Provide children with exciting opportunities to use numbers by supplementing basic provision across the setting.
Adult-led activities
What do you see?
Use the story Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see? as a starting point for the project.
Key learning intention
To say number names in order/count reliably up to 6
Adult:child ratio 1:4
Resources
* Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see? by Bill Martin (BBC Consumer Publishing, 7.50) * Box of cars * large-scale number line 1 to 6 (made using a length of wall lining paper) * starters' flag * clipboard pens * copies of data recording sheet (showing numbers 1 to 6 with spaces next to each number for children to make recording marks)
Preparation
* Plan plenty of opportunities for children to see and use numbers in a play context around the nursery (see 'child-initiated learning' for ideas).
* Give children experience of playing games and engaging in other activities that require them to take turns.
* Secure the number line to the floor with masking tape.
Activity content
* Look through the cars with interested children, encouraging them to talk about the features of each (for example, their colour, the number of doors and width of wheels).
* Make a starting line (this could be marked with a zero) and encourage children, in turn, to push their car to 'race' up the number line. After each child's turn, note the number that the car stops at, and if appropriate to their developmental stage, ask the child to make a mark next to that number on the recording chart.
* As more cars are 'raced', draw children's attention to the chart and discuss the data.
Extending learning
Key vocabulary
Number names 0 to 6, before, after, next.
Questions to ask
* How far do you think your car will get? Which number did your car stop at? Can you find that number on the record sheet? Can you make a mark next to that number? Have any other cars stopped at that number? How many cars went as far as number 6 on the number line? Whose car went the furthest?
Extension ideas
* Introduce large floor dice and make up games with the children, encouraging them to negotiate and agree rules. For example, 'If you roll a number 3, you have to try and make your car stop at the number 3 on the track'. Support children's ideas by joining in their games and providing any additional resources, such as coloured pens to record when the red/blue/yellow cars managed to reach number 6.
* Extend the track to include, for example, numbers up to 10 or 20. These could be drawn in chalk on the outdoor paving stones or tarmac.
* If children are ready, encourage them to count on and to calculate, for example, how many more spaces their car would need to go through before it reached number 10.
To the limit
Plan an imaginative investigation in the water area that will help to develop children's mathematical and scientific understanding.
Key learning intentions
To count reliably and to begin to use vocabulary involved in addition/ subtraction
To establish a 'passenger' number limit on a small-world boat Adult:child ratio 1:4
Resources
* Set of four simple plastic boats (all the same) with space to carry small-world play people * a collection of small-world people (all the same size/weight)
Preparation
* Prepare and tell children a simple story that will provide a context for the investigation and problem solving. For example, people living on a remote island decide, after their village shop closes, that they need to be able to travel to the mainland every week to do their shopping. They agree to organise a ferry service but are worried about overloading their boats.
Can the children find out what is a safe number of people to carry?
Activity content
* Show the children the boats and play people. Give the children a boat each and ask them to select a 'captain' for their ferry.
* Experiment by adding an extra passenger on each 'crossing'. Find out what is the largest number of passengers the boat can carry without sinking.
* Discuss the children's findings as a group. Are they the same?
Extending learning
Key vocabulary
* Number names, 'float', 'sink'.
Questions to ask
* How many people have you got in your boat? What do you think will happen if you put another person in? How many more do you think you can put in before the boat sinks? Do you think the boat will float if we take out one passenger?
Extension activities
* Build a small-world island and mainland around the water tray to encourage imaginative play.
* Provide boats in various sizes. Encourage children to estimate how many passengers they can carry without sinking and then to test the boats.
Child-initiated learning
Planning a project on numbers is a good time for raising the profile of numbers and counting throughout the nursery. Look as a team, at how opportunities in each area of provision can be developed. The curricular focus for enhancements in the following areas is 'numbers as labels and for counting/ calculation' within 'mathematical development'.
Home corner
Additional resources
*House number plaque displayed at entrance *templates on the table for four place settings *telephones *mobile phones *address books *telephone directories *numbered pegs (with washing line) *recipe cards (including numbers of spoonfuls, cupfuls, etc) *money in purses *numbered eggs and milk bottles *clocks and watches *egg-timers marked with numbers *video/television remote control *television guides *age numbered birthday cards
Possible learning experiences
* Exploring and using numbers in the context of imaginative and role play.
* Setting the table matching one plate to one child.
* Making up telephone numbers and addresses.
* Matching written telephone numbers to keypads.
* Recognising numbers, for example, on birthday cards.
* Counting out imaginary quantities while baking.
* Singing happy birthday and clapping out the number of years.
* Beginning to record numbers, for example, writing down shopping lists - '1 egg, 5 apples, 2 tins of beans, 1 pizza'.
* Hanging one article of clothing on each peg.
* Ordering numbered pegs on the washing line.
The practitioner role
* Talk with children about the numbers around the home corner, teach them number names and model counting.
* Play alongside the children, asking questions such as, 'How many cups will we need if Amy and Sam come for tea?'
* Encourage the children to make links with other areas of provision. For example, writing addresses, with house numbers and postcodes, on envelopes in the office area or using the computer.
* Observe children and assess their learning against the stepping stones and early learning goals to plan effectively for their next steps.
Snack area
This planning has been based on a snack area that will accommodate four children and one adult, or five children.
Additional resources
* Chairs (or places at the table) and cups numbered 1 to 5 * displayed number line * chopping board, knives (bear in mind safety when using them with the children) * big and small jugs, signs and labels (for example, take * pieces of apple) * self-registration chart displaying numbers 1 to 5 * children's name cards
Possible learning experiences
* Talking about numbers, for example, 'Yesterday I sat on number 1 chair - today I am on number 3'.
* Matching numeral to numeral, for example, 'You can have the number 2 cup because you are sitting on number 2 chair.'
* Cutting whole fruit into pieces, counting pieces and segments.
* Giving out fruit, one piece for each child.
* Joining groups of fruit, for example, 'I have got two grapes and two pieces of carrot - that's four things altogether.'
* Counting how many cupfuls of milk can be poured form the big/small jugs.
* Registering their presence in the area by displaying their name against the next numeral on the chart.
* Recognising numerals on signs.
* Using the information on the self-registration chart and making comments such as, 'There are only three names on the chart so there is room for two more children.'
The practitioner role
* Demonstrate and model appropriate use of tools.
* Use key vocabulary such as 'more', 'fewer', 'same' and number names.
* Model counting skills.
* Organise the snack area so that children are able to access it in small groups and at a convenient time that does not interrupt other learning experiences.
* Plan adult focus time in the area to talk with children and to support their counting skills and developing independence.
* Ask challenging questions such as, 'How many more pieces of pear do we need?', 'How many grapes do we need if Tom and Kyle have two each?'
Sand area
Additional resources
* Sandpaper numbers displayed in the area * buckets * scoops * spades numbered flags * shells * one-minute sand-timer * pebbles
Possible learning experiences
* Using the sense of touch to explore the shape of sandpaper numerals.
* Saying strings of numbers or reciting numbers in order.
* Lining up and counting shells and pebbles.
* Combining two groups of shells and pebbles.
* Guessing how many pebbles in a handful.
* Counting scoopfuls of sand.
* Counting how many pebbles can be dropped into a bucket (one at a time) before the sand-timer finishes.
* Building and counting sandcastles.
* Recognising and naming numerals on flags.
* Ordering flags on sandcastles.
The practitioner role
* Provide interesting natural objects that children will want to handle and count.
* Count with children and talk to them about the names of numerals.
Outdoor area
Additional resources
* Number plates for wheeled toys and corresponding signs for parking bays * numbered bus stops/taxi ranks * bus timetables * traffic signs (mileage and speed) * height charts and wooden measuring sticks * balls * quoits * numbered buckets and cones * magnifying glasses * collecting bags and trays * large dice * chalk * tally charts * clipboards and pencils Possible learning experiences
* Commenting on numbers around the area.
* Using number names in their play.
* Identifying wheeled toys by their number plate.
* Throwing the correct number of balls into a bucket, for example, three balls into the bucket labelled 3.
* Throwing quoits on to cones in ascending order.
* Counting legs on insects, points on leaves, etc, and counting collections of items such as pebbles, leaves.
* Placing collected items on a number line (drawn with chalk).
* Comparing amounts in collections.
* Combining groups of collected items.
* Playing number games such as hopscotch. Grids can be marked on the ground with chalk.
* Collecting and recording data. For example, making a mark every time a lorry passes the nursery.
The practitioner role
* Recognise and support opportunities for learning.
* Help children to draw grids and number lines.
* Model the recording of numerals and collecting of data.
* Question children to extend learning, for example, 'How many balls do you need to throw into this (number 3) bucket?' 'Now you have thrown one ball into the bucket, how many more do you need to throw?' 'How many pebbles do you think Liam has collected on his tray?' 'Were you right?'
Project guide
This project recognises that:
* settings should be constantly resourced and organised in such a way as to offer learning opportunities across all areas of the Foundation Stage curriculum
* topics can enhance basic provision and respond to children's interests
* children need plenty of first-hand experiences and time to develop ideas, skills and concepts through play
* the practitioner has a vital role in supporting children's learning.
This project, therefore, suggests:
* adult-led activities for introducing the theme
* resources that enhance basic provision and facilitate learning through child-initiated play
* how the practitioner can support children's learning.
When using the project, practitioners should recognise that:
* activities should be offered and never imposed on children
* children's experiences, and learning, may differ from those anticipated
* the learning, planned or unplanned, that takes place is valid
* the process is very valuable and should not be undermined by an inappropriate emphasis on outcomes or concrete end results.
