A Remainder of One by Elinor J. Pinczes

Great book for investigating division and remainders and arrays and multiplication and number patterns and …………..

The 25th bug squadron (it has 25 bugs) needs to organise itself into lines to march in the bug parade.

“The 25th squadron marched past the bug crowd,

bound and determined to make their queen proud.

The troop had divided by two for the show.

Each bug had a partner – except soldier Joe”.

Poor Joe is left out and gets into trouble because the queen “likes things tidy”.

Find out what happens when the squadron divides into threes and fours. Guess who is left out each time. However, there is a happy ending when the bugs decide to march in fives:

“Five lines of soldiers with five in each row……

perfect at last – and that’s counting Joe.”

Act out the story with children themselves – What would the name of your class squadron be? What would happen if your class squadron was trying to march in tidy rows to please the queen? How many would be in each row? When would there be remainders like Joe?

What about other classes? Would they march in the same way as you?

Investigate different squadrons and tell their stories.

Use different resources to act out the story and investigate other numbers.