This is a special month for horse lover’s in the state of New Jersey—for them it’s the Month of the Horse!
New Jersey is home to thousands of pleasure horses, show horses and racehorses. In 1977, to honour its importance in New Jersey’s economy and quality of life, the horse was named the official state animal.
1. How many years has the horse been New Jersey’s official state animal?
A barrel racer competes at the annual Elizabeth, NJ, Juneteenth celebration.
In May 1998, the governor at the time, Christine Todd Whitman, proclaimed June as the Month of the Horse, a practice that continues today.
2. How many years has New Jersey celebrated the Month of the Horse?
Several years ago the horse populations for each state in the US were counted. New Jersey had 82,982 horses. Texas had the most horses of any state with nine hundred seventy-eight thousand, eight hundred and twenty-two horses.
3. Write the number of horses in New Jersey in expanded form.
4. How many more horses lived in the state of Texas than in New Jersey? Write your answer in word form.
Imagine, a whole month devoted to horses! After finding a list of the month’s events, you go through the list and write the different activities you want to attend on a calendar.
The first event that catches your interest is about the history of Thompson Park. Thompson Park used to be Brookdale Farm, one of the most powerful Thoroughbred racing stables in the world. Now a public park, the site is the most complete 19th-century horse estate remaining in Monmouth County, an area long known for the raising and racing of fine horses. This is something you don’t want to miss!
5. Write the date for this event in metric notation.
Math Talk – metric notation: When writing a date using metric notation, start with the greatest unit of time—the year; and go to the least unit of time—the day. Write the date using 2 digits for the month and 2 digits for the day. Put a zero in the tens place for numbers from 1 to 9.
Rounding the first turn at Monmouth Park Race Track, Oceanport, N. J.
6. Which event will you be going to on 2014 06 08?
When you created the calendar, you wanted to practice writing 24-hour time. For two of the activities on the calendar you’ve written the time the events begin. You want to make sure you arrive on time!
7. What day of the week is the Month of the Horse Program, Meet the Minis on at the library?
8. Using a 12-hour clock, what time does the program start?
Notice how both legs on the horse’s left side are moving forward while both legs on the horse’s right side are on the ground.
You’ve read about Paso Fino horses in books and would love to see them in real life. When you saw the Paso Fino Horse Show listed you knew this was your chance!
The Paso Fino is a naturally gaited light horse breed dating back to horses imported to the Caribbean from Spain. Pasos are prized for their smooth, natural, four-beat, lateral ambling gait which make them very comfortable to ride. Maybe one day you’ll get to ride one!
Math Talk – lateral: a term used to refer to the side of an object, in this case a horse. The legs on the same side of the horse move forward at the same time.
9. The weekend of the Paso Fino show you are busy on Saturday but you can attend the Sunday show. Write the show date using metric notation.
Each year, the Monmouth County Library holds special programs for all ages to mark June is Horse Month. You want to attend the last event of the Month of the Horse. The library is bringing in Independent Act, Indy for short, a retired Standardbred, who was a champion harness racer and winner of several show ribbons. His owner will be there to talk about Standardbreds and you may even get a chance to feed him a carrot.
10. According to a 12-hour clock, what time does this event start?
What a wonderful way to spend the month of June! Here’s a link to this year’s New Jersey Calendar of Events.
1. How many years has the horse been New Jersey’s official state animal?
The strategy used to calculate the answer was counting on. Did you use a different strategy?
2. How many years has New Jersey celebrated the Month of the Horse?
3. Write the number of horses in New Jersey in expanded form.
Answer: 80,000 + 2,000 + 900 + 80 + 2
4. How many more horses lived in the state of Texas than in New Jersey? Write your answer in word form.
Answer: 978,822 – 82,982 = 895,840. Texas had eight hundred ninety-five thousand, eight hundred and forty more horses.
5. Write the date for this event in metric notation.
Answer: 2014 06 04
6. Which event will you be going to on 2014 06 08?
Answer: The Jersey Classic Horse Show.
7. What day of the week is the Month of the Horse Program, Meet the Minis on at the library?
Answer: The program takes place on a Thursday.
8. Using a 12-hour clock, what time does the program start?
Answer: The program starts at 4:00 p.m.
9. You are busy on Saturday but can attend the Sunday show. Write the show date using metric notation.
Answer: 2014 06 15
10. According to a 12-hour clock, what time does this event start?
Answer: 6:00 p.m.
Common Core:
3.NBT.A.2 – Convert between standard and expanded form
3.MD.A – Solve problems involving measurement and estimation of intervals of time
4.OA.A.2 – Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division word problems
Photos:
Kids Day – Pony Rides by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities; CC BY 2.0
Barrel Racer 2 by Jackie Finn-Irwin; CC BY 2.0
Rounding the first turn at Monmouth Park Race Track, Oceanport, N. J. by Boston Public Library; CC BY 2.0
Paso Fino by Jean; CC BY 2.0
