Two Ways to Count to Ten: A Liberian Folktale

 

Author/Illustrator: Retold by Ruby Dee/Susan Meddaugh

About the Author:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruby_Dee
Dee is an American actress, poet, playwright, screenwriter, journalist and activist.  She is famous for her co-starring role in A Raisin in the Sun  and American Gangster.She was born Ruby Ann Wallace in Cleveland, Ohio and grew up in Harlem, NY.  She went to Hunter College High School and then went on to pursue her degrees in French and Spanish and graduated from Hunter College in 1944.

Genre: Folktale

Grade Level: K-2
Theme: Counting

Synopsis:

This book is about a animals in the jungle that live and work together in harmony.  The leopard is king and must choose a king to take his place when he dies, but he wants the cleverest of all animals to be King.  He gathered all the animals and said one must throw the spear high into the sky and count to ten before it comes down again.  Many animals tried but failed to reach the number ten before the spear hit the ground again.  Finally, an Antelope asked if he could try and all the other animals laughed.  He threw the spear into the air and counted by two's to number ten and reached ten before the spear fell to the ground and said that the King did not say which way he had to count by to reach the number ten.  Sure enough he was wise and would become King.

 

Pre Reading Activity:

Activity:
Ask the students to count to ten together at their seats.

Post Reading Activity:

Activity:
After reading the story, have students tell you some ways we can count to ten.  Have them count by one's, skip count by two's and even skip count by five's.  There is not just one way to count to ten and the students will be able to learn the different ways to count.  You can have them sit at a carpet and take off their shoes and put each pair together and count to ten or you can use individual shoes and put them in groups of fives and count to ten.  This shows students there are multiple ways to work things out.

Reflection:

I think this is a great book to use because it allows students to see how many different ways we can count.  You can have them use things in their everyday lives to help them learn to skip count.  Once you teach them to do something with objects they use everyday, they will be better able to remember something because they were shown with something practical.