Summary
Una, Jiro and Spot take a break at the beach. Una meets a friend and together they learn something new while exploring the number 10.
Number focus
Ten
Before reading
What happened in the last chapter? Una, Jiro and Spot’s boat was swept onto the shore in a storm, causing Jiro to injure his tail. While trying to find help, they met a large family of bats who knew exactly how to help. Jiro was soon fit and healthy and ready for another adventure.
Key themes
Friends of 10: In the story Neo and her 9 friends make a group of 10. That shows us that 1 and 9 make 10. We can also make 10 with other pairs of numbers like 8 and 2 or 4 and 6. We call these pairs number bonds, or addition facts to 10 or friends of 10. Ask students what other numbers combine together to make 10. Explore other number pairs for 10 using groups of students and hands-on materials. There are many Mathletics resources to support students as they explore these number pairs including Play Paws games, Numbeanies card games and ebook worksheets.
Life cycle of a frog: Neo is a froglet — the stage of development between a tadpole (or polliwog) and a frog. Neo has 4 legs and breathes with lungs but still has a tail. Explore the life cycle of a frog and record the cyclical development using images and arrows. Investigate other life cycles with interesting stages including silk worms and mosquitos.
Swimming safety: In the story, Neo teaches Una how to swim. The story provides a good opportunity to explore water safety with younger students. Reread the story and observe the things Neo does to ensure Una is safe around the water. Consider other things that could be done to make Una safer while she is learning. Make a list of 10 rules for staying safe around the water.
