The Three Bears by Paul Galdone, Illustrated by Galdone

The Three Little Bears
 A TALE OF THREE BEARS LIVING IN A HOUSE OF THEIR OWN IN THE WOODS

Posted by Orbe Marrero

Title: The Three Little Bears

Author: Paul Galdone

llustrator: Paul Galdone

Recommended Grade Level: Pre-K- 2nd

Common Core Mathematics Standards:

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.CC.C.

Identify whether the number of objects in one group is greater than, less than, or equal to the number of objects in another group, e.g., by using matching and counting strategies.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.MD.A.1
Describe measurable attributes of objects, such as length or weight. Describe several measurable attributes of a single object.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.MS.A.2
Directly compare two objects with a measurable attribute in common, to see which object has "more of"/"less of" the attribute, and describe the difference. For example, directly compare the heights of two children and describe one child as taller/shorter.

Common Core Standards for Mathematical Practice:

CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP1 Make sense of problems and preserve in solving them

CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively

Summary: This story is about a family of three bears who lived together in a house of their own in the woods. Their little cottage is full of items like plates, chairs and beds that are all the perfect size for them. One day they decide to go on a walk but by mistake let the house opened. A little girl finds their house and tries out their things, eating a whole bowl of oatmeal, breaking a chair and falling asleep in the baby bear’s bed. The bears find the mess and ultimately find the girl sleeping in one of the beds, she gets scared and runs out the door not to be seen ever again.

Rating:

 

I highly recommend this book because it is a fun and interactive way for younger students to learn about mathematics.  I particularly like the fact that by describing and comparing measurable attribute of animals and objects, the book shows students how to classify them. The book illustrates the size of the each bear and how each set of objects is tailored for the family bear. For example, the big bear would only eat with his big spoon and bowl; seat on his big chair or sleep on big bed. By contrast, the smallest bear would eat with his small spoon and bowl; seat on his small or sleep on the smallest bed and so on.  This makes a lot of sense for young children and gives them a sense on how the items relate to subjects.

Classroom ideas: 

After reading this book in the classroom students can be given some manipulatives. For example, they can be given plastic little bears, spoons and bowls for them to sort them by size. The can also be given pictures of the items they encountered in the book such as; small, medium-sized and big chairs, books, beds etc. Trays labeled them as “Big items”, “medium-size items” and “small items” can be used for the students to sort and recall the items in the story.

An activity about discriminating between objects can also be implemented.  A set of two columns can be presented to the students. The columns can be drawings, pictures of, or pretend objects. One of the columns will always be the three Bears with their corresponding sizes (small, medium-sized and big), and the other column will consist of three items (small, medium-sized and big),  of one of the items they encountered in the book (spoons, bowls, chairs, beds etc.). By drawing a line between the bears and the objects students will be matching objects by size. For example, big spoon with big bear, medium-sized spoon with medium-sized bear and small spoon with small bear and so on.