Teaching basic skills with stories and flannel boards

Introducing early math skills such as shape recognition, counting, and using groups of five can be combined with introducing a classic fairy tale that can spark a discussion about about beauty, kindness, and honesty. Have fun playing with the story and manipulating sounds in your own way. For example, dramatizing the stormy evening with wind and rain adds fun as well as nurturing phonemic awareness. Encourage participation especially during counting. Twisting the ending can be a fun way to stretch the story learning.
Materials
• Bright green felt circle to represent the pea
• Ten 5 x 7 (larger if needed) white felt rectangles to represent mattresses

The Princess and the Pea
Adapted by Antoinette Griffin 

Once there was a kingdom ruled by a King, a Queen, and their son the Prince. Everyone in the kingdom was very happy because whenever they had any problems or questions, they could ask the King and Queen who always came up with clever ways to solve dilemmas.

As the Prince matured into a young man, he knew one day he would take over the job of King. The time came for him to find a princess to become the future Queen. Many young girls wanted to be chosen, but none had the qualities the Prince thought his Princess should have.

One stormy evening, a young girl came to the kingdom. She had been caught in the storm. She had gotten lost and one of the guards brought her to the castle. The girl’s clothes were messy from her travels and the storm still raged outside. The prince was a gentleman and invited the girl to come in and stay for dinner and to dry out. They talked over some hot tea by the fireplace. Immediately, the Prince knew this was the Princess he had been searching for.

The prince eagerly introduced the girl to his parents and confided in them that he had found his princess of choice. The King and Queen were not so sure. Could this girl be a real princess?

The King and Queen had a plan. They invited the girl to stay overnight. Then, the Queen took a small hard pea (felt piece is a green circle. Show children the circle) and placed it under the mattress the young girl would sleep on for the night. The King then stacked up 4 more together with the first one. 1,2,3,4,5. (Felt pieces are white rectangles for mattresses.)

Then, for good measure, she wanted another 5 mattresses. So she took another group of 1,2,3,4,5 and put them together with the 5 that were there. (Stack more white rectangular felt pieces) 5 and five made 10! 5,6,7,8,9,10 mattresses.

Only a real princess could feel that tiny green pea under all those mattresses!

That night the poor girl couldn’t get a wink of sleep! She tossed and turned. The next morning at breakfast however, she wanted to be polite when the Queen asked how she slept. So, she replied, “Very well, thank you”. The queen was so disappointed. Then, suddenly, she saw the princess yawn as her head began to droop slowly down, down, down. The young girl nearly fell asleep right in her oatmeal!

“Oh, I am so sorry”, she said,” I simply could not sleep! There was a tiny hard lump in one of the mattresses.”

The King and Queen were delighted! They told her all about the little test. The princess cared so much for the prince that she was a good sport about the whole thing. Best of all, she accepted the prince’s proposal of marriage. There was a big party to celebrate the royal wedding. The entire kingdom was invited. There was music, festivities of all kinds and a great feast! There was every food imaginable and a grand wedding cake…but absolutely no peas!