Ordering Numbers

Before . . .

. . . meets After :)

Note: The girls in the background of the second photo are NOT injured or sleeping! A group of them were tracing each others' bodies with sidewalk chalk, an extension of an activity we did during our "All About Me" unit at the beginning of the year.

More Recycling and Fishing Fun

We explored the concept of recycling in conjunction with our Magnets theme, and they actually complemented each other very well in many ways (just watch this video for proof).

During Numeracy one day, we had a (lighthearted!) can-stacking competition, which the children dedicated themselves to completely. It was a great way to practice counting, as well as comparison words like "tall" and "short".

Earlier in the week we'd gone fishing amidst the trash (including cans, paper, and plastic bottles) using a magnetic pole. We discussed how hard it was to find and catch fish with all the garbage in the way. Removing it from our pond was only the first step; the next day we sorted everything by type to practice proper recycling.

Our magnetic fishing game was a lot more fun without all that trash in the way!

As for the fish . . . they're simply made out of craft foam with paper clips attached. Each is marked with a different number of dot stickers, 1-10. After catching a fish, the children count the number of stickers, then match it to the correct numeral card.

I have several sets of numeral cards; this "counting" version allows the children to self-check when they're working independently.

I'll admit, it surprised me how excited the children were to engage with this activity on their own (and for quite an extended period of time), and it was excellent to watch several of them demonstrate mastery of the task. We've certainly come a long way since September!

Goldfish Cracker Numeracy

During our Sea Creatures focus, we did some counting using Goldfish Crackers, which I was surprised and fortunate to find in stock at Lulu's!

I laminated several counting mats for the children to use during small group time. (They were numbered one through six, though this could easily be extended. Not pictured are the mats I adapted by drawing on "counting dots" to assist the children that still have trouble recognizing all of the numerals.) The children simply counted out the proper quantity of goldfish to match the amount shown on each bowl. 

Another simple way to adapt this activity is to introduce a "control" (Montessori-style). Instead of simply setting out a whole bunch of crackers, you'd pre-count the exact number necessary to complete the task (in this case, 21 crackers). The children then have a way to self-check their results. 

We extended the activity by using some crackers for addition, too:

Using small-scale manipulatives in this way mirrored the activity we'd been doing in whole group. While most of our class is still building up the fine motor skills necessary to draw/write out an activity like this, quite a few are ready for the mental task itself. It could easily be completed using stickers and pre-made numerals for students to glue on in place of writing.

Here's what the process looked like during whole group (once again, similar to what we did here with eggs):

Writing out our carpet during whole group . . .

. . . and showing our work with pictures the next day (some of the children completed did this independently during small group as an extension).

Color Word Step Books

As the children's understanding of English has grown, their enthusiasm for reading and books has exploded! Inspired by this activity, I decided to have them make their own books (they loved it!), adapted to suit the needs and abilities of our class.

Here was our process:

1| Gather colorful rectangles in various sizes.

2| Layer them by size and staple together.

3| Match and glue the corresponding color word to each page.

4| Display as a beautiful banner for all to enjoy!

This past week we moved on to accordion books. The children just love the process of making something beautiful, familiar, and functional to call their very own. I do, too :)

Sorting Smarties

As part of our exploration of colors and color mixing last week, we worked on sorting Smarties in Numeracy. Because this activity encompassed a range of goals (sorting by color/matching, counting, recording and analyzing, reading), I worked with the children in small groups over the course of the week. This allowed for plenty of one-on-one time, and it gave me an opportunity to really see where each child was at.

I introduced the activity to the whole group and explained that we'd be sorting the candy by color, demonstrating this process. However, when working with the children in small groups, I didn't give them pointers or reminders right away. I simply handed them the materials (a counting grid and small tube of Smarties) to see what they would do. I wanted to know if they'd wait for instruction or jump in, if they could open the candy container by themselves, and then how they'd go about getting the candy out (which, I learned, can be a bit tricky!). Something as simple as this is great for developing and assessing children's problem solving skills.

The next step was to sort the candy by color. Some children simply placed the candy in a completely random way all over the grid. I let them go about their business for a bit, before clarifying that we were sorting by color and showing them how to compare a piece from the pile to a color already on the grid, ensuring that each row is a different color.

Some children worked horizontally, making equal rows to start.

Many understood right away what was expected and got to work.

I love watching the systems different children have -- how organized they are, what methods they employ, etc. It's just fascinating to me.

Eventually everyone successfully completed the sort. No one had any trouble with the 1:1 correspondence aspect (one candy piece per box).

After sorting their Smarties, the children counted each color, and I recorded their results. (Most of the children recognize numerals up to ten, but no one is really writing them yet.) In this way, the children were able to observe the written formation of different numerals as well as an important function of writing (to record and communicate). We also talked about which row had the most and which had the least. 

After counting, recording, and analyzing the results, the children read each sentence back with the help of the teacher. (Quite a few were able to recognize "I have" after the first few sentences and read the remaining ones independently.) This was a great way to practice sight words and color recognition. Most of the children were extremely focused on the reading process, and they seemed proud to be doing something so grown up.

And then, of course, there was the best part: Eating our Smarties!

Every child enthusiastically participated in this activity -- all aspects of it. Honestly, they seemed to enjoy the sorting, counting, and reading without giving a whole lot of thought to the eating part! I loved that I could observe a range of skills and help the children practice others, without a lot of stuff or fuss.