Wants and Needs - a story and webtivity for the season

When it gets to be close to Thanksgiving, I have a favorite lesson I like to use with my 3rd or 4 th graders. I read One Grain of Rice, by Demi. This book explores many themes, from the mathematical concept of geometric growth, to hunger, crop dependence, and famine. The students are always astonished at how a single grain of rice, doubled each day, can become a monumental quantity.
It’s always a good idea to bring students a simple way they can make a difference in the world. The site FreeRice.com donates rice as the students play a game of vocabulary, simple math, or other subjects. The game adjusts in difficulty level depending on how many questions are answered correctly. It’s quite an addictive game!
The book, followed by introducing and playing the associated game, is a two-period plan. Many students will go home and play. They love to report how much rice they donated.