Bean Thirteen

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• Bean Thirteen, by Matthew McElligott
• 13 large dried beans
• Piece of paper
• Tape
• Marker or crayon

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Preparation

1. Gather the book and other materials.
2. Read the story through before presenting it to the children. Think about how you might engage your children in solving each equal-sharing problem (see Directions for some suggestions).

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In Bean Thirteen, Ralph and Flora try to figure out what to do with the unlucky thirteenth bean Flora insisted on picking. As you read the book aloud, follow the prompts below.

1. Before You Read: Move your finger across the words as you read the title of the book and the name of the author. Have the children count along as you point to each of the beans on the cover.
2. Ask if anyone knows what the number 13 looks like. Draw it on a piece of paper and post it where the children can see it. You may also want to draw 13 “beans,” in two groups of six plus one alone, as the children will soon see in the book.
3. As You Read: Read the equal-sharing dilemmas faced by Ralph and Flora on each page. Before you read their solutions, pause and invite children to figure out how to share the beans equally among the bugs, and to think about what to do with any extra beans. Use, or have the children use, the beans as props to solve the problem, if needed. Then, continue reading Ralph and Flora’s solution. Below is a list of the challenges from the book:
   • Just Ralph and Flora (two bugs)
   • Ralph, Flora, and April (three bugs)
   • Ralph, Flora, April, and Joe (four bugs)
   • Ralph, Flora, April, Joe, and Meg (five bugs)
   • Ralph, Flora, April, Joe, Meg, and Rocco (six bugs)
4. After You Read: Ask the children what they think happened to the thirteenth bean and ask for their solutions for solving the problem of the thirteenth bean. (Accept all answers.) Ask, Were the beans shared equally in the end? How do you know?