Multiplying Menace- The Revenge of Rumpelstiltskin by Pam Calvert
- Target Skill(s): Multiplication of Whole Numbers and Fractions
- Book Synopsis: Peter, son of the King and Queen, is celebrating his tenth birthday when Rumpelstiltskin returns to fulfill the promise made to him by the Queen when he spun her straw into gold. When the Queen refuses, Rumpelstiltskin reeks havoc on the town. All through the town, Rumpelstiltskin points his magic stick at all people and things. Poof! They disappear! After Rumpelstiltskin gives the King six noses, Peter agrees to go with him if Rumpelstiltskin agrees to fix the town. Rumpelstiltskin takes Peter to his home and Peter watches as he uses his magic stick to create more of the things he needs and less of what he doesn't need. While Rumpelstiltskin is sleeping, Peter takes the magic stick and tries to figure out how to use it. Once Peter discovers the secret of the magic stick, he returns to the town to fix Rumpelstiltskin's work.
- Math Involved: In the story both Peter and Rumpelstiltskin use the magic stick to multiply whole numbers by whole numbers to obtain a larger amount and whole numbers by fractions to obtain a smaller amount.
- Questions to Ponder:
- What is multiplication?
- What happens when we multiply by a whole number by a whole number?
- What happens when we multiply a whole number and a fraction?
- What happens when we multiply a number times zero?
- Activity Ideas:
- Elementary students are used to seeing multiplication as a way to get more of something. Create a T-chart and brainstorm situations from the text when more objects resulted and when less objects resulted. Use the book as a guide. Discuss what kind of numbers Rumpelstiltskin and Peter multiplied by to get more and to get less.
- Have students create a chart with an example of multiplication with whole numbers and fractions. (See the chart above.)
- Use the book to create problems such as, "When Peter wanted to change his dad's face back to one nose instead of six, what did he multiply by?" Have students write and illustrate a number sentence to match the problem.
- Book Link on Amazon: http://bit.ly/MultiplyingMenace
