The Lion's Share

The Lion’s Share: A Tale of Halving Cake and Eating it, Too!

Author & Illustrator: Matthew McElligott

Review By: Allyson Rose

Recommended Grade Level: 1^st – 5^th grade 

*Fractions are introduced through the Common Core Standards in Grade 1

Common Core Content Standards Addressed

CCSS.Math.Content.2.G.A.3

Partition circles and rectangles into two, three, or four equal shares, describe the shares using the words halves, thirds, half of, a third of, etc., and describe the whole as two halves, three thirds, four fourths. Recognize that equal shares of identical wholes need not have the same shape.

CCSS.Math.Content.3.NF.A.1

Understand a fraction 1/b as the quantity formed by 1 part when a whole is partitioned into b equal parts; understand a fraction a/b as the quantity formed by a parts of size 1/b.

CCSS.Math.Content.3.NF.A.2

Understand a fraction as a number on the number line; represent fractions on a number line diagram.

CCSS.Math.Content.3.NF.A.2.A

Represent a fraction 1/b on a number line diagram by defining the interval from 0 to 1 as the whole and partitioning it into b equal parts. Recognize that each part has size 1/b and that the endpoint of the part based at 0 locates the number 1/b on the number line.

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 the cake is continuously cut in half, the remaining piece gets smaller and smaller.

CCSS.Math.Practice.MP4

Model with mathematics.

*In the story, the cake can serve as the model. The back pages also have a diagram that displays the cake cut into halves, displaying the value of the original cake as a whole. (1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32, 1/64)

CCSS.Math.Practice.MP6

Attend to precision.

*Use this to remind students about the importance of labeling the units.

CCSS.Math.Practice.MP8

Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.

*Students should be able to recognize the numeric patterns in the story. As the cake is continuously cut in half, the denominator doubles. In the end of the story when the animals each offer to bake the Lion something special, they double the last animal’s offer. For example, they were going to bake 4 goods, then 8, then 16, then 32, etc. Students should recognize doubling is a pattern of multiplying the answer (or number) by 2.

Summary

Every Spring, King Lion invites the ant and other animals over for a nice dinner. During desert, the other guests do not behave politely. They each take one-half of the remaining cake as it is passed around. By the time it reaches the ant, barely a crumb is left for her to share with the King. The ant is horrified and worried the King will be upset with her! She offers to make up for it by baking another cake, this one just for the King. All the other animals in turn offer to bake twice as many cakes as the next. As one can imagine, this idea doesn’t end so well either… with 256 cakes offered! The King is thankful to the ant, and shares the cake she baked with just her.  

Rating

This is definitely a 5-star book. It can be used in multiple grades and various classroom settings. Not only does it teach the mathematical concepts of Fractions, but it also teaches social skills. It reminds our readers that you need proper etiquette at parties and you should not be greedy!

Classroom Ideas

1      ** You can use this book as an introduction to Fractions vocabulary. Make sure you explain what the word half means. This is also a great visual representation of halves, and the idea that a fraction is a part of a whole. You’ll have a good connection to a real life experience; most students have attended at least one party by the time they reach elementary school.

2       ** You can have students retell the story by ripping a piece of paper. As you name each animal that cut a piece of cake (remember it was always in half!), have them rip their paper in half. Eventually the paper will get so small, just like the little piece of cake left for the ant and Lion in the story. The goal of this lesson is for students to realize that even though everyone took “one-half”, each half was not of equal value, compared to the previous half cut.

          **  Have students draw and label a number line. They can cut and paste each animal to the respective cake (which would display how much of the whole cake was left, after they cut a piece).

            ** On separate index cards, write the fractions 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32 and 1/64. Also on separate index cards, draw the fractions 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32 and 1/64. Have students find their partner. As an extra challenge and connection to literacy, ask the students if they and their partner can remember which animal from the story was left with their fraction of cake.

Beyond the elementary classroom…

You could also use this book with middle school and high schoolers while teaching geometric series (halving and doubling) and common ratios. A fun picture book like this could give them a nice brain break but still stay on task!