The Very Hungry Caterpillar- Brianna McIver

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Reviewed By: Brianna McIver

Author & Illustrator: Eric Carle

Recommended Grade Level: K-1

Common Core Content Standards Addressed

CCSS.Math.Content.K.CC.A.3
Write numbers from 0 to 20. Represent a number of objects with a written numeral 0-20 (with 0 representing a count of no objects).

CCSS.Math.Content.K.CC.B.4
Understand the relationship between numbers and quantities; connect counting to cardinality.

CCSS.Math.Content.K.CC.B.4.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.

CCSS.Math.Content.K.CC.B.4.c
Understand that each successive number name refers to a quantity that is one larger.

CCSS.Math.Content.K.CC.C.6
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.

Common Core Standards for Mathematical Practice

CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP4 MODEL WITH MATH

Mathematically proficient students can apply the mathematics they know to solve problems arising in everyday life, society, and the workplace. In early grades, this might be as simple as writing an addition equation to describe a situation. In middle grades, a student might apply proportional reasoning to plan a school event or analyze a problem in the community. By high school, a student might use geometry to solve a design problem or use a function to describe how one quantity of interest depends on another. Mathematically proficient students who can apply what they know are comfortable making assumptions and approximations to simplify a complicated situation, realizing that these may need revision later. They are able to identify important quantities in a practical situation and map their relationships using such tools as diagrams, two-way tables, graphs, flowcharts and formulas. They can analyze those relationships mathematically to draw conclusions. They routinely interpret their mathematical results in the context of the situation and reflect on whether the results make sense, possibly improving the model if it has not served its purpose.

Summary

The Very Hungry Caterpillar begins with a little egg on a leaf, which then hatches and becomes a very small and hungry caterpillar. Throughout the book, as each day arrives the caterpillar eats its way through numerous food items. Every day, it eats one more food item than it did the previous day. However, no matter how much he eats he remains hungry. It then eats through a leaf, becomes a very big and full caterpillar. It built a cocoon around itself and eventually emerged as a butterfly.

Rating
 

I give this book not 3 or 4 stars, but FIVE stars. The book is fairly easy to read and understand. The illustrations are very bright and vivid and captivates the young audience's attention. Also, there are many teachable moments that can come from a book, so a child can learn without feeling as if they're learning because the book holds their interest.

Classroom Ideas

As previously stated, this book provides many teachable moments. These moments are not in just one subject area either. Each day the caterpillar eats something new. By the caterpillar doing so, students can begin to learn the days of the week and the order that they occur. Students can also be taught how to count and add, by counting up the items that the caterpillar ate. This can occur by counting the total number of food per day or adding up the total amount for the week. The book goes through the metamorphosis process of a butterfly. Students can learn about the butterfly's life cycle. They can learn about a cocoon, larva and pupa which are stages in the butterfly's life cycle.