The Fisher Bing

Featured Concepts

Knowledge and Understanding/Technology

Your Child Will Learn

Pulleys make it easier to lift heavy things by changing the direction of the force we apply. (e.g., Instead of lifting up things we pull them down) by investigating objects and materials by using all of their senses. 

Story Summary

Bing and Bong arrive dressed to go fishing. However, the metal cover over the fishing hole is too heavy to move….until Bing and Bong try a pulley. With magnets on the ends of their lines to attract the Metal Fish, they get right to business. But while Bong is having all the luck, Bing can’t seem to catch anything. Then Bong snags a fish so large that Bong cannot reel it in! Both Bing and Bong try to pull it out of the water, but it is no use – until Bing remembers the nearby pulley! Bing rigs the pulley so that their combined weight and unified effort helps hoist the huge fish out of the manhole. Success! After a proud photo opportunity, the fish returns to the fishing hole and Bing and Bong head home.

Key Vocabulary

• Catch
• Pull
• Numbers 1-10
• Heavy
• Light
• More than
• Less than

Preparation

• Read the Tiny Planets book "The Fisher Bing"
• Talk about what Bing and Bong did in the story by asking questions like:
• Have you been fishing like Bing and Bong?  
• Were the fish metal?
• Working together to be able to lift something heavy
• What will ‘stick’ to a magnet?
• Gather your materials for the "Go Fishing" game

Additional Ideas

• Watch the Tiny Planets episode – "The Fisher Bing"
• Download and print "The Fisher Bing" comic book
• Look for examples of pulleys around the house -- pictures of cranes, toy construction vehicles, etc.

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Let's "Go Fishing" Game

Materials

• Small u-shaped magnets
• Pre-cut 20cm length wooden dowel
• String, thin card, paper clips
• Colored pencils and scissors
• Large bowl

Instructions

• Work together
• Encourage child to design and cut out a number of fish and attach a paper clip then put them in the bowl
• Make the rods by tying the magnet with a length of line to the wooden dowel (secure with sticky tape or glue)
• As a counting game or as role play – go fishing!

HEALTH & SAFETY

• Ensure that the wooden dowels are smooth at the ends to avoid splinters. Provide child with scissors that cut well but are not sharp at the ends.