Graeme Base would have to be one of my favourite Australian illustrators (and authors of course but I feel his art work really needed a mention - did you know that original art works from the books sell for up to $50,000???). They detail is absolutely brilliant and the reader gets completed enthralled in the story thanks to the imagery.
Uno's Garden at it's core, is a story about how fragile the environment is, and how society needs to strive to create a balance between creatures, man made structures, and plant life. It uses multiplication concepts to do so, both increasing in numbers, and decreasing - even touching on square numbers. The mythical creatures and plants are so fun and creative!
Let me explain Uno's Garden a bit more...
We begin with 10 creatures,
And 10 x 10 plants (= 100).
And one resident (Uno) who decides to live in the forest (so at the beginning of the story there are no buildings).
Moving through the story, as the number of buildings increases, the animals and plants decrease. So when there are 8 creatures, there are 8 x 8 plants (= 64), and 2 buildings (1 + 1 = 2). By the time there are 4 creatures, there are 4 x 4 plants (= 16), and 16 + 16 = 32 buildings. This number pattern continues until there is nothing but buildings, and a lot of very sad and miserable people.
Fortunately Uno kept a tiny collection of plants, and slowly the animals and forest returns. But this time, in perfect harmony. 2 creatures, 2 buildings and 2 plants - and so on until we get to our balanced eco system.
Uno's Garden is absolutely perfect for the Year 2 age group. I would highly recommend it to kick off Literacy and Numeracy week in your class!
Lauren :)
Exploring Uno's Garden during Literacy and Numeracy Week sounds fantastic! Graeme Base's intricate illustrations and the story's environmental message make it a valuable educational tool. Looking forward to more engaging activities
ReplyDeleteDriving Without A License In New Jersey