Book Club - The Doorbell Rang

The Doorbell Rang

POSTED BY ROSEMARY WHITE

Title: The Doorbell Rang
Author and Illustrator: Pat Hutchins

Recommended Grade Level: K - 3^rd grade

Common Core Content Standards Addressed:

CCSS.Math.Content.1.OA.A.1

Use addition and subtraction within 20 to solve word problems involving situations of adding to, taking from, putting together, taking apart, and comparing, with unknowns in all positions, e.g., by using objects, drawings, and equations with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem.

CCSS.Math.Content.1.OA.B.3
Apply properties of operations as strategies to add and subtract.² Examples: If 8 + 3 = 11 is known, then 3 + 8 = 11 is also known. (Commutative property of addition.) To add 2 + 6 + 4, the second two numbers can be added to make a ten, so 2 + 6 + 4 = 2 + 10 = 12. (Associative property of addition.)

CCSS.Math.Content.1.OA.C.5

Relate counting to addition and subtraction (e.g., by counting on 2 to add 2).

CCSS.Math.Content.3.0A.A.3

Use multiplication and division within 100 to solve word problems in situations involving equal groups, arrays, and measurement quantities, e.g., by using drawings and equations with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem.

Common Core Standards for Mathematical Practice:

CCSS.Math.Practice.MP1

Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.

*Students should make sense of the story line and understand the problem. The mathematics behind this story is: as more kids arrive, the amount of cookies begin to dwindle and the kids need to figure out how much cookies each person would now have.

CCSS.Math.Practice.MP4

Model with mathematics.

Summary

The Doorbell Rang is about a mom who makes more than enough cookies for her two kids and tells them they can share the cookies with each other. They count out how many they each get. Then the doorbell rings and they redistribute the cookies evenly between four kids instead. Every time they are about to eat their cookies, the doorbell rings again and more friends show up to share the cookies, until there is only enough for each child to have one cookie each.

Rating  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book definitely deserves 5-stars.   I like this book because it is very versatile.  This is a book that could be used for math and also teaches social emotional skills about sharing.  In this book, children are introduced to division, without the word division even being mentioned.  This book is also a good for children because it features lots of repetition, which makes it feel safe and comfortable against the things that are a little new. One such new thing may be the vocabulary in this story. Some good vocabulary words include "plenty", and "enormous". I enjoyed the books illustrations as well. I liked them because they feature children with different skin tones and hair colors.  Overall, I think that this book is a good book to keep on hand for counting and used to teach higher level math such as subtraction or division. 

Classroom Ideas

1     ** You can use this book to introducing children to the concept of fractions and division. After reading the book, teacher will have two students start up at the front. These two students will have to divide the 12 cookies up between themselves. Each time the doorbell rings, more students come up. Each time students need to divide the cookies among themselves. As students divide these cookies up, you can demonstrate on the board how to model what they are doing (ex: Model 12 divided by 2).

2      ** After reading the book, divide children into 3 groups of even numbers. Give each group a large cookie or pizza. Then ask each group to cut the number of members in each group and discuss how many pieces each item needs to be cut into so each member gets an equal share. Once done the children can enjoy their food.

3.   ** It can also be used to teach children about sharing (life skills).  For example, a cooking lesson in baking cookies.  Children would take turns adding the ingredients in the batter, sharing cleaning responsibilities, etc.

4.  ** For lower grades – Teacher could have the students act out the story.  As the teacher reads the book, choose two children to begin dividing the cookies evenly onto their own plates.  As more kids arrive, ask students to tell you how many plates you need to add. How many cookies does each child get now? More advanced learners can be introduced to addition, subtraction, and even multiplication as the plates are added, the cookies are divided, and our groups always still total twelve to make a dozen.

5.  ** Because of this versatility, the book could also be used to teach “Diversity".  Teacher could use the illustrations to highlight people from different cultures.