The Greedy Triangle
Written by: Marilyn Burns
Illustrated by: Gordon Silveria
Illustrated by: Gordon Silveria
StorylineThe Greedy Triangle by Marilyn Burns, is a fiction text about a very busy, greedy triangle. The triangle has many jobs that keep him busy every day. One day, the triangle began to feel bored an decided that he wanted to do something different with his life. He thought that adding one more side and one more angle would make his life more interesting. He then visits the "shape shifter" to change him from a triangle to a quadrilateral. The triangle becomes bored with his current shape many times and continues to visit the "shape shifter" to change his shape to a new polygon. The triangle adds so many sides that he is nearly a circle. He is unhappy and decides to visit the "shape shifter" one more time. This time he asks "shape shifter" to turn him back into a triangle.
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Front and Back Matter
The front cover of The Greedy Triangle has the main character with many shapes on a stage. Seeing the triangle and shapes gives the reader an idea of what they will be reading about. The back cover shows the stage with the "shape shifter," another character, and gives more information about the author. The front matter includes the title of the publication, author, illustrator, and publication information. The back matter includes a note to adults explaining how The Greedy Triangle is linked to mathematics and how to extend children's learning with this book. The note also includes any background knowledge that you may need when reading this book to your child.
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Theme
Geometric Shapes
Age Appropriateness
This book is recommended for children ages four to eight. This book is still appropriate for your child because it addresses the current geometric vocabulary we are learning and presents the concepts it in a fun way for children.
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Literacy and Mathematics
Writing Style: The writing style of The Greedy Triangle is narrative. The writing is very creative, yet still includes many geometric concepts. Each sentence includes a lot of description. Conversation is also included in the text. The writing flows to create a story about different geometric shape and their transformations.
Vocabulary: This book uses everyday language as well as content rich vocabulary. The vocabulary used in the text includes: triangle, polygon, quadrilateral, pentagon, hexagon, heptagon, octagon, nonagon, decagon. Presentation: This book has a lot going on on each page, but is not overwhelming to the reader. It seems that everything has a home on the page and is not out of place. The illustrations provide a lot of detail and the text is easy to locate. Readability Score: The Frey Readability Chart leveled The Greedy Triangle at a 7th grade level. When scoring this book, the multisyllabic vocabulary words increased the readability level. This book is still appropriate for fourth grade because the students already know many of the tricky vocabulary words associated with geometric shapes. Authentic/Fictionalized: This book is a fictionalized text. Shapes can not come to life or speak and there is no "shape shifter" in our world. |
Visual Features: This book includes the different polygons in cartoon drawings and the drawings are related to the child's real life. The shapes are accurately drawn and helps the reader to visualize each of the different polygons and how they are similar and different.
Illustrations: The illustrations in this text are very colorful. They provide detail to the reader about the shapes. Also, the illustrations depict the triangle's journey. Visual Features: The book includes visual models of different shapes and angles. The feature supports the text because it provides your child a visual representation of the shapes, rather than just a bunch of words. The visual features also help your child see the differences between the different polygons. Content: The content of this book is rich in concepts and illustrations about math. The main concept of the book is focused on geometrics shapes. Through the book, the reader will learn different geometric names and the side/angle correlation. Accuracy: The Greedy Triangle, is part of a series called Marilyn Burns Brainy Day Books. The author, Marilyn Burns, is a nationally acclaimed math leacher, popular children's book author, and a sought-after educational consultant. The representation of geometric shapes is correct throughout the text. |
The Greedy Triangle Shape Walk
Complete The Greedy Triangle shape walk after reading The Greedy Triangle.
The Greedy Triangle is about a triangle who wants to change into a new, exciting shape. During this activity, you and your child will go on a hunt to look for different shapes. This activity can be done in many different locations such as your house, outside, in the car, or at a restaurant. Have your child make a list of all the shapes that they find. Encourage your child to use the correct vocabulary and attributes when describing the shapes that they find.
Below are a few questions that you could ask your child:
The Greedy Triangle is about a triangle who wants to change into a new, exciting shape. During this activity, you and your child will go on a hunt to look for different shapes. This activity can be done in many different locations such as your house, outside, in the car, or at a restaurant. Have your child make a list of all the shapes that they find. Encourage your child to use the correct vocabulary and attributes when describing the shapes that they find.
Below are a few questions that you could ask your child:
- How many sides/angles does that shape have?
- What shape would be made if we added/took away a side from that shape?
- Does the shape you made have another name?
Reference:
Burns, M., & Silveria, G. (1994). The greedy triangle. New York: Scholastic.
Burns, M., & Silveria, G. (1994). The greedy triangle. New York: Scholastic.