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From the Jill Davis Workshop "Math Madness" PatternsBerry Sort: Place a large container of “berries” (blue and red pom pom balls) in a center. Student puts on a pair of brown mittens (bear claws) and sorts the berries. For an added challenge, students can create a pattern. Tricks With Treats: Put out a bowl of various dog treats. Encourage students to sort treats by color, type, size, and other attributes. Students can also use the treats to make a pattern. * This can also be done with human snacks, cereal, and candy. Ice Cream Pattern: Cut several circles (to represent ice cream scoops) from the following colors of construction paper: white, pink and brown. Glue the scoops (making a two-color pattern) to a strip of blue construction paper. Glue a manila paper cone at the end. Laminate the strips and extra scoops. Students can lay their scoops on top of the strip to copy the pattern. For an added challenge, make a blank strip (with a cone) and let the students make their own pattern. Sunshine Pattern: Tape a large yellow construction paper circle on the table to represent a sun. Cut a supply of rectangles out of yellow paper in two lengths. Child arranges the rays around the circle in an alternating pattern of long and short. Number SenseBook of Numbers: Program a booklet page for each numeral from 1 to 5. Copy each page on different colored paper to make a class supply. Each student uses a hole punch to punch the matching number of holes in a page. Compile the pages with a cover that reads “My Little Book of Numbers”. Staple into a book. Calendar Crazy: Collect a supply of old calendars and place them in the writing center. Invite children to trace over the numbers or to reproduce the number in the box for that date. After lots of practice, print off some blank calendar grids and invite students to fill in all of the numbers for the current month. Marshmallow Count: Label 5 foam coffee cups with a different numeral 1 to 5. Place crumpled brown tissue paper inside each cup. Student identifies the numeral and adds the corresponding number of cotton ball marshmallows to each cup. Snowball Fight: Write numerals and shapes on blank white paper. Make sure their are two papers of each and enough for each child in your class to have one. Crumple into snowballs. Take the snowballs into a large area. Let students each have one and start a snowball fight. After a few minutes, blow a whistle and students each grab one snowball. The students open up the paper, look at the number of shape, and find their partners. Tracing the Stars: Affix star stickers onto transparency paper in the shape of numbers (or shapes). Securely tape each sheet to a tabletop then tape a piece of paper over each one. Student uses the side of a crayon (without the wrapper) and rubs until a star studded number is revealed. Oh My Stars: Use a star shaped hole punch to make numbers (or shapes) on black construction paper. Set up an overhead projector so that it projects onto the ceiling of the classroom. Dim the lights and invite your students to stargaze and identify the numerals. Fly Swatter: Attach the hook side of several Velcro adhesive strips to a new flyswatter. Spread out a supply of brown or black pom pom balls on the floor. Student swats the flyswatter on the pom pom balls. Count how many flies she caught. Geometry & Spatial Sense Johnny Jump-Up: Program several blank cards with shapes that are familiar to your students. Repeat the shapes as often as desired. Program three cards with a jumping stick figure, Johnny Jump-Up. To play, show students the cards one at a time. If the card shows a shape, the students name it. If the card shows Johnny Jump-Up, students jump to their feet, jump two times in place, and sit back down. Match the Hearts: From an old deck of cards, remove the numbered cards in the heart suit. Cut each card in half crosswise so that the number shows on both sides. Student matches the halves of the cards. Rolling in the Dough: Gather cookie cutters in several basic shapes. Use a permanent marker to trace the shapes onto a cheap, aluminum cookie sheet. Student rolls dough, cuts out the shape, and matches it on the cookie sheet. Water Wonders: Cut a variety of shapes from craft foam. Use permanent marker to trace each shape on a foam tray. Scatter shapes in water and put programmed trays nearby. Student floats a tray in the water and finds the matching shape. Measurement Jumping Jacks and Jills: Place 6 large laminated candles on the floor in a row about two feet apart from each other. Student rolls a die and jumps over that many candles (one at a time). For an added challenge, students arrange candles side by side and tried to jump over the total number rolled on the die. Fire Hose Line Up: Cut drinking straws into five different lengths so there is one of each length for each child. Sort straws (fire hoses) into 5 separate containers. Student arranges straws from shortest to tallest on a sheet of paper and secures each one with tape.
Math Resources
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