Title of Book:The Josefina Story Quilt

Author:Eleanor Coerr

Illustrator:Bruce Degen

Publisher:Harper Collins Publishers

Publication Date:1986

Brief Summary: A young girl named Faith travels with her family to California in May, 1850. She insists upon bringing her pet, Josefina, along with them. Unfortunately, Josefina is a hen who is, “too old to lay eggs and too tough to eat”. Along their journey, Faith begins to sew patches for a quilt. Each patch has a special meaning and Faith chooses them carefully in order for her to remember the long trip and her adventures with Josefina. The quilt then becomes a story of happy times as well as hardships.

Grade Level Targeted by Learning Activities: 4th grade

Activity 1:

  • Title of Activity:Areas of Tangram Pieces
    TEKS addressed by this activity:
    4.8 Geometry and spatial reasoning (C);4.9 Geometry and spatial reasoning (B);
    4.14 Underlying processes and mathematical tools (D);
  • Source of this activity:
    Scavo, Tom (1996, August 5) Math Forum. [Online]
    [2001, April 28].
  • Materials needed:
    a package of tangrams (seven pieces) for each student
    paper
    sharp pencil (for tracing geometric figures)
    a ruler
    an overhead projector (to illustrate geometric constructions)
  • Procedures for students to follow:
    1. students observe their packet of tangrams
    2. students answer questions (see activity sheet)
  • Assessment:This activity develops an understanding of area and congruency with a hands-on approach. Answer key included.
    Teacher notes:Students may enjoy making their own tangrams rather than having them provided.

Activity 2:

  • Title of Activity:Build Your Own Quilt Block
  • TEKS addressed by this activity:
    4.8 Geometry and spatial reasoning (C);
    4.9 Geometry and spatial reasoning (B);
    4.14 Underlying processes and mathematical tools (D);
  • Source of this activity:This activity is my own idea based upon activities demonstrated in Concepts of Elementary Mathematics II; Tarleton State University; Mrs. Beth Riggs, Instructor.
  • Materials needed:
    geometric-shaped manipulatives
    colored pencils
    graphing paper
  • Procedures for students to follow:
    1. each student uses geometric-shaped manipulatives to “build” their own quilt block
    2. each block should contain at least 3 different shapes
    3. students then draw their block on the graph paper using colored
    pencils (colors need not actually match the manipulatives)
  • Assessment:This activity will provide an opportunity for students to become familiar with various shapes, congruency, and the concept of “tessellating”.
    Teacher notes:Foam cut-outs work well (and are quiet!)

Activity 3:

  • Title of activity:Four Shapes Make One Game
  • TEKS addressed by this activity:
    4.9 Geometry and spatial reasoning (B) and (C)
    4.14 Underlying processes and mathematical tools (D)
  • Source of this activity:
    The Complete Book of Math, Grades 3 and 4.    Published by American
    Education Publishing, 1999.
  • Materials needed:
    shape cards
    silhouette cards
    stop watch, watch with second hand, or timer
    pencil
    paper
  • Procedures for students to follow:
    1. players draw cards from the silhouette shapes pile then recreate
    the shape using rectangular cards
    2. next, the perimeter of the shape is calculated
    3. points are kept according to activity sheet
  • Assessment:answer key provided
    Teacher notes:This game could be set up for any geometric shape. A variation could also be to have students race.