Making Multicultural Connections
Through Trade Books

Too Many Tamales
Written by Gary Soto
Illustrated by Ed Martinez

Cultural Group: Hispanic

Content Connection: Math Grades 4

Topic : Fractions

Suggested Exemplars

• Picture Interpretation: Mother's Helper by Diego Rivera
• Collection: bottle of water, corn husks, shredded beef, masa, mixing bowl, measuring cup, large pot
• Guess Box: a ring
• Word of the Day: "tamale"

Learning Sequence

1. Present items in serial collection in specified order. Students will brainstorm a name for the collection, focus on "Things That Will Be Used in a Recipe."

2. Read Too Many Tamales aloud to find out what is being made.

3. Group students to follow a recipe for making tamales. This can be done as an assembly line project. Each group can be responsible for one specific step of the recipe.

4. Students work in cooperative groups to solve the following problems:

   Maria and her mother made 24 tamales. Maria and her cousins decided to eat all 24 tamales in order to find her mothers lost ring. If the children decide to each eat a fair share of tamales, what fractional part of the tamales would each child have to eat ? How many tamales would each child eat if they ate one-fourth of the tamales?

   Tell the students that Danny realizes that he is unable to eat 6 tamales. Therefore Dolores, Teresa, and Maria must eat all 24 tamales. What fractional part will each child eat ? How many tamales would each child have to eat if they ate one-third of the tamales?

5. Students find the number of tamales each child would have to eat if there were 96 tamales.

6. Students create their own tamale problems using a different number of people to fair share with.

Extension

• Students list steps for making tamales, then create a movement for each step in tamale making. Play Mexican music and have students act out steps to the music.

Technology Link

• Use KID PIX STUDIO (Broderbund). Find fractions of a set using "stamp" tool. Make shapes and divide into parts.

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© 1996 MCPS Department of Academic Programs, Division of Enriched and Innovative Instruction,Program of Assessment, Diagnosis, and Instruction