10 Little Rubber Ducks
By Eric Carle
Kindergarten Math Lessons
From CT Pre K – 8 Mathematics
Curriculum Standards
.
ü 2.1 Understand that a variety of numerical representations can be used to describe quantitative relationships.
1. Represent quantities of up to 30 objects in a set.
2. Compare sets of up to 30 objects and use the terms more, less or the same to compare the two sets and identify a set with one more or one less than a given set.
3. Order sets of up to 30 objects from least to greatest.
4. Identify the ordinal position of objects: first, second, third, fourth, fifth and last.
ü 2.2 Use numbers and their properties to compute flexibly and fluently and to reasonably estimate measures and quantities.
1. Count by rote to at least 30.
2. Count and group up to 30 objects by tens.
3. Identify the numerals 1-30 and match each numeral to an appropriate set of objects.
4. Estimate the amount of objects in a set using 10 as a benchmark and then count to determine if the amount is more or less than 10.
ü 3.3 Develop and apply units, systems, formulas and appropriate tools to estimate and measure.
1. Use nonstandard units, physical referents (such as a finger) or everyday objects such as links, Unifix cubes or blocks to compare, estimate and order measures of length, area, capacity, weight and temperature and describe the reasoning and strategies used.
Connecticut State Mastery Test - Skills Assessment List
1A. Solve problems involving one more/less or 10 more/less using two-digit numbers.
2A. Relate whole numbers to pictorial representations of base ten blocks and vice versa.
4A. Order two- and three-digit whole numbers
11A. Identify a reasonable estimate to a problem.
15A. Estimate lengths and areas by comparing.
16A. Measure lengths to the nearest inch or centimeter.
16B. Draw lengths to the nearest inch or centimeter.
16C. Identify appropriate customary or metric units of measure for a given situation (inches, feet, centimeters and meters).
Related Growing with Mathematics Topics
ü Topic 2 Counting to Ten
ü Topic 4: Exploring 0 - 9
ü Topic 5: Introducing Measurement
ü Topic 9: Exploring Numbers 11 - 15
ü Topic 10: Measurement
Suggested Learning Opportunities Related to the Book
1. While reading the book point out the ordinal words. Once the book has been read, have students recall, using ordinal numbers, what happened in the story.
2. Students can practice the teen numbers. Using paper ducks cut outs numbered 11 through 20 have children put them in order and paste them onto another paper. Focus Questions: What number comes after 10? Before 20? Etc.
3. Enlarge various pictures from the book (whale, seagull, pelican, polar bear) and have small paper cut outs of ducks. Students can measure each of the animals using small paper ducks and glue them onto the paper. Focus Question: How many ducks high is the pelican? How many ducks wide is the whale?
4. Use paper duck cut-outs as non-standard measures. Trace the teacher and measure the teacher by using the paper ducks (1/2 sheet of paper size). Repeat the procedure using a student. Focus Questions: How many ducks high is the teacher? Will the studentbe as many ducks high as the teacher? More or less? Why? What if we used one inch squares? Or connecting links?
5. Students can practice rounding using groups of small rubber ducks. Display a group of ten rubber ducks. Use that group as a referent to compare other groups. Focus Question: Does this group have more or less than the “10 group”?
6. Five Little Ducks Song: (Try it with 10 ducks too!)
Five little ducks went out to play,over the hills and far away
When the mother duck called with aquack, quack, quack
Four little ducks came swimming back.(Continue until there are no more ducks. At the end say:)
But when the mommy duck called with a QUACK, QUACK, QUACK
Five little ducks came swimming back.
7. Musical ducks game. Play games with the ducks to reinforce ordinal numbers. Have five children each hold a different duck and walk around the middle of the carpet. Play music and then turn it off (like musical chairs). You can choose a song the children know and the ones watching from the outside can sing too. When the music is turned off the children with the ducks sit in a row on the carpet and hold their ducks up.
Use pieces of tape on the rug to help the children know where to sit. Every one else chants along with the teacher's guidance (touch each one)... "The duck with the green dots is first, the duck with the orange stars is second, the duck with ...." until you get to the last duck.
Children trade places and five more children get to walk around with the ducks. Increase to six, then seven, then eight, until the children are familiar with the ordinal terms to ten.
8. Assessing ordinal number sense: Test a child's knowledge of ordinal numbers by lining up five different colored plastic toys and placing them in a row. Tell the child that the toys are running in a race to the plastic map or book or whatever you choose.
Then ask the child to touch the one that is first. Many young children can do this correctly. Then ask the child to touch the fourth one, the fifth one, the second one, etcetera. Do not say them in order. You can quickly see which children have a good understanding of ordinal numbers and which ones need to play with the concept more.
Additional Resources
Find more activities to do with the book at…
http://www.kindergarten-lessons.com/ten_little_rubber_ducks.html
http://www.eric-carle.com/home.html