The book Spaghetti and Meatballs for all by Marilyn Burns is a mathematical fictional story about Mr. and Mrs. Comfort who are planning to throw a family reunion dinner and the family has to figure out how they can use eight tables and 32 chairs to accommodate all guests. Students dive deeper as they learn about the concept of area and perimeter through cooperative group learning and literacy. 

      Using the picture book The True Story of the Three Pigs by A. Wolf  as told to Jon Scieska, students will complete math word problems that cover the measurement SOLs. They will also write their own “true story” of another fairy tale, which covers the English writing SOLs. An extension of this unit could be to have students create math word problems based on their new story and have their classmates solve them. This lesson can also be used as an art activity if the story is illustrated. If technology is available, it can be an opportunity for students to practice their computer skills to create a final version of their new illustrated fairy tale or to use the computer to illustrate it.