Chicka, Chicka, 1,2,3

Chicka Chicka 1, 2, 3

Reviewed by: Jason M. Nealon

Author Bill Martin, Jr. & Michael Sampson

Illustrator Lois Ehlert, Cover artist Lois Ehlert

Publication date July 6, 2004

Recommended Grade Level: PreSchool-Grade 2 Pages 40

Common Core Content Standards Addresses

Counting and Cardinality

Kindergarten

Know number names and the count sequence.

CCSS.Math.Content.K.CC.A.1
Count to 100 by ones and by tens.

CCSS.Math.Content.K.CC.A.2
Count forward beginning from a given number within the known sequence (instead of having to begin at 1).

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).

Kindergarten

Work with numbers 11-19 to gain foundations for place value.

CCSS.Math.Content.K.NBT.A.1
Compose and decompose numbers from 11 to 19 into ten ones and some further ones, e.g., by using objects or drawings, and record each composition or decomposition by a drawing or equation (such as 18 = 10 + 8); understand that these numbers are composed of ten ones and one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, or nine ones.

Grade 1

Understand place value.

CCSS.Math.Content.1.NBT.B.2
Understand that the two digits of a two-digit number represent amounts of tens and ones. Understand the following as special cases:

CCSS.Math.Content.1.NBT.B.2.a
10 can be thought of as a bundle of ten ones — called a "ten."

CCSS.Math.Content.1.NBT.B.2.b
The numbers from 11 to 19 are composed of a ten and one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, or nine ones.

CCSS.Math.Content.1.NBT.B.2.c
The numbers 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 refer to one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, or nine tens (and 0 ones).

Common Core Standards for Mathematical Practice

CCSS.Math.Practice.MP2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively.

Mathematically proficient students make sense of quantities and their relationships in problem situations.  They bring two complementary abilities to bear on problems involving quantitative relationships: the ability to decontextualize—to abstract a given situation and represent it symbolically and manipulate the representing symbols as if they have a life of their own, without necessarily attending to their referents—and the ability to contextualize, to pause as needed during the manipulation process in order to probe into the referents for the symbols involved. Quantitative reasoning entails habits of creating a coherent representation of the problem at hand; considering the units involved; attending to the meaning of quantities, not just how to compute them; and knowing and flexibly using different properties of operations and objects.

Summary

This is a counting-book companion to Chicka, Chicka, Boom, Boom. It is very similar to the previous book, replacing letters with numbers. The layout, cut-paper illustrations, and vibrant colors are all similar to the many fans of the coconut tree predecessor. At the center of the story this time, however, is an apple tree. Numbers race to the top of the apple tree, 1,2 and 3 lead the way. "Chicka Chicka 1, 2, 3… Will there be a place for me?" asks 0. Which readers will soon be able to recall as it is repeated throughout the book, the same way as chicka chicka boom boom will there be enough room. Page after page, the numbers climb. There is a social/emotional aspect to this story in that 0 does not feel there will be a place for it in the apple tree. However, readers learn that 0 does in fact play a crucial role in our numerals. By the time we get to 99, 0 cries out once more, "Chicka Chicka 1, 2, 3… Will there be a place for me?"a swarm of bumblebees arrives shouting, "GET OUT OF OUR TREE…." Alas, the counting begins again, except starting from 100, counting down! I have used this book for a 100th day celebration in class.

Rating - 5 stars

I absolutely love how this book deals with incorporating zero in the act of counting. We have a fun way of learning how to count in this book, similar to how Boom shows us the alphabet. When the numbers are attacked by bumblebees, all the numbers scatter and hide. Not sure why bumblebees are used to scare numbers, but that aside, this is a great way of also introducing students to the base 10, which also gives 0 a valuable place as well. We are also asked to count backwards in this story!

Classroom Ideas

 Creating apple trees with different number apples for students to count is a great way to learn 1-1 correspondence. Differentiation can be done by using higher or lower numbers. A blank tree can be used with red foam counters for students to complete on their own.