Count the Monkeys POSTED BY FANNIS CASTILLO

Title: Count the Monkeys

Author: Mac Barnett

Illustrator: Kevin Cornell

Recommended Grade Level: PreK

Common Core Mathematics Standard:

1.  CC.3A. When counting objects, say the number names in the standard order, pairing each object with one and only one number name and each number name with one and only one object.

2. CC.3B. Understand that the last number name said tells the number of objects counted. The number of objects is the same regardless of their arrangement or the order in which they were counted.

3. CC.3C. Understand that each successive number name refers to a quantity that is one larger.

Common Core Standards for Mathematical Practice: 

CCSSM SMP4 Model with mathematics.

Summary: This story is about counting the monkeys, but it starts of with a snake that has scared off all of the monkeys off the page. Throughout the story, kids will need to count the animals that keep scaring off the monkeys. Then, there are some animals and lumberjacks that try to bring back the monkeys, but when you get to the end, there ends up being zero monkeys on the page.

Rating: ***** This goofy story is not your ordinary counting book. This silly story will naturally have your kids counting the numbers one through ten.

Classroom Ideas: This is a good book to use if you are going to start teaching numbers, or if you want to reinforce a counting lesson. This book can be read to the entire class during circle time. After the story has been read, the teacher can work with four children during small group. The teacher should place different manipulative on the table so that children can show their understanding of the relationship between numbers and objects. One of the activities that the teacher can do is hand out the numbers one through ten to every child and give out pictures of the animals and lumberjacks to each child. Children can then place these pictures on top of the correct number. Another activity that the teacher can do with the kids is give out ten pipe cleaners to every child. Each pipe cleaner should have numbers one through ten. Then, the teacher can hand out beads, and have children insert the correct amount of beads that go with each pipe cleaner. English language learners can definitely benefit from this visual hands on activity. These activities will help the children build one to one correspondence.