Title of Book: Inch by Inch
Author: Leo Lionni
Publisher: Mulberry Paperback Book, New York
Publication Date: 1960

Brief Summary of Book:
This is a really cute book to use to learn measurements, especially inch measurements. It’s about an inchworm that keeps from being eaten by measuring a robin’s tail, a flamingo’s neck, a toucan’s beak, a Heron’s legs, and a nightingale’s song. With the nightingale’s song the inchworm keeps inching away until out of sight of the nightingale.

Activity 1:  Inch by Inch
TEKS: 3.11A
Materials Required: Ruler, yarn, paper, scissors, crayons, glue, Inch by Inch by Leo Lionni.
Activity Time: 45 minutes – 1 hour
Concepts Taught: Measuring with a ruler in inches
Grade Level: Elementary, 3rd grade
Source:
Posted by Laurie Croft from Socrum Elem., Lakeland, USA.

Procedures for students to follow:
1) First read the book Inch by Inch.
2) Think or discuss how the worm “inched” away for the bird.
3) Give student yarn or student take yarn in book bag with a green piece of yarn.
4) Measure your own yarn in inches to create a path of line segments for the worm to sneak away.
5) Paste yarn segments on paper the way you think the inchworm snuck away.
6) Make your own inchworm with green piece of yarn, put eyes on it.
7) Then create your own scenery on your paper from the book.
8) Add up all your measurements of yarn to find how far away the inchworm “inched” away.
Assessment: The paper creation the students created. Assess if they measured their yarn segments correctly and added them up correctly.
Miscellaneous Notes: Make sure you have and example paper creation as a model and explain what segments are.

Activity 2: Bird Measurement
TEKS: 3.11
Materials Required: Bird cut outs, yarn, scissors, rulers, paper, Inch by Inch by Leo Lionni
Activity Time: 25-30 minutes
Concepts Taught: Measurement in Inches, Types of Birds
Grade Level: Elementary, 3rd grade

Procedures:  First read Inch by Inch by Leo Lionni. Then discuss and talk about the different kinds of birds mentioned in the book that the inchworm measured. Give the students yarn and have them create their own inchworm. Have the students actually measure the inchworm measuring an inch. Divide the students into groups or they could do individually if you have enough bird cut outs and have them measure the length of the birds or bird parts that the book mentions. Make a list on the board what they are to measure on each bird. After measuring is done discuss the results in class.