Summary
Una finds herself in trouble. Luckily she is rescued by a clever mouse called Jiro. The pair share stories and Jiro joins Una on the adventure.
Number focus
Two
Before reading
What happened in the last chapter? Una is a mouse who lived on her own. After meeting a traveling hamster along the river, she decided it was time for her own adventure. She found a boat and set sail in search of a friend.
Key themes
Pairs of objects: Many things in our lives come in pairs. There are many opportunities to count and find pairs of objects that students might be familiar with (eg boots, earrings) or even things that we call pairs that look like single objects (eg pants, binoculars). What about when you might see two of someone? It could either be a reflection in the mirror, or a reflection in the water. Or maybe you could be seeing a pair of twins? Perhaps there is a pair in your classroom.
Sharing, couples and cooperating: The story deals with Una meeting her first friend. She has now formed the smallest possible group of individuals. Groups of two often work together, share and cooperate. Kids might compare the pair of mice to other couples like friends, siblings or even partners. There are a number of examples of Una and Jiro working together and sharing which create great opportunities for discussing halves and shares.
Differences and similarities: Are Una and Jiro ‘two of a kind’ or ‘two sides of a coin’? Differences and similarities between two people are at the core of most stories as they help to create conflict and drama, or an emotional connection. Look out for opportunities to find things that the two characters have in common or what is contrasting between them.
