ADULT-LED
Reinforce children's number awareness through an activity using their hands and fingers.
Planned learning intention
To make up the same total (five or ten) in different ways.
Adult:child ratio 1:4
Resources
Disposable transparent polythene gloves, mutiples of any small objects that will fit into the fingers of the gloves, for example, beads, crayons, buttons, small pencils, bricks and plasticine rolls.
Preparation
Prepare two sets of objects from which each child can choose.
Step by step
* Ask the children to count how many fingers ther are on their glove.
* Ask them to select objects from the two groups, for example, three beads and two buttons.
* Fill the fingers, placing on eobject in each finger. Count how many there are of each object. Count again how many ther are in total.
* Ask the children to draw round their own hand.
* Add up the numbers of items and make a number 'story' or sum, for example, three beads amd two button fills five fingers.
* Record the number story with words or numerals.
* Empty the glove and repeat the activity several more times to reinforce the fact that the total is always the same.
For example, four beads and one button fill five fingers or five buttons and no beads fill five fingers.
Stepping stones
* A child little experience may observe others at activity, rather than join in themselves, or play randomly with the equipment to their own personal conclusion. They may display some awareness of rote number in their play.
A child with some experience may follow the instruction with a greater degree of accuracy and is likely to show some awareness of number concepts, particularly 1:1 correspondence, The child might begin to record with numerals and letters.
* A child with more experience will display understanding of the number concept by suggesting ways of making five and understanding the final figure is always the same. The child will probably be able to extend the activity, using increasingly higher numbers and associated vocabulary, for example, plus, minus, more and less.
Extension ideas
* Give the children two gloves, then three gloves, and so on. How many glovesdo you need to make 20 fingers, 50 fingers, 100 fingers?
* Use several gloves filled with small objects as a number line to count in either fives or tens.
Make hand templates from thin card on which the children can record number stories, each different but every one totalling five. Laminate cards or fit them into disposable gloves to make them more durable. Punch a hole in each hand, then secure them together with key rings to make a fan book of ways of making five.
* Use the children's drawings and the gloves filled with objects to create a tactile display.
