Building Blocks to Reading

My Spooky Number Book

The directions you find here are simply suggestions. Please feel free to get creative and be sure to have fun with this project.

This number book is a great way to quickly cover the numbers from 1 to 10. You can do one page each day or zoom through the book on a rainy afternoon. Start with the number one and build your activities till you get to the number ten. The last page can be used as a review of any numbers that your child found to be fun(perhaps their age).

We choose the title "My Spooky Number Book" because we did this book in October. Many people do not celebrate Halloween and may wish to make a harvest counting book. You can use this book over and over through out the year. Perhaps you want to make a Christmas counting book or a birthday number book. This book can also be used to extend a theme unit you may be working on. When you study forest or farm animals you can make an animal counting book. The possibilities are endless. We want to encourage your child's creativity and love for books and learning.

After you choose a theme you and your child will need to collect pictures relavant to your theme. You will want to watch for fun stickers and pictures on magazines and store flyers. If you can't find pictures of things you want to put in the book they can be drawn colored by your child.

Put the pages in numerical order and fasten them with one staple on the left edge. Then start your counting. Do not hesitate to use the back of pages for pictures or word dictated by your child. Always remember that your child's words are so important they deserve to be written in a book.

Below you will find page ideas for your book. You can use blank pages to extend the book to include larger numbers. You may even choose to add a zero behind each number to have fun counting by tens with your older children.

Pages for Your Book

Pages one and two. Select pictures and write a caption dictated by your child. For example you could choose; "1 haunted house." and "2 spooky ghosts." You will find the number is already on the page. Place your pictures under the number. Place the name of the picture under the Picture.

Pages three and four.

Pages five and six.

Pages seven and eight.

Pages nine and ten.

The "How many?" Page and Blank Page. Use the "How Many?" page as a review. Place pictures in groups on this page. For example you may choose to make a group of three ghosts, one haunted house, and four witches. This provides you with an opportunity to count with your child to discover how many are in each group. Then you can count and discover how many there are all together. Use the Blank page if your child is older and you want to include counting to twenty, counting by tens to one hundred, or any other skill on which you and your child wish focus.

Make a cover

For the cover you will need a piece of construction paper that measures about 9 inches by 6 inches. Fold the sheet in half, choose a title for your book , write the title on the front cover, and decorate. Do not forget to put the author's name on the front cover. Your child has worked hard and deserves to have his name on the front of his book.

Copyright © 1996 Karen M. Potter.
Permission is granted to print these "Pages for Your Book" for instructional use by parents and teachers.
Copyright information must remain intact.

Please email any comments or suggestions.

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