Young rabbit can't understand why Mom is buying so many bags of peanuts and cans of worms at the grocery store when everybody knows carrots are a whole lot tastier. Horse, he notices, has more carrots in his cart, while Elephant has fewer, though Bird has the same amount. H'mmmm… Could Mom be planning a party?
To formulate addition and subtraction equations involves being able to identify "more," "fewer" and "the same."
Illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz.
Gather together a number of objects such as small toys, plastic spoons and blocks, and ask your child, or each child in your class, to make piles. Does one pile have more items than the other two? Does one pile have fewer items? Ask your child to make three piles that each has the same number of items.
Ask questions throughout the story, such as "Would you eat more carrots than the rabbit would eat?" "Would you eat the same amount of worms that the birds would eat?" "Would you eat fewer worms?"
Using construction paper, cut out “carrots,” “cans of worms” and “bags of peanuts.” Give your students (or child) a total of 12 items (be sure to mix them up!). Ask the children to sort their items. Which do they have more of? Which do they have fewer of? Help them trade with each other to create piles that all have the same number of items.
Take a “More! Fewer! Same!” adventure walk around your house or around the classroom. Are there more toothbrushes or bars of soap in the bathroom? In the kitchen, are there more cups, bowls, or plates on the table at breakfast? In the classroom: Are there more boys or girls? Fewer boys than girls? The same number?
