Grade 2 Math Book of the Week · October 19, 2026
One Hundred Hungry Ants
by Elinor J. Pinczes
arithmetic More grade 2 books
One hundred ants march single file to a picnic, but the littlest ant thinks they're too slow. He has them regroup into 2 lines of 50, then 4 of 25, 5 of 20 and 10 of 10. By the time they arrive, the food is gone!
Why it's useful
This funny story is a gentle introduction to equal groups and arrays, all built around the number 100.
- Arrays you can picture. Rows of marching ants turn multiplication into something kids can see: 4 rows of 25 is 100.
- Many ways to make 100. The same total, regrouped again and again, builds flexible number sense.
- Skip counting with a purpose. Counting by 20s, 25s or 50s to check the ants' lines is real skip-counting practice.
Try it in class or at home
- Ant arrays. Give pairs 100 counters (or 20, for a smaller version) and ask them to find every way to make equal rows.
- Record it. Write each arrangement as "4 rows of 25" and as repeated addition.
- What about 3 rows? Ask why the ants never tried 3 lines. It's a great first chat about numbers that don't divide evenly.
- Act it out. Line the class up in different equal rows on the way to recess.