Missing Mittens

POSTED BY: JESSICA BATISTA

Title: Missing Mittens

Author: Stuart J. Murphy

Illustrator: G. Brian Karas

Recommended grade level: PreK

Common Core Standards addressed:

PK.CC

CC.3 - Understand the relationship between numbers and quantities to 10; connect counting to cardinality.

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

      Common Core Standards for Mathematical Practice:

      CCSSM SMP7: Look for and make use of structure.


Summary: This book is about farmer Bill and how he needs to dress warm for the winter storm. When he goes to get his mittens he realizes there is only one mitten by itself not a pair. He then goes to milk his cow but realizes that she is missing a mitten too; instead of 4 there were only 3. Bill then goes on to check on his 3 chickens but realizes they too are missing mittens instead of 6 there are only 5. When Bill goes to check on his horses he knows there should be 8 mittens in all but instead there were only 7. Bill thinks there has to be a mitten thief and as he looks out in his farm he sees a goat far off "CHEWING" on all the missing mittens.

Rating: ***** This is an awesome book for young readers! It teaches them the concept of odd and even numbers, how to put things in whole groups and explore the mitten mystery!

Classroom ideas: This is a great way to get children to start counting while having fun. In the class room I could easily bring in mittens and have the students match up the pairs that go together. We could talk about why certain animals need more pairs than we as humans do. I could have my students sort the mittens into whole groups. We could set up the activities as centers and focus on each one closely.