Unit 8 Support the needs of the child in preparing for school

Learning Outcomes LO4 Be able to support children’s mathematical development in preparation for school readiness. AC 4.1 Describe how to create an environment which supports children’s mathematical development. AC 4.2 Plan for children’s participation in activities which encourage an understanding of: Number Shape, size and pattern Weight, volume and capacity Matching and sorting. AC 4.3 Carry out activities which encourage an understanding of:

4. Be able to support children’s mathematical development in preparation for school readiness (4.1) Time: 15 mins How do you feel about maths? Consider: Are you any good at it? Did you like it at school? Did you have a memorable maths teacher? Why do you remember them? Do you see the point of continuing to develop your maths skills? Why?

4. Be able to support children’s mathematical development in preparation for school readiness (4.1) The environment Maths is all around us. Maths in not just about numbers and sums. There are lots of opportunities to support children’s mathematical development in the setting.

4. Be able to support children’s mathematical development in preparation for school readiness (4.1) Maths environment Water tray Making dough Sand timers Cooking Home corner shop Compare Bears Threading beads Construction toys Clocks and watches Snack time

4. Be able to support children’s mathematical development in preparation for school readiness (4.1, 4.2) Time: 15 mins Choose two of the examples from the ‘Maths environment’ spider diagram on the previous slide, and for each one consider: Examples of this in the setting How it supports children’s mathematical development What do you think is the children’s favourite maths-related activity or experience? Why do you think they like this so much? Learners should link their experiences from the setting to how they support children’s mathematical development. A favourite activity can be discussed and learners can identify whether it is the equipment that the children like, i.e. coloured sand timers, or the activity, i.e. cooking.

Mathematical activities 4. Be able to support children’s mathematical development in preparation for school readiness (4.1, 4.2) Mathematical activities Number Children can help to make number resources for the home and the setting. These can include: Number lines – young children can help decorate these Charts – lots of children will have a height chart at home and the setting can make a group height chart Props for number rhymes – currant buns for ‘5 Currant Buns’, frogs for ‘5 Little Speckled Frogs’ or green bottles for ‘10 Green Bottles’ Birthday tree – children can decorate a leaf with their birthday on it.

Mathematical activities 4. Be able to support children’s mathematical development in preparation for school readiness (4.1, 4.2) Mathematical activities Shape, size and pattern There are lots of activities available in the setting and these include: Posting toys – matching a shape to a posting hole and making it fit Puzzles – children need to look at the shape and size of the pieces Threading toys – following a shape or colour pattern to create a necklace Stacking toys – shapes that fit on a post and need to go in order of size Compare Bears – resources that come in sets of colour and size, and need to be ordered by the children, i.e., smallest to biggest or all the red ones together.

4. Be able to support children’s mathematical development in preparation for school readiness (4.1, 4.2) Time: 15 mins Create a spider diagram or chart to show all the resources you have in your setting that support the following mathematical skills: Number Shape Size Pattern Are any of them made by the setting, or are they all commercially produced? Learners should categorise the resources available. Some resources may cross over and cover two elements, such as shape and size. This activity will reinforce links between activities, resources and mathematical development.

Mathematical activities 4. Be able to support children’s mathematical development in preparation for school readiness (4.1, 4.2) Mathematical activities Weight, volume and capacity Young children will not fully understand the concept of weight, volume and capacity, but there are plenty of opportunities to explore these, including: Containers – a variety of bottles and jugs in the water tray Balance scales – placing objects on each side to see which is heavier Measuring cylinders – comparing volume Cooking – weighing, measuring, filling cake cases or tins.

Mathematical activities 4. Be able to support children’s mathematical development in preparation for school readiness (4.1, 4.2) Mathematical activities Matching and sorting Children love to match and sort objects, and there are activities available to support this, including: Lotto – matching pictures to other pictures or sounds Card games – snap, pairs, sets Classifying objects – sorting according to colour, size, shape, function.

4. Be able to support children’s mathematical development in preparation for school readiness (4.1, 4.2, 4.3) Time: 15 mins Do you feel your setting offers good opportunities to support children’s mathematical development? Consider: Opportunities for babies under 1 year old. Stretch and challenge Everyday maths opportunities such as counting cups, children or biscuits A wide variety of resources Resources that are in good condition If there was one thing you would add or change in your setting to further support children’s mathematical development, what would it be? Why? This is a class discussion to compare resources and opportunities. Learners may have identified, through the activities, a resource or activity they would like to add to the setting.

4. Be able to support children’s mathematical development in preparation for school readiness (4.1, 4.2, 4.3) Time: 30 mins You now have to research, plan and carry out activities that support children’s mathematical development in each of the areas discussed. Consider: The age and stage of the children Resources already available The role of the adult What you want the children to learn or develop. Your activities must cover: Number Shape, size and pattern Weight, volume and capacity Matching and sorting. Learners should use the previous activities to support their planning.

4. Be able to support children’s mathematical development in preparation for school readiness (4.1, 4.2) Time: 15 mins Collect pictures and make a lotto or snap game. Consider using: Wrapping paper Photographs Clip art Internet images Children’s artwork that is photocopied Consider the age range you are making it for You could laminate the finished game, which will help it last longer. Learners could use one of the areas covered, i.e. number or shape, as the subject matter for the pictures. Learners could collate the pictures in this time, make the game at home, and then bring it in to show and share in a future session.

Summary There are opportunities to support children’s mathematical development everywhere we go. Children can be encouraged to count, match and sort almost any type of object. Adults should use appropriate mathematical language as often as possible, for example, longer, bigger, the same and different.

Plenary Describe three activities that will support an understanding of number. How will a cooking activity support mathematical development? List five things that children could sort.