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Contact_FullName: Vicky Contact_Email: vanclan@dwave.net date:: 01/19/02 Area: Learning centers Idea: For years I placed the wooden puzzles in my classroom, and encouraged my children to go put a puzzle together. I came up with an idea several years ago that works great and creates a reason/motivation for the children to go put together puzzles. I purchased a couple 3 minute egg timers (the kind where the children can see the sand running through the glass). Then I made a book called "Beat The Timer Club" I made a list of the children's names, then a made30 copies of this list as that is how many wooden puzzles I have and I numbered the pages like a book. Next I put a little sticker on each wooden puzzle giving it a number from 1-30. The children know that they can go to the center to practice putting together a puzzle as long or as many times as they want to. When they feel they are ready to "Beat the Timer", they take all the pieces out of the frame, turn the timer over and start putting the puzzle back together. When they complete the puzzle, they lay the timer on its' side and show me. I have the child open the book to the page that corresponds to the puzzle by looking at the numbers and then put a star or sticker in front of the child's name. The children know that they have all school year to finish all the puzzles and when they do, they are awarded a pin--I make different ones each year--using either a button maker or just the metal tops from juice cans with stickers on them--and hot gluing a pin on the back. The children love this set up --they are so proud when they have beat the timer and 3 minutes is plenty of time ! Give it a try--you'll increase the interest and activity at your wooden puzzles by 99%!!!
3-12-01Number Capture: I based this numeral recognition game on the old "Slap Jack" game. It works best in small groups. Make or purchase a set of numeral cards 0-10, or higher. Make a game board by writing the numerals 1-10 on a piece of paper to keep track of which numerals you've already captured. The dealer decides which numeral will be captured first and marks it on the game board with a bingo marker making sure all players see what they will be watching for. The dealer then holds the shuffled cards face down and tosses them face up in front of the players. When the selected numeral is spotted, the first player to capture it by smacking it with his/her hand wins the card. Play continues until all cards have been captured. The person with the most cards gets to be the dealer next. This game can also be used with shapes, colors, alphabet, etc.
2-20-01I teach five- and six-year-olds in a preschool program. We recently did a review of numbers week focusing on 1-20. I took a large sheet of white construction paper and made a grid with 20 section. Then I let each student write their numbers in order, one in each section. I then gave them several different colors of paint and they made the correct number of fingerprints in each section. They love playing in paint and they learned something at the same time!
2-20-01We were working on numbers 1-20 so I had some small flashcards. I used them for a movement activity that me kids absolutely loved. I would flash a card and say "do this many jumping jacks" or "run in place until you count to this number" and hold up the flash card. We did silly things, too, like "give your partner this many high fives" or "spin around this many times" (when it's a small number!). They ask everyday if we can "do exercises".
1-13-01I found a great idea for teaching counting by 2's, 5's, and 10's. I found that the kids (kindergarten) are just learning about patterns. Since mine can read numbers (up to at least 20 or more) I printed each child a number chart 1-100. I had them make a pattern by underlining colors, one under each number; red, blue, red, blue...All the red's end up being odd, all the blues end up being even. Then when they are ready to count by 10's, they draw a vertical line of another color after each number in the 10's column. When they are ready to count by 5's I have them draw another vertical line of a 4th color before each 5th number. Some of the numbers have only one color. Some of the numbers have two or three colors! I tell them to "read" the numbers that have a specified color. I can also talk about patterns, such as this whole column (vertical) is blue, or this column has blue and purple on the side....
12-27-00We've been calling these "Button Bracelets" I collected a bunch of
old long-sleeved shirts, and large (1-inch)buttons. I cut the sleeves
off the shirts, and then cut the sleeves up into 3-inch strips, so that
I had many fabric "circles". Each circle was cut to make a strip, and a
button was sewn on one end (around 1 inch from the end). I cut a large
buttonhole at the other end. The children take the button bracelet
strips from the bin, and work the button through the buttonhole to make
their bracelets. They will spend a long time at this- buttoning and
unbuttoning, buttoning strips to each other to make longer strips,
patterning, counting how many bracelets they have made, getting
wonderful fine-motor exercise, and learning an important self-help
skill!
12-6-00For a counting lesson, I gave my kids an apron (a nail apron would be easy to find) and told them they were kangaroos and the apron was their pouch. (We did this during "K" week) Then I tossed construction paper leaves on the floor. They had to hop from leaf to leaf and count them as they picked them up. When they had collected all the leaves, they stuffed them in their "pouch" to feed the baby kangaroo. This really got my 3's excited about counting.
11-12-00Activity Center idea: Collect plastic lids from the tops of ladies or men's shaving cream. Try to collect ten of any one size so that each group of manipulatives are the same. (colors do not matter). Using permanent marker, number the tops of the lids from 1-10 (or whatever number you would like to go to). Put the lids in a plastic container with M&M's (candy reinforcement), bingo chips (colorful little markers to fill up a cup), etc. Activity: place the lids in number order across the work area of the child. Under each lid put one M&M, bingo marker or whatever you have chosen. Help the child to pull lid number 1 within close range on the work area. Identify the number on the lid, lift the lid and say "1 _____". Pull the number 2 over to closer range and identify the number. Lift the lid and push the two M&M's together and say 2. Point to the number two and count the markers from under the lids that you gathered together. Continue to do this with the rest of the lids and markers until you are done lifting all of the lids and you have counted all of the markers. PS. Do not let the children eat the counters until you reach the end of the number you chose to count to. At the end of the activity, the child can eat the reward of M&M's, smarties, mini M&M's, etc. Also, you may want the counters to be a surprise to the child. Set the activity up before the child sits down to work. If you chose bingo chips or some non-edible counter, the child could put them one by one into a clear glass or plastic animal bank. They could watch the bank fill up colorfully as each child finishes the center.
11-5-00Number stamping -- divide a sheet of paper in 4 sections. Write a number in each of the sections. Give the children stamps (or stickers would work too) to stamp the appropriate number of objects in each section. This is great to teach 1:1 correspondence!
10-23-00For a home school project on identifying things that are the same, I had my kids do a scavenger hunt. I went around the house and took photographs of familiar things in the house (the dryer, the toy stove, the training potty, etc). I gave them a photograph to begin with and they had to go to the place in the house that was the same as the photograph. Once they got to the spot, they found a new photograph and the hunt continued through about 8 photos. They finally found a prize when they got to the last one.
10-17-000This is a geometry activity that can be used with a group of pretty young kiddos (Kindergarten). All you need is a very large string tied so that it forms a circle. Two children come and hold one end each of the string, which forms a "line." A 3rd child joins and grabs the line and forms a "triangle" (each child will hold part of the string). Another child joins and forms a "square." Each child is allowed to join the group until all children are involved and you move from the original line to a circle.
9-17-00Everyone has plastic counting bears, they float in your water table! To add math, fine motor and science, I have large plastic tweezers (the kind that come in the Bed Bugs Game) and cups. The children pick up the bears with the tweezers and put them in the cups. The children use all kinds of number words, counting, and are really strengthening their little hands for writing.
9-10-00Counting Jewels I purchased some glass stones used for aquariums and glass vases. I told the children they were "jewels" and we used them as counters, weights, for sorting (different colors), etc. The children loved them and they are not too expensive.
9-4-00We all count with our children -- one, two, three. This is forward
sequencing. In a few years we'll call this addition. With the exception
of a "blast-off" countdown from ten to zero, we don't commonly find
ourselves counting backward. Backward sequencing is subtraction. To
serve our children in math in grade school, they need equal experience
in counting backward as counting forward. When we count toes or bunnies
or when we manipulate objects to show that "two" means "one-two" crayons
and "four" means "one-two-three-four" spoons, we serve our children by
continuing to count those objects backward as we move one spoon away
saying, "three spoons," moving another away saying, "two spoons," moving
the next away saying, "one spoon," and moving the last one away saying,
"zero spoons!" Later on, when children can count higher, make sure
they're exposed to backward sequencing by crossing the multiples of "10"
by saying "22, 21, 20, 19, 18" and "31, 30, 29, 28, 27" and later "83,
82, 81, 80, 79." If backward sequencing becomes routine, like a few
minutes in the car when you're driving to the market or the park or the
babysitters', you'll be helping your child to a better time and a happy
attitude in math!
8-5-00I am a pre-school teacher and work with 3-4 yr olds we did this and they loved it. Take stickers and make sure you have pairs. Have the children line up and place the sticker on their hands. Have them cover the sticker with their other hand and sit or stand in a circle, then have them hold their hand up and find their matching partner. This is a great activity to see if your kids can match.
7-12-00Math for my 4-6 year olds is easy. I make up different activities for
them to do. I just made up the bunny game. I got an old egg carton and
turned it upside down and wrote the numbers 1-12 on it. I put holes on top
each of the bumps. I just used the bottom of the carton. I cut out 12
bunnies and but black dots on each of them. Like the numbers 1-12 but in
dots. Then I put Popsicle sticks on the bunnies so the bunnies will fit in
the holes. The children match the dots to the numbers. This really
enhances the counting ability and number recognition. The children love it
and I made it up myself.
7-12-00I use the plastic bugs, lizards, snakes, and bees from the "Party City" store as manipulative math fun. I store them in 1 lb. butter dishes w/ lids. My Older 3's beg me to get these out for table activity. After they sort by category, they can sort by color, etc. Before they can be put away, all of the items must match the item glued to the lid of the butter dish, another sorting activity. These usually sell for 7 for a $1.00.
7-10-00Stamp and Letters Let children tear the stamps off envelopes, place in water until can be
easily pealed off. Then let them dry to glue to a letter. Children make
letters, glue on canceled stamps, then address them with addresses such as
Box 1, Box 2, etc. Use recycled berry boxes for mail boxes. Let children
take turns delivering letters to the correct boxes. Good for 4 and older
who know numbers.
5-28-00Find a square box. Number the sides 1-6, put corresponding dots with each number. Children sit in a circle. I roll the die and pick the first child to identify the number. Once the child has correctly identified the number, s/he rolls the die and picks a new player ("someone who is sitting quietly"). Once children have learned 1-6 by site, I change the numbers by covering with construction paper or contact paper and re-number sides 7-12. I use this game during transition time (usually lunch). It has been a useful aid for any hectic transition time. I have several other games we play during transition time; but this is their favorite. I have changed the numbers on our "dice" 3 times this year. It's a terrific learning tool. The children love it!
5-25-00Ask each child to bring in his or her favorite cereal box when empty. Cut out the front cover (I like to even the edges with a paper cutter), then cut into puzzle shapes. Less pieces for younger children, more for older. Store each puzzle in its own Ziploc, or if you can get two of the same box, keep one box front whole and make a pocket out of half a file folder taped to the back to hold the pieces. This is a good way to introduce the concepts of recycling and using "found" objects!
5-25-00I teach a Pre-K class and I inadvertently began explaining odd and even numbers to my class. Whenever we would do out calendar in the morning circle-time, I showed them how even numbers have a partner and odd ones do not. I would draw a dot for each number we were counting (on our white board) and place them in rows of twos, sort of like dancing partners. After just a month, they picked up on it right away and now they tell me before I have to ask. They apply this to whatever number we may be talking about.
5-25-00Have children use clothes pins instead of tongs or tweezers for picking up small items for sorting (colored pom- pom or cotton balls, etc.)
4-18-00French Fry Fun Purchase some clean French fry holders from your favorite fast food chain. Place a mailing label inside the container at the top and label it with numbers. It is good to use...3, three, and ***, symbols for each number used. Purchase a yellow sponge to cut in French fry shapes. The children will have a great time counting French fries. To add a little challenge, allow the children to use food service gloves while being closely supervised!
Date: 4-5-00I teach 3 1/2 - 5 year olds. In this large age span, it is hard to be sure that each of them (11 in all) grasp every new pre-math skill. So, I came up with a very rewarding way to help kids hold on to what they are learning. Every day before we begin, I "test" them on what we learned the day before. For example, if we are working on "Few and Many," I will hold few in one hand and many in the other. I will ask one student, which hand has few, and if they get it correct, they get a piece of candy. If they get it wrong, I tell them to watch the others and I will come back and give them another chance. When it is set up that way, they can never fail! They each get the candy, and they show me new and creative ways to re-explain what may have been cloudy to them before. It keeps us all on our toes, and gives them each such a wonderful sense of accomplishment! And the candy isn't too bad either!! :)
Date: 3-26-00Plan a manipulative whole language day! Since children love to use concrete materials, provide manipulatives that tells a story. For example, provide assorted magnets in the manipulative center so that children can work on language development- increasing their vocabulary, and communication skills.
Date: 3-14-00Using old coloring books. Cut the picture from the cover, laminate, and punch holes around it. Using a show lace, tie to one end, an inexpensive lacing card.
Date: 3-14-00Using coloring books, instead of having children color them, which is very little advantage, use them to make seriation activities. For example use a shape of a bunny, make in several different sizes, and colors. The children can match by color, by size and by grouping. Even simple graphing can be done. A simple "What comes next". Great center idea that can be used for all seasons, holidays, and all themes.
Date: 3-5-00For many years I have used "Jump Cards" in the classroom to reinforce colors, shapes, numbers, alphabet recognition, etc.... You will need to find plenty of cardboard squares to use this idea. For example to make "Shape Jump Cards" - you will need to make all different kinds of shapes on construction paper - cut and glue each shape onto it's own cardboard square. Laminate. On other cardboard squares draw a stick figure person to look like he is jumping. When completed - shuffle all cardboard squares together - the children sit in a circle (on the floor or in a chair) and the teacher uses these as flash cards. The children call out the shapes as they are shown but when they come to the "Jump Guy" - they can jump up out of their chair. All of my children throughout the years have loved this activity. It keeps their attention focused on the cards - and they just can not wait to JUMP!! Use this idea to make color cards, alphabet cards, number cards, name recognition cards, etc.... With my Kindergarten class I use the cards to write down words from our Word Wall. They just love this added incentive to read. It is a lot of fun. ENJOY!
Date: 2-25-00I teach preschool for children who are "at risk". I have been looking for a new game to help teach numbers, letters, colors etc...and came up with this one. The kids love it! We call it the penny game. I cut out balloon shapes (any shapes can be used) and placed a picture of the basic shapes, one on each card. The children sit in a circle and turn around with their backs to the middle while I hide a penny under one of the cards which you place around in the circle face up. They then turn around facing the middle and take turns guessing where the penny is. Our speech teacher loved this because I made them say "I would like to look under the ___ shape." You can adapt to suit your class needs. They then got to look under the shape. If they found the penny they keep it. It is then the next persons turn. When they have found 2 or 3 pennies (you decide) they get a treat. Of course everyone gets a treat at the end of the game. This is to be played with a small group. I like it because you can play it with just about anything. I made cards with numbers, letters etc... It is also a good memory game because they have to remember which cards have already been picked. If you make two of everything the cards can also be used to play 'go fish' or 'memory'.
Date: 2-7-00For the 101 Day of School you can celebrate by watching 101 Dalmatians movie and then letting the children help to draw out a large dog on white butcher paper and then cut out 101 spots to put on the dog. Count the spots together as your students put them on the dog. Have fun!
Date: 2-6-00 POTATO PATTERNS You can teach shapes, colors and beginning patterns with this activity. Nice for centers You will need: potatoes, knife, paints, paper, Cut a potato in half. Now use your knife to carve a shape into the potato. I usually make a square, triangle, rectangle, and circle. The children then dip the potato into the paint and they can make simple patterns. They could do circle square, circle square, etc. or you could have them do red circle, blue circle. It is a lot of fun and great for those children who really don't like to get their hands messy. They never have to touch the paint.
Date: 2-2-00I came up with this idea to entice some of my little ones to continue practicing their counting skills... French Fry Sale Take several yellow kitchen sponges and cut them into long strips. Use a basket or a donated French fry container from a fast food chain. I set up a table as the counter. One child is the fast food employee and the other the customer. The customer asks the employee for a certain number of French fries and the employee counts them out. I use this activity to also teach good manners in asking for the fries and how to respond graciously. The kids love it. Even the ones that didn't like counting before enjoyed this.
Date: 1-30-00Baby Bottle Shakers: Take bottles and fill each one with a different item, such as rice, jelly beans, beads, etc. Discard the nipple. Hot glue small plastic protector in ring and then glue ring/protector to the neck of the bottle to secure. They make wonderful instruments. They allow the children to make different kinds of sounds. Also, can be used as a math activity, (counting jelly beans as they drop, etc.)
Date: 1-27-00Cut sheets of construction paper in half. Laminate the paper halves. Fold the paper halves again to create a pocket and staple these shut. Give each student one of these pockets along with ten Popsicle sticks. Ask children to line up their Popsicle sticks in the envelope. They now have "Ten in a Bed". As you sing the song, they can practice counting backwards from ten. They can take one stick out as you sing, "And one fell out!" When you get to the end and sing, "The little one said, I'm cold, I'm lonely, come back," everyone can put their stick/children back in bed. This makes it easy to hand them back to the teacher.
Date: 1-24-00 Number Game Supplies needed: cards with a different number on each one for each student in your class. Shuffle cards and give one to each child. Have children form a line based on the card they have. The first time it may require a little coaching from the teacher such as "Who is first" or "Who would be next". When I played this game with my 4 and 5 yr. olds they loved it and only needed help the first time. It's great for teaching number recognition and sequencing.
Date: 12-21-00 EASY File Folder Math Games Reuse discarded files folders if you can. Use clip art on your computer to make thematic file folder games. The easiest is to make matching games. Find pictures that correspond to your theme make them all about the same size and print 2 copies. Glue one copy to the file folder and cut out the other page to make the matching game pieces. You can be as creative as you want to be, and have math activities for every one of your themes. If you make them self correcting you can place them in your centers and very little assistance will be needed.
10-17-00To create a new puzzle customized to the age and ability of the child simply remove a colorful ad from a magazine. Using a marker randomly draw intersecting lines. For a young child draw the lines to make a 4 piece puzzle, for a more mature child draw a more complex puzzle (6 or 8 pieces). Allow the child to cut along the lines. Establish a friendly competition, adult-child, who can build the new puzzle faster. When finished, toss away the ad-puzzle. Next time, you are using a new ad and the puzzle is entirely different, even if you're drawing the same number of pieces. Date: 1-15-00Mortimer the Math Monster Take an old shoe box and cut a hole in the lid for a mouth. Cover the lid with white paper and then cover that with clear contact paper. Cut a mouth in the paper next and made it a "jagged" cut so it looks like Mortimer has teeth. I used a craft knife for this and it worked great. If you lay the covered lid, upside down, on an old catalog and cut the paper from the back, or inside of the lid, it is easy. Glue on craft foam features like a nose, eyebrows, eyes, etc. Write the numbers 1 - 10 on three by five cards. This next part can be as simple or as complex as you want to make it. You need monster food. I used those new environmentally safe packing peanuts but you can make actual monster food out of construction paper or even just crumpled up pieces of paper. Whatever your Mortimer likes to eat. Maybe poker chips or Unifix cubes. The kids then draw a number card from the pile and feed Mortimer however many pieces of food the card indicates. As the kids get older, you can make this into an addition and/or subtraction exercise too by writing equations on the cards and they must figure out the correct answer before feeding the monster. Date: 1-15-00For both math and cutting exercise for your four/five-year-olds: For "P" week, I copied a nice big circle onto ditto paper, one per child. Have a variety of 'toppings' to put on their 'pizza'. First have them put their names in their circle and cut it out. Then give directions aloud. Randomly, and out of order to 10. Ie. "Pick something from the tray that you like a lot, count 8 of them and glue them onto your circle pizza." Etc. until you go through at least five items. Date: 1-11-00Placemat puzzles: Find plastic placemats with any decoration. Cut them in different size piece. The younger the child, the less you want to cut. The older the child the more you want to cut. Date: 1-8-00screw (new) cookie sheets into a wall that is low for the children to reach and let them play with the magnetic numbers and letter. It works great!!! Dater: 1-6-00Take a large mixing bowl and fill it with blocks or cotton balls or buttons, etc. Place large kitchen tongs in the bowl and place another smaller mixing bowl beside the larger one, invite children to use tongs to transfer the blocks from one bowl to the other. Date: 12-11-99For a math activity. You give each child a tub full of rice and a set of measuring cups. Point out how there are numbers on the cups and how the are used for cooking. Then ask them different questions like how many 1/4 cups does it take to fill 1 cup etc... Let them figure it out. They love it. ideaFor practice in counting backwards from 10, at snack time, give everyone a napkin, and ten of something like those little teddy bear crackers. (Last week we used 10 Junior Mints, and 10 Juju Fruits 'cuz it was J week.) You have them first fold their napkin 1/3 up to be a 'bed'. Line up their items on the 'pillow' part. Then we sing, "There were 10 in the bed, and the little one said, roll over, roll over, and then there were 9!" And they pop one of the treats in their mouth. When chewing is finished they continue the song down to 1. Usually by #5, they're only taking it off the 'bed' and not eating anymore till later :) Date: 11-14-99ideaSorting Collage Materials: 2 types of buttons, 10 identical buttons of each type (20) total white glue Squares of colored paper, about 8 squares (approx 5"x5") larger piece of paper for squares glitter and paint, brushes (optional)
Process: First place eight colorful squares of paper on the larger sheet of paper in two rows of four or some other pattern. sort buttons that are identical into two piles. There will be ten buttons in each pile (two piles or two kinds of buttons). To make the button collage, glue one button from one pile in the first square. Glue one button from the other pile in another square. Next, glue two buttons from one pile in another square, and two buttons from the other pile in another square. Then three. Then four. All the squares will be filled. Dry. Paint around the designs and decorate with glitter. Date: 11-13-99 ideaFEED HARVEY Create a monster of your own design, along with paper cookies, approximately 10 per student and cards numbered 1 through 10 with illustrations of the number on each card. Cut open mouth of monster and attach a bread bag to back. Show cards to one child at a time and have them "Feed Harvey". Make sure to have enough cards for at least two rounds. Date: 11-6-99ideaProvide a tree pasted on a big piece of paper and 10 precut acorns. The child will have the piece of paper and the teacher will point to a number and the child will have to put that amount of acorns on the tree. Keep doing this till you go through all the numbers from one to ten. Date: 11-6-99ideaEvery month we introduce a new shape in our 3yr.old classroom. I make up calendar #'s for each shape. In Sept. we have all circles on our calendar. In Oct. we introduce the triangle. I alternate circle and triangle for our calendar #'s. Each day as we add another shape with the correct # on it we try to guess which shape it will be. The children quickly get the idea of the patterning. We even make a little song out of the name of the shapes as we recite their name. I include up to three shapes in our pattern. But depending on the abilities of your group more could be added. Then we always clap or stomp out the number of days are up to. Date: 11-6-99Contact_FullName: Kelly Contact_Email: To expand on the idea of hair gel in Ziploc baggies I went on to add food in the baggies. I had whole tomatoes, baby cereal, butter. For our peanut butter and jelly week we added peanut butter to one baggie, jelly to the other and bread and p. butter and jelly all together. The kids learn about how whole products can make juice, how hot substances can harden when cold and working on their fine motor skills all at the same time. They love to guess what food I'm going to put into the baggies the next week. Date: 10-1-99 |
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