Perfect Square by Michael Hall - Guest Post by Adrianne Meldrum

Thanks for having me Shawna!  I really enjoy Shawna's blog because she writes uniquely and provides fantastic, in depth lessons.

Earlier in the month, my boys and I went to the library.  We were in a rush to get some books.  I just grabbed some titles and stuffed them into our bag.  Later that night when we were reading, we pulled out Perfect Square by Michael Hall.  As I read the book to my boys, my teacher mind started swirling with all the fun things you could emphasize in mathematics.  I knew this would be the book I wanted to share with you today.

To start off, let's look at the book trailer made for Perfect Square.  If you haven't seen a book trailer, you need to start hunting for them on YouTube.  They are a fantastic way to spring off in a new direction after reading with your student.  You can even use them to help students select a book to read.

Perfect Square is a celebration of imperfection. Each page is so creative and fun to look at. With your students you can reinforce topics taught in the Common Core Standards for Math.

I created a freebie for you to make student books of Perfect Square. Each page covers a different topic in the CCSS for grades 2-4. My boys helped me create the squares texture and then I wanted to explore with the pictures myself. This lesson takes several days to complete, but is worth all the work. When your students are done, they'll be so proud of their square book.

Adrianne Meldrum currently tutors struggling readers and middle school math students. She is the author of two blogs, The Tutor House and Kids Cog Works. Adrianne is the wife of a civil engineer and the mother to three handsome boys.