Finding Zero: a Playful Math Story About Friendship

FINDING ZEROGive me the storyZero is a world traveler and takes a trip to Numberland Elementray. His favorite game is playing hide and seek with his friends One and Two. Their routine game takes an unexpected turn for all three friends. One and Two discover a new game whereas Zero does not fit in. Zero uses his unique abilities instead, but eventually changes his ways. What makes Zero change? Find out in this playful math story about friendship, Finding Zero.What is the big idea? Impact of positive friendsI wrote this book to talk about building friendships.Have you ever noticed we always start counting the numbers from One, not Zero? I wonder how Zero feels about that?Sometimes, we feel invisible like Zero, especially in a new place or when we don’t fit in. But good friends even just one, make us feel happy and safe. We can be the good friend that others need, because there is always some kid who feels invisible in the lunchroom or the playgraound or even in our classrooms.What can this book do for a young learner?Finding Zero captivates a diverse audience, making numbers come alive forAges 3-5 through vibrant visuals and playful math, encouraging imaginative exploration of math concepts.Ages 6-8 delve into counting, addition, and Zero’s historical significance in math, while playing with origami’s geometric principles.Parents and educators appreciate the integration of math, art, and game play, offering a springboard for discussions on numbers’ origins and individual traits and bring more ideas for Math games in their learning.Why read the series? “In the Play with Math Series, our aim is to build critical number sense by making math relatable to children’s interests. By presenting math through games, stories, and playful activities, we aim to dispel the notion of being a ‘math person’ or not. This particular story introduces addition as a game and explores Zero’s place value through hide and seek. By creating a playful atmosphere, young learners are encouraged to invent creative approaches to understand mathematical concepts and nurturea lifelong passion for math.”