Zero, Zilch, Nada Counting to None

Author: Wendy Ulmer Illustrator: Laura Knorr

Guide written by Jillian Hume

This guide may be reproduced for use with this express written

consent of Sleeping Bear Press

Published by

Sleeping Bear Press 315 E. Eisenhower Parkway, Suite 200

Ann Arbor, MI 48108 800-487-2323

www.sleepingbearpress.com

http://www.sleepingbearpress.com/

Making Predictions

Zero, Zilch, Nada A prediction is making a guess about what will happen. When you are making a prediction about a book, you are using facts that you have to guess what the story might be about.

Grades K-2: Take a picture walk through Zero, Zilch, Nada and make a prediction about the story. Grades 3 and up: Read the first five pages of the story Zero, Zilch, Nada. Use both the pictures and the text on those five pages, the cover page, and the title page to make a prediction about what “Counting to None” might mean. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________

Read Along Guide

Zero, Zilch, Nada

While reading the story Zero, Zilch, Nada look for the answers to these questions. Record your answers.

1. Harry works at the ________________________________________________________________________. 2. What kind of animal is Harry?________________________________________________________________ 3. The song Harry sings while working is, “Puff puff puff, tie it in a knot, _________________________________ ________________________________________, slip it in a slot. 4. How many balloons was Harry told to blow up? ________________________ 5. What might Harry have picked up off the floor to pop the balloons? ____________________________________ 6. Joe, who works in the shipping department, gave Harry a tip. He told Harry to count the green ones by ________. 7. George told Harry to count by _________________________. 8. Marcy told Harry to count by __________________________. 9. Harry had to fill 10 stations with 10 slots of balloons for Mrs. Doopido’s birthday. Did he have any balloons left by the time he was done counting? ___________________ 10. Mr. Huffy tells Harry that he’ll have to start over. How many balloons will he have to blow up? _____________

Qualities of an Employee

Zero, Zilch, Nada

Harry is an employee at the 4 Color Balloon Factory. An employee is someone who works for a person or a business. Mr. Huffy is Harry’s boss. He watches over Harry to make sure everything is going well, and tells Harry what he should be doing at work. Pretend that you are Mr. Huffy. What type of qualities would you want in an employee? Brainstorm qualities and record your ideas. _______________________

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Bunches of 100

Zero, Zilch, Nada Solve the problems below by determining if they equal 100. If the statement is false, write which number it is equal to. If it does equal 100, write true. Use the blank space to draw an array or to solve the problem. 1. ___True____ 5 stations with 20 slots. 5x20= 2. ___72_____ 9 stations with 8 slots. 9x8= 3. __________ 4 stations with 25 slots. 4. __________ 10 stations with 11 slots. 5. __________ 3 stations with 24 slots. 6. __________ 8 stations with 10 slots, 4 stations of 5 slots 7. __________ 2 stations of 50 slots. 8. __________ 100 stations of 1 slot. 9. __________ 6 stations of 5 slots, 7 stations of 6 slots 10. _________ 5 stations of 5 slots, 9 stations of 2 slots. Create two questions like the one above. Have a friend or classmate solve them. 1. _________ ________________________________________________________________________ 2. _________ ________________________________________________________________________

Primary Colors

Zero, Zilch, Nada

At the 4 Color Balloon Factory in the book Zero, Zilch, Nada they make four colors of balloons. Three of them are primary colors, and one is a secondary color. Use paint and a cotton tipped swab to paint the circles and explore the creation of secondary colors.

Blowing Up Balloons

Zero, Zilch, Nada

Did you know there is a way to blow up a balloon without using your mouth? With an adult, try this experiment to see if you can blow up the balloon! Materials Needed: Balloons Narrow Funnel 1 teaspoon sugar 1 tablespoon active dry yeast Measuring spoons Measuring cup Ruler Warm Water Procedure: 1. Stretch the opening of the balloon and put the funnel into the balloon. 2. With the help of an adult, measure the sugar and pour it into the balloon. 3. Measure the yeast and put it into the balloon. 4. Fill the measuring cup with warm water from the sink and pour it into the funnel. 5. Remove the funnel from the balloon. 6. Tie a knot in the balloon with the sugar, water, and yeast mixture. 7. Measure the balloon. 8. Put the balloon in a warm place. 9. Measure the balloon every two minutes. 10. Record your measurements. Data:

Start 2 minutes 4 minutes 6 minutes 8 minutes 10 minutes 12 minutes

Observations: (What did you notice?) ______________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Explanation: The yeast uses the sugar and water to grow. As it begins to bubble, it is giving off Carbon Dioxide. This is the same gas your body gives off as it breathes.

Rhyming Words

Zero, Zilch, Nada

Throughout the book Zero, Zilch, Nada, there are many rhyming words like knot and slot. Use the word maps below to come up with words that rhyme with the word in the middle of the center circle.

Hat

Floor

Fast

Pop

Fiction vs. Nonfiction

Zero, Zilch, Nada

Zero, Zilch, Nada is a fiction story. Fiction is when it is made up by the author. Nonfiction stories are written with facts, things that are true. After reading the story, thumb through the book and make a list of all the parts that make this story fiction. Then, make a list of at least five other books that you have read that are also fiction books.

Fiction is Fake.

Nonfiction is Not Fake.

Find things that make this story fiction: 1. _________________________________________________________________________________ 2. _________________________________________________________________________________ 3. _________________________________________________________________________________ 4. _________________________________________________________________________________ 5. _________________________________________________________________________________ 6. _________________________________________________________________________________ 7. _________________________________________________________________________________ 8. _________________________________________________________________________________ 9. _________________________________________________________________________________ 10. _________________________________________________________________________________ Other fiction books that you have read: 1. __________________________________________________________ 2. __________________________________________________________ 3. __________________________________________________________ 4. __________________________________________________________ 5. __________________________________________________________

Odd and Even

Zero, Zilch, Nada

In the story Zero, Zilch, Nada, Harry starts with 100 balloons, which is an even number. Marcy tells him to count by 5’s. Five is an odd number. With a partner, roll two dice. Use those two numbers to make the lowest possible two digit number. For example, if you roll a one and a three, the lowest possible number is 13, not 31. Fill out the chart below as you and a partner determine odd and even numbers.

Number on Dice 1 Number on Dice 2 Lowest 2 digit number Odd or Even?

3 1 13 Odd

What is an Array, Anyway?

Zero, Zilch, Nada An array is an arrangement of a set of numbers or objects in rows and columns. Mr. Huffy uses an array to explain to Harry how he could have counted the balloons. Below is a picture of a 10x10 array. Use it to help you solve the problems below.

1. If Harry popped 2 stations of 10 slots, how many balloons would be left? __________________________ 2. He then pops 4 slots in 5 stations. How many balloons did he pop? __________ 3. How many are left? __________________________ 4. He then pops 20 balloons. What are three examples of arrays that would show 20 balloons?

Example: 10x2 ______________ _______________ ______________ 5. How many balloons are left now? __________________________________________ 6. Where else have you seen an array in everyday life? ___________________________________________ 7. In what other type of situation might you want to use an array to solve a problem? ____________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________ 8. Draw a 5 x 5 array below. 9. Color in a 2x2 block red. Color in a 3x3 block blue. 10. How many are left uncolored? _____________________________

How Many is 100?

Zero, Zilch, Nada 100 can be a very large number, or a very small number. When you compare 100 to the number of people who live in your state, 100 is a very low number. When you compare 100 to the number of televisions you have in your home, 100 is a very large number. Use the phrase more than or less than to complete numbers 1-15 below. Then complete 16-20 using the same pattern. 1. There are _______________ 100 sinks in my school. 2. There are _______________ 100 people that live in my house. 3. There are _______________ 100 pencils in my school. 4. There are _______________ 100 students in my class. 5. There are _______________ 100 pages in my favorite book. 6. There are _______________ 100 minutes in three hours. 7. There are _______________ 100 pennies in $1.50. 8. There are _______________ 100 keys on a keyboard. 9. There are _______________ 100 words that I can read. 10. There are _______________ 100 items in a dozen. 11. There are _______________ 100 pieces of cereal in a box. 12. There are _______________ 100 chairs in my classroom. 13. There are _______________ 100 people that live in the United States. 14. There are _______________ 100 telephones in the state I live in. 15. There are _______________ 100 strands of hair on my head. 16. There are more than 100 _________________________________________________________. 17. There are less than 100 __________________________________________________________. 18. There are _______________ 100 __________________________________________________. 19. There are _______________ 100 __________________________________________________. 20. There are _______________ 100 __________________________________________________.

100th Day of School

Zero, Zilch, Nada

There are many ways to celebrate the 100th day of school! In the story Zero, Zilch, Nada, Mrs. Doopido celebrated her birthday with 100 balloons. Complete the variety of activities below as a celebration! 1. Do 20 jumping jacks, 10 sit ups, 10 push ups, jump up and down 20 times, and run in place for 40 seconds.

Feel your pulse for 10 seconds before you start _______________ Feel your pulse for 10 seconds when you are finished _____________

2. How old will you be in 100 years? ________________________________ 3. What year will it be in 100 years? _______________________________ 4. Measure a line of 100 paper clips. Record your answer. ________________________ 5. How would you spend $100?_____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________ 6. I wish I had 100 _____________________because ___________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________ 7. Make two number sentences that equal 100.

_____________________________________ _______________________________________ 8. Where would you be if you took 100 steps from the door of your classroom?

_____________________________________________________________________________________ 9. Sit silently for 100 seconds. What did you hear? _______________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________ 10. What are 100 pennies worth? __________________________________ 11. Stack 100 pennies. Measure the stack and record your answer. ___________________________________ 12. What can you build with 100 blocks? _______________________________________________________

Opposites

Zero, Zilch, Nada Celebrate the number 100 by finding 50 pairs of opposite things. When you are finished you will have 100 words! Use the book Zero, Zilch, Nada to look for some examples of opposites. For example, on the cover page, Harry’s eyes are closed. On the first page, his eyes are open. Those are opposites. 1. _______open_________ ______closed______ 2.___________________ _________________

3. ____________________ _________________ 4.___________________ _________________

5. ____________________ _________________ 6.___________________ _________________

7. ____________________ _________________ 8.___________________ _________________

9.____________________ _________________ 10.___________________ _________________

11.____________________ _________________ 12.___________________ _________________

13. ____________________ _________________ 14.___________________ _________________

15.____________________ _________________ 16.___________________ _________________

17.____________________ _________________ 18.___________________ _________________

19.____________________ _________________ 20.___________________ _________________

21.____________________ _________________ 22.___________________ _________________

23.____________________ _________________ 24.___________________ _________________

25.____________________ _________________ 26.___________________ _________________

27.____________________ _________________ 28.___________________ _________________

29.____________________ _________________ 30.___________________ _________________

31.____________________ _________________ 32.___________________ _________________

33.____________________ _________________ 34.___________________ _________________

35.____________________ _________________ 36.___________________ _________________

37.____________________ _________________ 38.___________________ _________________

39.____________________ _________________ 40.___________________ _________________

41.____________________ _________________ 42.___________________ _________________

43.____________________ _________________ 44.___________________ _________________

45.____________________ _________________ 46.___________________ _________________

47.____________________ _________________ 48.___________________ _________________

49.____________________ _________________ 50.___________________ _________________

Slang Words

Zero, Zilch, Nada

There are many slang words and phrases that we use in everyday life. Imagine someone trying to learn English. Will all of the slang terms be in the dictionary? Define the words and phrases below and write a short story using the slang words.

1. Nada: _________________________________________________________________

2. Whiz: _________________________________________________________________

3. Hit the sack: ____________________________________________________________

4. Scarfed down: __________________________________________________________

5. It’s raining cats and dogs: __________________________________________________

6. Hold your horses: ________________________________________________________

7. That’s baloney: __________________________________________________________

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Becoming a Character

Zero, Zilch, Nada

It is much easier to understand a story when you pretend that you are one of the characters. Read each question carefully before answering it. Put yourself in the character’s shoes. Be sure to explain why you would feel that way.

1. How do you think Harry felt when he saw the box of 100 deflated balloons? __________________________

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2. How do you think Harry felt after blowing up all 100 balloons? ____________________________________

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3. How do you think George felt after he made Harry lose count of the balloons? ________________________

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4. How do you think Harry feels after he has 72 balloons left and everyone keeps telling him he has a lower

number? ________________________________________________________________________________

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5. How do you think Mr. Huffy feels when he walks into the room and sees popped balloons all over? ______

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6. How do you think Harry feels after Mr. Huffy explains an easier way to count the balloons? ______________

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7. How do you think Harry feels when he has to start all over? _______________________________________

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8. How do you think Mrs. Doopido would feel if she never got her balloons? ___________________________

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Answer Key

Zero Zilch Nada Read Along Guide 1. 4 Color Balloon Factory 2. Rabbit 3. Add a nice long string 4. 100 5. Answers vary: Pin, tack, needle 6. two 7. tens 8. fives 9. No 10. 100 Qualities of an Employee Answers will vary. Some examples: On time, kind, nice, works hard, etc. Bunches of 100 3. True 4. 110 5. 72 6. True 7. True 8. True 9. 72 10. 43 Rhyming Words Answers will vary Some examples: Hat: bat, fat, rat, sat, flat, brat Floor: door, store, more, shore, galore, pore, sore, tore Fast: last, past, mast, blast, cast, vast Pop: stop, mop, drop, shop, hop, crop, cop, shop Fiction vs. Nonfiction Answers will vary Some examples: Animals can’t talk, rabbits don’t breathe helium, animals don’t work, and animals don’t wear clothes What is an Array, Anyway? 1. 80 2. 20 3. 60 4. 4x5, 5x4, 2x10, 10x2, 20x1, 1x20 5. 40 6-8. Answers vary 10. 12 Slang Words 1. Nothing 2. Genius 3. Go to bed 4. Eat really fast 5. It’s raining hard 6. Calm down 7.That’s not true