Author: Eric Carle
Illustrator: Eric Carle
Recommended Grade Level:
Pre-K – Grade
2
PK.MD.1 Describe and
compare measurable attributes.
Identify
measurable attributes of objects, such as length, and weight. Describe them
using correct vocabulary (small, big, short, tall, empty, full, heavy, and
light).
1.MD.3 Tell and write time and money.
Tell and write time in
hours and half-hours using analog and digital clocks.
Summary: This book takes a journey through the grouchy
ladybug’s day to solve a grievance with another ladybug. She did not get to eat
the aphids that she wanted, so she wanted to fight the ladybug, but decided
that the ladybug was too small for her to fight and so she went on to other animals.
The animals in the book keep growing as she approaches them and says “Hey you,
wanna fight?” at different times throughout the day. The clock changes as she
approaches each animal. She finally gets to a whale who ignores her completely
and sends her all the way back to the plant with the other ladybug on it. She
then decides to share the aphids and she eats her fill before bedtime.
Rating: ***** Eric Carle is one of the most notable
children’s book author and he’s also a favorite of mine. I love the way that he
addresses math in a practical way for children to understand and it’s
encompassed within the storytelling genius and beautiful illustrations that he
incorporates. The only thing that I dislike about this book is the repetition
that it has, but that is also good for children to be aware of and pick up as
well. It also teaches about how being grouchy doesn’t get you anything in the
long run, and that is also a good concept to get instilled within the children
at a young age.
Classroom Ideas: There are many things that we can do
within class to incorporate this book into our curriculum. One idea is that I
could have them make a clock, and for each time of the day that she encounters
an animal, they could draw a picture next to that time of the animal that came
at that time. This would help them reinforce the ideas of time and how it goes
by as well as reminding them which animal goes to each number on the clock. We
could also make cut outs of the different animals and have them find out which
are bigger and smaller than the other ones that came before or after them. This
would be a good activity for preschool because it helps them learn the
differences between sizes and what it means to be bigger or smaller than
something else. In the older grades, you can work on clocks and the differences
between the hours and you can even skip hours to show them the differences
between the hours and the minutes and how long it takes the ladybug to complete
her grouchy day.
I like the book you chose, I have never heard of the book, The Grouchy Ladybug. A ladybug that wanted to solve a grievance, but wanted to fight every ladybug she encountered. Eric Carole is an awesome author. I heard of him when I took an art class, the professor brought in some books he wrote and the pictures in the book were out of this world. I like the fact that a lesson about telling time could be done using this book. In my personal opinion children should be able to tell time at a young age. Not only are they learning to tell time, but they are learning mathematics as well.
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