Math Concepts & Activities for Young Children Exploring Early Childhood Education Jackson Liberty High School Mrs. M Guzzi

Math More than 1-2-3

Math is Everywhere! High School students think of math as algebra or geometry. Math for younger children can be incorporated in art, music, dramatic play, and story time.

EARLY MATH PROGRAMS Should be HANDS ON Filled with PLAY Include Exploration

Math Vocabulary Big & LittleLong & Short Wide & NarrowOnce-Twice Highest & LowestFirst & Last High & LowFew & Many PairBunch

True understanding of math occurs between five and seven. The goal of a math curriculum for young children is to provide an environment that encourages the awareness and development of math skills.

Hands-On experience with real objects is the best way to lead children to math mastery!

Math For Young Children Every activity can be made into a math activity. –Count glue, scissors, etc. –Let children count snacks

Math for Young Children Children can make sense of their world through math and logic. Any book can be a math activity –Counting pages –Counting items in book

Classification (sorting) Shape Size Color Texture Function or use Taste Smell Sound Let children group in ways that make sense, but let them think of ways that no one else would think of. (creativity) Putting things into groups based on common characteristics.

Seriation SIZE Relationships Placing things in size order Largest to Smallest Tallest to Shortest Lightest to Heaviest Most to least Counting Order of numbers One to one correspondence –One cup matches one plate

Patterns Recognizing Identifying Describing Copying Continuing Putting items in a certain organized way. Patterns in their environment

SEQUENCING The order of how things happen What will happen first, middle and last

Space Knowing how far apart things are Understanding spatial relationships –How far/close are things? –Which things are farthest, closest?

Shapes Identifying shapes Cutting/drawing basic shapes Using shapes to make things Example: Tangrams

Understanding Number Symbols Knowing that 2 stands for two Recognizing the numbers and being able to identify them. Being able to write the numbers

Number Operations & Number Sense Being familiar with adding and subtracting the things in their world based on concrete examples. Example: –If we have 3 fruit snacks and get 3 more from the teacher, how many will be have? –What if we eat(or subtract) two of them? How many will we have? Understanding the concept of more/fewer/the same At this age, children must have something that they can physically move around and count to do this. Manipulatives Examples?

Math in Books Math concepts are taught in a variety of books. Math concepts like: –Counting –Shapes –sizes

Math in Songs & Fingerplays What are some songs & fingerplays that deal with MATH concepts? 5 Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed

Math in Everyday Life What are some examples of MATH concepts that are used in everyday life?

Math Manipulative What is a math manipulative? –Anything you can use as a counter What types of materials can be used as a math manipulative? –Sea shellstoothpicksrocks buttons M&M’s ANYTHING!

Question: How do building blocks help children develop math concepts? –Teach shape, size & weight –Children can match, compare, sort, pattern & seriate them. How can children use math skills when playing? – Play store – Counting in games

Math Activity Ideas String beads or pasta and create patterns to copy or continue. Talk about colors, shapes, spaces and pattern Sort things such as coins, beads, leaves, buttons, manipulative toys, keys, milk lids Ask how they can be sorted By color, shape, size, use, texture

Math Activity Ideas Encourage counting whenever possible. Ask the children if they can make shapes using their bodies –How many shapes can they make by themselves? –How many can they make with a friend? –Two friends?

More Math Activity Ideas Cook or bake something –Let children do the measuring and counting. –Count how many times you have to stir until it is all mixed up –Let them make predictions about what will happen in the oven. –Divide the treat with friends –Have children work together to make a large poster-sized recipe complete with pictures, numbers and words.

And More Math Activities… Make a map of the classroom –Draw the children’s attention to the shapes and spaces in the classroom –See if they can devise a better way to arranges the shapes (furniture) in the room

And One More Math Activity… Conduct surveys and graph the results –Who has a library card? –How many scoops of rice to you think will it take to fill the jar? –What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?

Resources for Math Activities Classroom resource library Internet Websites Pinterest