Children's Math Book Review: Picture Pie (& Fraction/Art Lesson!)

The boys and I found a book that we absolutely love. Ed Emberley's Picture Pie is a circle drawing book. He shows you how to divide circles into fractional pie pieces to create designs, flowers, birds, animals, fish, clowns and a whole host of fun pictures.

We spent hours exploring the book and making our own pictures this morning. Here's how I applied it to two different levels:

5 year old...I traced circles which he cut.  He then folded the circles in half--sometimes in half again to make quarters--and cut them to build parts of his pictures. He made page after page which he said was for his "picture book." Although I could have given him precut shapes, I wanted him to practice cutting and think about what it meant to fold pieces in half. He loved this and would have continued past the several hours we did it. I finally shooed them outside. The visual/spatial practice was valuable. I've watched much older children struggle to figure out how/where to place shapes to replicate something they see.

8 year old...He made his own circles by tracing plastic cups. He cut his own fractional parts and replicated pictures in the book. He had a great time using various colored paper to create different kinds of birds. He numbered them and put the answers (to bird type) on the back. I then had him label the fractional parts that he used for each section of the bird.

We will be spending a lot more time with this book. Later this week I'll post a follow up lesson. (It's here...creative writing addition!) I also want to show the boys Ed Emberley's Picture Pie Two.

Both books provide a great jumping off point for studying shapes or fractions. It'd also make an excellent gift!

I'll be linking up this week at:
stART
Craft Schooling Sunday
Childhood 101
Chocolate, Drool and Kisses
Preschool Corner
What My Child is Reading


Disclaimer: I received nothing for this review. If you order from Amazon through this blog, all commissions go toward foster care through Grace and Hope at no additional cost to you. THANK YOU!