To allow the brain to focus on the information in the illustrations, this reading will look only at the illustrations and the information they provide to the reader. There are no right or wrong answers in this reading. The pages in the book are numbered.
There is so much math information in the illustrations that you won’t be able to cover it all. Whatever observations about the math that your child makes are wonderful. Each time you look at the pictures, you’ll notice more.
Since improbable is a vocabulary word in the title, we’ll cover it in this reading.
(improbable: unlikely to happen, not usual) We’ll be looking to see what made Paul’s life improbable.
Pages 1 – 3:
Look at the series of pages 1 – 3:
~How many of the numbers do you recognize? What do you notice about the numbers?
~Where does this story seem to be taking place? (in a big city) Does it seem to be in the past, in the present, or in the future? Explain. (in the past: clothing and bicycle)
~On page 2, who do you think the woman is who is holding Paul?
Pages 4 – 5:
~Who do you think this new character might be?
~How do the two characters seem to be feeling? Why might they be feeling that way?
Pages 6 – 9:
~Paul seems to be happy again on these pages. Why might that be?
~On page 8, it looks like Paul is in school. How does it look like Paul is behaving? What might his mother be saying to him on page 9?
Pages 10 – 13:
~In some pictures, Paul seems to be happy. In some he seems unhappy. What might be making Paul happy? What might be making him unhappy?
Page 14 – 15:
Since this is the story of Paul’s life, these pictures show an older Paul.
~How many pictures of Paul can you find on these pages?
~What do you think Paul might be saying to the people in each picture?
~What has changed about the math that Paul is doing now? (It’s not just numbers. There are lines, symbols, and letters)
Pages 16 – 21:
These pages show an even older Paul.
~What does Paul seem to be doing in these pictures?
~On page 17, Paul isn’t the only character who has aged. Who do you think the older woman is?
~On pages 20 and 21, what do you see? What might all of the dotted lines mean? (all the places he has visited)
Pages 22 – 25:
Paul is getting older.
~What might the characters be saying to each other in the pictures?
Pages 26 – 33:
Look at the series of pages 26 – 33.
~What do you notice about Paul?
~On page 26, read what the illustrator has put on Paul’s forehead. Do you think that is really on his forehead? (It’s what Paul is thinking.)
~On page 27, find Paul in the picture. Who might all of the other people be?
~On page 31, find Paul. Who are all of the other people? What might the lines mean?
~Compare the illustration on pages 2 and 3 to the illustration on pages 32 and 33. How are the illustrations alike? How are they different?