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Sir Cumference and the First Round Table: A Math Adventure by Cindy Neuschwander

 

 

 

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Title Author Grade level
 "Sir Cumference and the First Round Table"   Cindy Neuschwander   3rd to 5th grade

 

Genre:
Chapter book

 

Summary of the story :
 This math story tells how Sir Cumference, his wife the Lady Di of Ameter, and their son Radius solve the problems of the king's table. King Arthur and his knights needed to have a council of the strongest and bravest knights to discuss the problem of the neighboring kingdom preparing for war, but there was a problem with the table around which they met. At first it was too long and then had too many sides. Other table designs produced more objections. Geo of Metry made tables in several shapes before a round table solved all the problems. This sharp-minded team eventually designed the perfect table conducive to discussing the peace plan where everyone was comfortable and felt on equal standing.

Now that students have discovered that the circle shaped table worked perfectly, we will begin our lessons on circles. That will be our springboard for learning all about circles. We will discuss vocabulary (radius, diameter, circumference, chord, and tangent). We will learn how to use the diameter or radius to find the circumference of a circle. We will also use this time to create and interpret circle graphs.

 

 

 

 

 

Design Challenges:

~ threat of war with neighboring kingdom

~ how will the brave knights get to the kingdom quickly

~ Sir Cumference needs to get rid of his sore throat

~ Knights need a table where they can comfortably discuss peace plan 
Comments:
  This is a great book to introduce or review geometric vocabulary and concepts. Polygons and measurements are explained in this quest for the perfect council table for the king and his knights. When the round table is finally found to be the perfect shape, the king names certain measurements after Sir Cumference, Radius, and the Lady Di from Ameter.

 

  Prepared by  Bill Wolfson.  Copyright © 2011
Last Updated 
09/19/2011