This document provides instructions for a math activity called "Less and More Watermelon" for children ages 4-5. The activity teaches counting and comparing quantities using pictures of watermelon halves with different numbers of seeds. Children count the seeds on cards and place the cards on the corresponding watermelon pictures to show which has more or less. The teacher demonstrates and then observes as children solve problems independently in their own ways.

1. Learning Task:<br />Less and More Watermelon. <br />:Description<br />Children will count the seeds from the original laminated watermelon pictures and find out a correct answer by counting the seeds from the individual cards. The teacher should not force the child to solve the problem in one way. The child can solve it in many ways just let him explore. This activity will enhance children's cognitive abilities for example; the child will acquire thinking and problem solving skills. <br />Learning Task Adapted from:<br />The activity is adapted from the English Classroom, Sultan Qaboos University, Child Care Center.<br />Age Group:<br />4-5 years old. <br />:Subject Area<br />Mathematics.<br /> Subject strand:<br />Number Sense and Numeration.<br />Subject Topic:<br />Counting.<br /> Background Information:<br />Every child is a different human being, so they have different ways of understanding any specific concept. This learning task encourages children to think about how to estimate the quantities of Less and More in several ways such as; counting the seeds from the watermelon picture, finding the solution by counting cards and put them in particular pictures and looking for additional alternative solutions when they solve the task. This learning task helps children to count numbers from 0-10 and identifying the terms of More and Less objects.<br />Prerequisite Concepts, Skills, & Values: <br />* Follows class routines for selecting, using and returning individual learning tasks.<br />* Understands the idea of the activity; counts the seeds and place an appropriate card in the picture.<br />* Adopts class routines for obtaining teachers support to demonstrate learning tasks and obtain assistance.<br />Learning theory &Instructional Strategies:<br />This activity is related to cognitive approach where Students are using their schemata to achieve or perfume the task.

2. Students are employing their previous experiences through learning process with the learning task.

3. The child can do the activity while receiving the scaffolding from the teacher.

4. The teacher demonstrates the activity for the child then lets him to do it on his own.Students Characteristics Accommodated:<br />This learning task assists the child to acquire the problem solving skill while doing the activity. Most of children like to solve problems in many ways thus this learning task provides the opportunity for student to practice these kinds of purposes.

5. The learning task based on cognitive approach (individual constructivism) when the child constructs his own knowledge by building individual thoughts about what he has done on the task. Students learning outcomes:<br />Counts numbers from 0-10.

6. Estimates quantities of More and Less objects.Introduction of the Learning task:<br />Show the child the place of the activity on the shelf.

7. Tell the child the name of the activity.

8. Take the learning task to an open space.

9. Ask the child to remove the items from the try.

10. Demonstrate how to place the pictures on the mat, and then show the child how to take a correct part and place it on the half of watermelon picture.

11. Ask the child to count and put the cards on the picture.

12. Put pictures on the mat.

13. Explain how to do this activity.

14. Give him an example to make sure that he understood the idea.

15. Show the child how to tidy up this activity.Checklist of Tray Items:<br />Tray.

16. Box for keeping the cards.

17. Laminated cards with pictures of watermelon sections.Simplification Activities:<br />You can start from 0-5 when the child advanced and being familiar with them, you can give him 5- 10.<br />Extension Activities:<br />Use symbols instead of words ‘more than’ and ‘less than’ that is: (<,>)

18. Add terms of equal or same quantity or numbers to the activity.Enrichment Activities:<br />Provide terms of Greater than; Fewer than activity to help the child understands the concept in many ways, so that will enrich his learning process in counting and mathematics generally.

19. Provide a real watermelon seeds to let the children count and have fun with the activity simultaneously. Assessment Techniques:<br />Child uses self-correct as he is doing this activity.

20. Observe the child while performing the learning task.

21. Use serendipity techniques. (It is a tool to collect evidence of student achievement) when a student transfer learning and applies it to an unanticipated situation.Feedback Suggestions:<br />* How many seeds should you put on the watermelon?<br />* Is this number of seeds less (more) than the number of seeds shown?<br />* Can you find another card which could also fit?”<br />* Why did you put that part there?<br />Evaluation Rubric:<br />Estimates sets with more, less number of objects.

22. Does not guess or estimate.

23. Uses fingers to count and /or uses sight (or counting with eyes not fingers) to compare two quantities; begins to understand terms: more, less.

24. Uses sight (or counting with eyes no fingers) to compare two quantities; correctly uses terms: more, less.

25. Begins to estimate quantities; understands when has made a good estimate.Vocabulary:<br /> Count, put, Watermelon, numbers, seeds. <br />Comments Hits, & Suggestions:<br />Start from the beginning of numbers (0-5).

26. Consider the design of the activity; the image should be very clear so that the children understand this is a picture of watermelon.

27. Clearly explain the activity so that the child will estimate before counting the seeds once he has placed the card.

28. Encourage a child to give you additional solutions to the same challenge.Procedure:<br />The activity was designed in Adobe` Illustrator.

29. The copies are printed out.

30. Cut out the watermelon halves.

31. Laminate the papers.

32. Put all the items on a tray. References:<br />The activity is adapted from English Class, Sultan Qaboos University, Child Care Center.<br />Evaluation rubric was composed by Sue Hathway (Sultan Qaboos University Child Care Center)<br />The concept of the Learning task Adapted from Child Care Center but the design of the activity is my own idea. <br /> <br />