I am Tall
Written by Jillian Cutting
Illustrations by Astrid Matijasevic
The Story
Children, animals
and a clown on stilts
compete to see who
is the tallest.
Introduction
• Begin looking at height with the children by discussing how we know
how tall someone is. Look at two children and compare their heights.
Who is taller? Who is shorter?
Ask another child to stand up.
Who is the tallest and shortest now?
Repeat these comparisons with other children.
• Introduce the story. Look through the book, page by page, discussing
who is the tallest in each illustration. How do you know who is the tallest?
Read the story together.
• Read the story I am Tall. Discuss how the animals knew who was the
tallest.
How might the animals have made themselves taller?
If an elephant was in the story, which animal would it be taller than
do you think?
What animal that you know is shorter than a cat?
Which animals in the story do you think are shorter than you?
Which animals do you think are taller than you?
Follow-up Activities
Taller/Shorter Story
Give the children a selection of different-sized containers to place in order
from the smallest to the tallest. Ask the children to tell you a story about
them.
Process
• Classify objects
by height and
show the difference
between two heights
• Predict simple
results and compare
actual results with
predictions
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Sizes
Children stand up and organise themselves into a line from the shortest
to the tallest. Reorganise into smaller groups so that other children have
turns at being the shortest or tallest.
© Wendy Pye Publishing Ltd 2011
Using the Online Activities
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3
Activity 1 – Taller/Shorter Game
Play a game of “Snap” with the Digit to decide which character is the
tallest and which is the shortest.
As a follow-up, children play the same game using “taller” and “shorter”
cards, a tall object and two items from the classroom that they can bring
to the mat. They take turns to place their items in the taller or shorter
group.
Activity 2 – Who is the Tallest?
Follow directions to click on the tallest or shortest character on the
screen. Watch out for the surprise ending!
As a follow-up, give children different-sized stackable containers and ask
them to take turns at mixing them up. They then place the containers in
a line and ask the others in the group
Which is the shortest? Which is the tallest?
Shuffle them and the next child asks the question.
Activity 3 – Number Cruncher’s Rocket
Choose ladders so that Number Cruncher can climb into the windows
and build his rocket.
As a follow-up, children draw a rocket on card with crayons. Bring these
to the mat. Put the rockets in order from the smallest to the tallest.
Rhyme – Hickory, Dickory, Dock
Read the rhyme on the CD-ROM. Each child can illustrate a part of the
rhyme and record the words underneath it.
Other Activities
What’s taller than me?
Children draw themselves in the middle of a piece of paper. On one
side they draw things that they are taller than and on the other side they
draw things that are taller than they are. Label each object.
Maths Concept Use of comparison
to understand
height – tallest and
shortest
Increased
understanding of
concepts – the
same as,
taller/smaller,
tallest/smallest
Maths Language
tall
taller than
tallest
as tall as
short
shorter than
shortest
as short as
Class Height Chart
Children line up against the wall or lie down on a large piece of paper
and mark their heights. You can do this at the beginning of the year and
part way through to see any differences.
Comparing Heights
Children bring a soft toy from home. Ask them which toy they think is
the tallest. Discuss the difference between “biggest” and “tallest”. Place
the toys in a line from the tallest to the shortest.
© Wendy Pye Publishing Ltd 2011
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