Early Math Project

How many different ways can you count to fifty?        

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Math Connections: 

         Counting                            Skip Counting    

         Addition                             Problem Solving

         Multiplication                     Combinations

         Composing Numbers

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Activities To Do Together: 

• Explore skip counting with your child. Learn to count by 10s. 

• Explore different creature combinations that add up to 10.

• Talk about why “3 is a person and a snail” and “4 is a dog.” 

• Find a combination of creatures that adds up to your child’s favorite number. Can you find more than one way? 

• Talk about other animals that could represent the numbers one to ten. Could 4 be a cat and 2 be a chicken?

• As you read the story, predict the number that will be on the next page and talk about combinations of creatures’ feet that add up to that number. 

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Extension Questions: 

1. In the story, the numbers 3, 5, 7, and 9 are made from a combination of two creatures. Why do you think the authors used two creatures to make each of these numbers? 

2. What animal or animals would you use to make the numbers 2, 4, and 6?

3. What animal would you use to represent zero?

4. The author says that “20 is two crabs”. What other ways can you make 20? What is your favorite combination for making 20? 

5. The book says that “100 is ten crabs…Or, if you’re really counting slowly…one hundred snails!” What do you think that means?

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Vocabulary for Building Math Concepts:

and, counting, eight, eighty, fifty, five, four, forty, front, nine, ninety, one, one hundred, second, seven, seventy, six, sixty, ten, thirty, three, twenty, two

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Please check out the Book Guide for One is a Snail Ten is a Crab for more!

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Online External Resources for One is a Snail Ten is a Crab:

• Using Children’s Literature to Teach Math