Math Storytelling
Connecting math to stories engages students in listening, visualizing, creating, and reasoning. This approach deepens understanding, strengthens retention of math concepts, and encourages learners to see themselves as problem-solvers and storytellers, making math both meaningful and memorable.
Using Wixie’s creative tools to re-imagine, count, design, or solve math problems inspired by children's books helps students see numbers and operations not as abstract tasks, but as ideas embedded in familiar, engaging situations, making math feel relevant, expressive, and fun.
Tangrams:
Grandfather Tang's Story by Ann Tompert
Have students create their own shapes using the tangram pieces and then tell the story of the shape they have created.
Lesson Plan
Elapsed Time:
The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle
Have students tell their own grouchy animal story over the course of a single day to demonstrate their understanding of elapsed time.
Identifying Shapes:
The Shape of Things by Dayle Ann Dodds
Have students compose images from 2 dimensional shapes and complete a sentence that describes their composite to create their own version of the book."
Word Problems:
Bunches and Bunches of Bunnies by Louise Matthews
Explore multiplication with this fun book. Then, have students combine artwork and text to write their own multiplication stories.
Number Sense - Counting:
Ten Black Dots by Donald Crews
Have students rearrange ten black dots into a shape and use Wixie's paint tools to complete the scene. Then add text or use the microphone tool to record the story.
Comic Explanations:
Solution Squad by Jim McClain
Have students create their own comics to teach a math concept or tell a math story like The Math Curse by Jon Scieszka.
Visualizing Data:
Five Creatures by Emily Jenkins
Have students write and illustrate their own Five Creatures story using the members of their family or a group of friends.
Comparing Size:
"One Inch Tall" a poem by Shel Silverstein
What would your life be like if you were only one inch tall? How would ordinary objects look?
Number Sense:
13 Days of Halloween
Students practice counting through the creation of a Halloween (or any holiday!) counting book.
Shapes:
It's Not a Box by Antoinette Portis
Create your own image from a box and type a sentence or use the recording tool to capture a story.
Inference:
The Grapes of Math by Greg Tang
Have students write and illustrate their own math rhyming riddles. Combine all of the class riddles into one book and print or share digitally.
More ways teachers are using Wixie
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Math Stories
KG Ss practice addition and subtraction story problems in #Wixie Our Ss can show their mathematical reasoning by dragging pictures and writing equations @Tech4Learning @Coles_Fletcher @ColesRoadrunner @TreadwellMrs pic.twitter.com/aCuVz8mQsu
— Mrs. Martin (@ITCColes) May 31, 2022 -
Not a Box
Digital Media day, "Not a Box" creations@SharonNokovich @MaggieBrownK12 pic.twitter.com/0QIulTNThG
— Aimee Maggio (@ThisIsMadge) September 28, 2022 -
Spookley Shape Book
??CVE�s KinderKids use the shape tool ?????? to create their own Spookley Shape book on @Tech4Learning Wixie! ??@BeckyCasserly @MrsReals @cj21228 @BCPS_Magnet pic.twitter.com/4tllvryp8I
— We are CVE STEAM?? (@WeAreCVESTEAM) September 30, 2022 -
Shape Stories
These super star first graders @SullyES_LCPS had a blast learning how to use @Tech4Learning #wixie today to start on their very own shape books! I can�t wait to see their creations! pic.twitter.com/enyu7gYSB3
— Chelsie Grant (@mrschelsiegrant) November 10, 2022 -
Tangram Stories
These 1st graders are making their Tangram Stories digital using Wixie! They learned how to move and rotate shapes and will be designing their settings next week! @BCPSLMP #bcpslms #bgethisisus pic.twitter.com/5aTS6XszG6
— Mrs. Greer (@BGELibrary) February 27, 2020 -
The Shape of Things
We started exploring Wixie for the first time today. Students were challenged to create their own page in a class book inspired by The Shape of Things by Dayle Ann Dodds. I'm impressed with our first day's accomplishments and excited for the final product! @SullyES_LCPS pic.twitter.com/V1VgrGVygZ
— Leisa Mackauer (@Mackauer1st) January 29, 2021 -
How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin
First graders are excited to retell "How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin?" using Wixie. @vbHolland @vblms @HollandAP23 pic.twitter.com/EZryNFNksd
— Chris Lowman (@ChrisLowman19) October 26, 2017 -
Number stories
Ss had fun using #wixie to illustrate number stories. #readingandmath #ColtsPride @cfescolts pic.twitter.com/ceaKozzhFK
— Cindy Matney (@cindyfmatney) February 7, 2020 -
How to Trap a Leprechaun
Today I had the opportunity to be a mystery reader for @MrsLogan1st. After reading the book, students worked in Wixie with 10 frames and sorted and counted St. Paddy’s Day ☘️ shapes. Thanks for having me. pic.twitter.com/OKQV6z4D6J
— Lisa Gill (@LisaTechieTeach) March 17, 2023
