THE DOORBELL RANG
Author: Pat Hutchins
Illustrator: Pat Hutchins
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Number of pages: 24
Publisher: Mulberry Books (USA) First published in: 1986 Format: Picturebook Is the mathematical focus explicit in the story? No Is this story part of a mathematics story series? No Preview and/or purchase this book on the Amazon websites: UK, USA, AUS, IND, CAN Synopsis by the author/publisher
Ma has made a dozen delicious cookies. It should be plenty for her two children. But then the doorbell rings - and rings and rings.Each ring of the doorbell brings more friends to share the delicious cookies Ma has made. |
“"No one makes cookies like Grandma," said Ma as the doorbell rang. It was Peter and his little brother: "Come in," said Ma. "You can share the cookies."”
Official review by MathsThroughStories.org:
Pat Hutchins’ ‘The Doorbell Rang’ (1986) is a classic story, much loved by teachers and parents. Given the age group of the intended audience, the story has a simple storyline where a mother has baked 12 cookies (‘biscuits’ for British folks!) for her two children to share equally (i.e. six cookies each). Just before the two children have a chance to eat the cookies, the doorbell rings. Two other children join in and are invited to share the cookies equally (now three cookies each). Shortly after that, two more children join in (two cookies each), and then six more (one cookie each). The author gives readers a bit of suspense at the end of the story when the doorbell rings again: if there is one more child turning up, how would the 12 cookies be shared equally between 13 children!? (It turns out the children have nothing to worry about as the mysterious guest is … well you have to find out yourself!) We know from talking to many teachers and parents how much they love this story because it can be used to either introduce the concept of division without remainders to younger children or it can be used to introduce the concept of division with remainders to older children. We can also see a wide range of practical learning activities that teachers and parents can do with their children after finish reading the story (e.g. using play-dough to create a number of pretend biscuits to be shared by different numbers of people). We can just imagine the rich mathematical dialogue that would be generated as part of this activity. All in all, we love this classic story and highly recommend ‘The Doorbell Rang’ to introduce the concept of division (with remainders) to children, aged 5+ years old.
Recommended age range:
5+ years old
Relevant topics:
Division
Possible teaching activities:
At MathsThroughStories.org, we believe that stories can be meaningfully incorporated in mathematics teaching in different ways. Thus, we are inviting you to share your experience of how you have used this story in your mathematics lesson with other members of the community. By sharing your experience with us, you will be added to our team of On-line Contributors here, where you can also find our submission guideline.
Pat Hutchins’ ‘The Doorbell Rang’ (1986) is a classic story, much loved by teachers and parents. Given the age group of the intended audience, the story has a simple storyline where a mother has baked 12 cookies (‘biscuits’ for British folks!) for her two children to share equally (i.e. six cookies each). Just before the two children have a chance to eat the cookies, the doorbell rings. Two other children join in and are invited to share the cookies equally (now three cookies each). Shortly after that, two more children join in (two cookies each), and then six more (one cookie each). The author gives readers a bit of suspense at the end of the story when the doorbell rings again: if there is one more child turning up, how would the 12 cookies be shared equally between 13 children!? (It turns out the children have nothing to worry about as the mysterious guest is … well you have to find out yourself!) We know from talking to many teachers and parents how much they love this story because it can be used to either introduce the concept of division without remainders to younger children or it can be used to introduce the concept of division with remainders to older children. We can also see a wide range of practical learning activities that teachers and parents can do with their children after finish reading the story (e.g. using play-dough to create a number of pretend biscuits to be shared by different numbers of people). We can just imagine the rich mathematical dialogue that would be generated as part of this activity. All in all, we love this classic story and highly recommend ‘The Doorbell Rang’ to introduce the concept of division (with remainders) to children, aged 5+ years old.
Recommended age range:
5+ years old
Relevant topics:
Division
Possible teaching activities:
At MathsThroughStories.org, we believe that stories can be meaningfully incorporated in mathematics teaching in different ways. Thus, we are inviting you to share your experience of how you have used this story in your mathematics lesson with other members of the community. By sharing your experience with us, you will be added to our team of On-line Contributors here, where you can also find our submission guideline.
