If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff [Harper Collins, 2000] is an engaging children’s book about the adventures of a mouse and a little boy. Kids love the silly story and can’t wait to see what the mouse will want to do next.
Primary school teachers can use the book to introduce kids to the concept of math patterns. After reading and talking about the story during an integrated unit the teacher can plan cookie themed math pattern activities.
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie Math Pattern Lesson Objective
Students will identify and complete AB, AAB, ABB, and ABC math patterns.
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie Math Pattern Lesson Materials
- If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff
- Chocolate chip cookie cut-outs with magnets on back
- Peanut butter cookie cut-outs with magnets on back
- Sugar cookie cut-outs with magnets on back
- White paper
- Colored pencils
Use Cookies to Teach AB, AAB, ABB, and ABC Patterns
Primary school students need to be able to identify and complete AB, AAB, ABB, and ABC patterns. Teachers can use different kinds of cookies to teach kids about these different patterns.
The teacher begins the lesson by having the students recall the mouse in the story who wanted milk to go with his cookie. She will then ask the students what kind of cookies they would like to drink with their milk. She tells the kids she likes to eat chocolate chip, peanut butter, and sugar cookies with sprinkles.
The teacher shows the class chocolate chip, peanut butter, and sprinkle sugar cookie cut-outs with magnets on the back. She creates an AB pattern on the white board using the chocolate chip and peanut butter cookies. The class identifies the chocolate chip-peanut butter pattern and the teacher explains the vocabulary term AB pattern.
The teacher uses the chocolate chip cookies and the sugar cookies to create a new AB math pattern. The class takes turns coming to the board to use the cookie magnets to continue the pattern. Once the pattern is complete the teacher prompts the students to correctly label the AB pattern on the white board.
Next, the elementary students choose their two favorite cookies and draw an AB cookie pattern on their papers. The teacher circulates around the room to check for understanding. Once the kids have drawn their math cookie patterns they switch papers with a partner. The partners identify the pattern and then use their colored pencils to continue and label the AB pattern.
After the students have practiced the AB cookie pattern the teacher can introduce AAB, ABB, and ABC patterns using the cookie magnets. Kids can create their own patterns for a partner to identify and complete. Once the students are able to identify AB, AAB, ABB, and ABC patterns the cookie cut-outs can be placed in a math learning center for further practice.
Elementary teachers can use If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff to create a thematic unit. After reading about the story about a mouse who wanted a cookie, teachers can teach students about math patterns using cookie manipulatives. Kids are motivated to learn new math concepts when the lesson is tied to their language arts lesson.
