Can Pete the Cat Help Students Learn Math? The Effectiveness of Picture Books in Teaching Elementary Mathematics

This project follows the effectiveness of using picture books, specifically “Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons” by Eric Litwin, when teaching mathematics to students in grades 1-3. It includes a math activity paired with the book and written for 3rd grade, with modifications included for 1st and 2nd grade. It follows the experience of the teaching of the lesson, modified for a 1st grade classroom, and what was learned through this experience. The project details the challenges of modifying activities, the effectiveness of including a book in the activity, and how the lesson expectations compared to the reality of the presentation.