This document provides instructions for 14 activities to teach early math concepts to young children. The activities cover topics like shapes, numbers, measurement, and graphing. Each activity describes the objective, materials needed, instructions, and how to evaluate if the child understands the concept. The overarching goal is to explore math concepts through hands-on learning and observation of children's natural curiosity and problem-solving skills.
5. Method: Individual Observation
Objective: To help the child match a shape of one
color to another color but same shape.
Materials: red circle, red square, red triangle;
green circle, green square, green triangle.
Resource: Charlesworth, R., and Lind. K.K. (2010).
Math and science for young children (6th ed.).
Clifton Park, NY: Cengage Learning
Instructions:
1. Place 2 sets of shapes in front of the child.
2. Encourage the child to match the shapes in
front of him.
3. As he accomplishes 2 sets, add more shapes
to the sets.
*Evaluation-Note if the child is able to
make all three matches*
6.
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8.
9. Method: Individual Observation
Objective: To relate to Rational Counting
Materials: 4 mats; 4 napkins; 4 snacks; 4 kids.
Resource: Charlesworth, R., and Lind. K.K. (2010). Math
and science for young children (6th ed.). Clifton Park, NY:
Cengage Learning
Instructions
1. Have the 4 kids sit in front of child.
2. Provide the child with materials to hand
out while counting
3. Encourage the child to count as he/she
gives each one their things. Repeat with
all the materials.
*Evaluation-Note if the child is able to rote
count at least to 4*
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12.
13. Method: Individual Observation
Objective: To recognize and sort by colors.
Materials: shapes (circle, square, triangle) in different
colors (red, green, yellow, blue) 4 baskets 4 bean bags (red
green yellow blue)
Resource: Charlesworth, R., and Lind. K.K. (2010). Math
and science for young children (6th ed.). Clifton Park, NY:
Cengage Learning
Instructions:
1. Place all 4 baskets on floor with one bean bag
inside each basket.
2. Place all shapes in a pile on the floor.
3. Encourage the child to sort the shapes by color
according to the color that the bean bag is
inside the basket.
* Evaluation-Note if the child naturally groups
by similarities*
14.
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16.
17. Method: Interview
Objective: To understand the difference in taller and
shorter.
Materials: 1 football, large sheet of butcher paper, tape, 3
to 4 kids, dry erase board, dry erase marker.
Resource: Charlesworth, R., and Lind. K.K. (2010). Math
and science for young children (6th ed.). Clifton Park, NY:
Cengage Learning
Instructions:
1. Tape the butcher paper to the wall. Measure the paper with
the football :
2. Encourage the children to take turns standing against the
paper.
3. Encourage them to measure each other using the football.
4. Encourage the children to write down all their measurements
and compare how many footballs tall they stand.
*Evaluation-Note if the child identifies the group that
contains more and less*
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25. Method: Interview
Objective: To perceive the idea of shape through touch.
Materials: Large box with hole on top, different shapes
(circle, squares, triangles)
Resource: Charlesworth, R., and Lind. K.K. (2010). Math and
science for young children (6th ed.). Clifton Park, NY:
Cengage Learning
Instructions:
1. Place the box on the floor and place all
the different shapes inside.
2. Encourage the child to pull out different
shapes just by feeling.
*Evaluation-Note to see if the child is able
to group similar shapes by sense of touch*
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30. Method: Individual Observation
Objective: To organize materials with 3-Dimensional boxes.
Materials: Provide child with wooden boxes that fit inside
each other.
Resource: Charlesworth, R., and Lind. K.K. (2010). Math and
science for young children (6th ed.). Clifton Park, NY:
Cengage Learning
Instructions:
1. Encourage the child to try to see what
they can build with the boxes.
2. Encourage the child to build different
things with the boxes
*Evaluation-Note if the child is able to
arrange things in the space until they fit
or until they please the eye*
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35.
36. Method: Individual Observation
Objective: Understand that whole things can be
divided into more pieces.
Materials: Interlocking floor mats
Resource: Charlesworth, R., and Lind. K.K.
(2010). Math and science for young children (6th
ed.). Clifton Park, NY: Cengage Learning
Instructions:
1. Have 4 interlocking mats together as one.
2. Ask the child to separate the mats one at a time.
3. Continue until they are all separated as one.
4. Encourage the child to put mats together as one
instead of 4.
*Evaluation-Note how the child approaches the
problem and how he goes about solving*
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41. Method: Interview
Objective: To understand the idea of ordering in sequence
Materials: A set of nine buckets that fit inside each other
from smallest to largest.
Resource: Charlesworth, R., and Lind. K.K. (2010). Math
and science for young children (6th ed.). Clifton Park, NY:
Cengage Learning
Instructions:
1. Place all buckets spread out on floor
2. Encourage the child to place the buckets
smallest to largest
3. Encourage the child to place largest to
smallest
*Evaluation-Note how the child approaches
the problem and whether their solution is
entirely or only partially correct*
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46. Method: Individual Observation
Objective: To understand different ways volume can be
measured using sand.
Materials: Sand Box, different size containers, spoons,
scoops,
Resource: Charlesworth, R., and Lind. K.K. (2010). Math
and science for young children (6th ed.). Clifton Park, NY:
Cengage Learning
Instructions:
1. Encourage the child to use different containers
and see the amount of sand fits into each.
2. Ask the Child which container holds the most?
Least?
3. Have the child discover all the possibilities with
sand and different containers.
*Evaluation-Note if they fill each from a larger
container or fill a larger container using a smaller
one. Or do they use the scoops to fill containers*
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49.
50. Method: Interview
Objective: Understanding that different things of different
sizes sink and float.
Materials: Tub of water, different items that float & some
that sink, simple graph to put information.
Resource: Charlesworth, R., and Lind. K.K. (2010). Math
and science for young children (6th ed.). Clifton Park, NY:
Cengage Learning
Instructions:
1. Place water in tub
2. Encourage the child to check each item and
document on graph whether it sinks or floats.
3. Encourage the child to talk about his findings.
4. Encourage the child to total out how many sink &
how many float.
*Evaluation-How did the child record his results
of his exploration*