ACT
REACT 2001 Number 4 page 3 |
The book is divided into four parts:
- Introducing Asia
- Transport and communication
- Customs and culture
- Playing games and having fun
There are nineteen units of work spread across the four main parts. The unit headings include: How big is big? Why not go island-hoping? What's that they are riding in? How can I get to China? What can you see in bamboo? Jan-ken-pon (a game).
This book has a great deal of appeal for primary teaching. It is clearly set out with specific focus areas and procedural steps. An excellent variety of topics are covered. It is attractively presented with eye-catching drawings, diagrams, graphs, maps and has easy-to-read blue font. Websites related to the unit topics are included. At the end of most units of work there is a list of extension activities for those children who could use further challenges.
Although the book's main KLA focus area is on mathematics, this book has many ideas which can be used in the subject areas of SOSE, English, Health and PE, and The Arts. The activities are appropriate for use with groups of children or individuals, with activities including surveys, interviews and fieldwork.
I can thoroughly recommend this book as an excellent resource for the classroom teacher from Years 2 to 7 giving them a defined Asia focus. It would be a pleasure to use this particular resource.
*Reproduced with permission
Katrina Marek, Distance Education Centre Victoria
Interaction Journal of The Geography Teachers' Association of Victoria Inc. | Volume 30 Number 2 June 2002