Perfect Pigs

MATHEMATICAL PIGS

	Amy Axelrod’s cartoon-illustrated pigs-and-math books include Pigs at Odds (Aladdin, 2003) in which the pig family struggles with probability at the county fair; Pigs on a Blanket (Aladdin, 1998), in which the pigs learn time concepts while racing to the beach for a swim; Pigs in the Pantry (Aladdin, 1999) in which the pigs, armed with measuring spoons and cups, try to follow numerical instructions in a recipe for Firehouse Chili; and Pigs Will Be Pigs (Aladdin, 1997), in which the pigs – hungry for enchiladas, but the piggy bank is empty – scour the house for loose change and bills, keeping a running tally until they’ve finally accumulated enough money for a meal. And more. For ages 5-8.
	In Grace Maccarone’s Three Pigs, One Wolf, Seven Magic Shapes (Cartwheel Books, 1998), the featured pigs, who live in the village next door to the original three little pigs, set out to make their fortunes meeting many animals along the way, including the twin brother of the original Big Bad Wolf. Most of the animals in the book are made of tangram shapes, a vehicle used to teach readers a little geometry. Included with the book is a set of tangrams with which kids can make geometric animals of their own. For ages 4-8.
	The Game of Pig is a fast-paced mathematical game for two players, using two dice. The rules are explained at the website, or there’s an option to play online (against a pig).
	The Pig Pen Puzzle challenge is to draw just two squares to provide separate pens for nine different pigs. There’s a printable pig worksheet at the website, and – for the frustrated and impatient – the solution.
	3 Pigs Build a Brick House has printable worksheets for “building” a pig’s house using Cuisenaire rods.

PIGGY BANKS

	Why piggy banks? The Accidental Invention: The Origin of Piggy Banks is a short illustrated history, including a photograph of the world’s oldest money box.
	Visiting Amsterdam? Check out the Piggy Bank Museum.
	Enchanted Learning has instructions for making a papier-mache piggy-bank. You’ll need a balloon, newspaper strips, flour glue, and paint. Also see Family Education’s How to Make a Paper Mache Piggy Bank.
	Piggy Bank Crafts has instructions for making banks from jars, cans, and soda bottles, along with helpful hints on saving money. Also see Martha Stewart’s Bottle Bank.

 THE LANGUAGE OF PIGS?

	From WikiHow, How to Speak Pig Latin is a tutorial with video clips. (Remember how we all thought our parents didn’t know what we were saying? Pass it on to the next generation.)
	From Grammar Girl, Is Pig Latin a Real Language? debates whether Pig Latin is a language or a code, and has a brief history of Pig Latin.
	In Kate McMullen’s Pig Latin – Not Just for Pigs! (Grosset & Dunlap, 2005) in the Dragon Slayers’ Academy series, young Wiglaf, his pals, and his Pig-Latin-speaking pet pig, Daisy, head out for a long weekend at Erica’s father’s palace – where they encounter liver pox, a peasant revolt, and an inept wizard whose spell results in the king now speaking only in Pig Latin. For ages 7-10.

PIG ACTIVITIES

	Busy Bee Kids Crafts has photo-illustrated instructions for making a particularly adorable paper-plate pig.
	Craftideas.info has instructions for making pigs (or cows) from small-sized clay flowerpots.
	Make an Origami Pig has easy-to-follow photo-illustrated step-by-step instructions for making an origami pig.
	Try this recipe for Pink Piggy cupcakes.
	Ashley’s Craft Corner has instructions and templates for making a pig-ears headband – and in fact, for an entire wardrobe of animal ears, among them rabbit, lamb, giraffe, and elephant. (Put on a play!)
	See these instructions for making a Peppa Pig Puppet Playhouse (you’ll need four cereal boxes) populated with pig paper-doll puppets.