Butterflies and Magic Seven: Teaching Math

MATH: BUTTERFLIES AND MAGIC “SEVEN”

“We multiply,” said the Rabbit to the butterfly -
Addition makes too few of you - your life’s through
In as many weeks as there are letters in “SQUEAKS”
If for every one of you, we Rabbits birth 22
How few of you would equal our 154?
Seven it is! Butterfly’s quite the math whiz!

Is this the same math as the game about the week?
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7: Or take four from eleven
Seven days to a week – seven weeks to our lives
Then heaven becomes more beautiful with butterflies ...

(c)Deo. NOTE: I wrote this poem for my grade-school daughters in the 1990s, to help them have fun with Math (using manipulatives, especially with rabbits and butterfly toys). They did learn to love & protect butterflies, whose life-span is merely weeks, or a few months. Such beauty that passeth by quickly and so curiously! Shalom, shalom.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2017

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Duncan Avatar
June 17, 2017 at 11:16 PM
This is magical. I used to be a teacher. Reading and math I always tried to make a game of it. We had rabbits when I was young :)
Callus Avatar
May 11, 2017 at 1:00 PM
Your creative teaching method is worthy of praise, Anil! You also make it sound fun, which is how teaching/learning should be. ~ Incidentally these 'talking' rabbits remind me of Watership Down, one of my favourite books. Regards & peace // paul
Trifiatis Avatar
May 10, 2017 at 7:11 AM
If only every classroom had a teacher of Maths like that no child would dislike numbers, dear Anil Deo! Much enjoyed my friend!
Allison Avatar
May 9, 2017 at 12:38 PM
What a wonderful way to teach maths and give a nature lesson too Anil:-) hugs Jan xx
Ricci Avatar
May 9, 2017 at 6:13 AM
Morning Anil. Your methods of teaching math was creative and with play. You also attached a beautiful method of butterflies and heaven. Your daughters were blessed. Now about those rabbits (lol). Sorry Anil I couldn't resist. Have a wonderful morning and day. Always are you original. Shalom
Goff Avatar
May 8, 2017 at 10:26 PM
Very touching Anil...your love for your family shines!
Deo Avatar
May 8, 2017 at 6:59 PM
Sunlite, you don't know how much I was looking forward for you to visit, comment, show u have NOT lost respect for my writing, LOL! So glad u are first to grace my daughters' poem. It holds great fondness. So Happy Mother's Day SW. God's shalom, shalom & favor on thee
Wanter Avatar
May 8, 2017 at 6:34 PM
Really clever, Anil. Your little girls will always remember.
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