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Topic “Numbers”
Does actions in familiar number rhymes
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Number action rhymes | Follow the instructions on the number action rhymes sheet. |
Counts to 3
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Matching 1, 2, 3, objects to pictures representing 1, 2, 3, objects Large laminated cards with the number 1 and one black square and the number 2 and 2 black squares etc (large number cards - Word document); Sets of objects e.g. pens, cars, bricks; Tidy up bag/box. |
| Give lots and lots of chances to practice this skill. Use the number cards until the child is able to count to 3 most of the time to ensure feelings of success. Give a model if the child struggles and reward attempts as well as success with praise. |
| Fun games Marble run or garage and car run or magnetic fishing game; 1, 2, 3, cards. |
| |
| Drawings of faces Colouring pens; Paper. | See if the child can tell you how many things to draw. You could give them a choice, for example, should I draw 1, 2 or 3 spots? | |
| Monster faces Colouring pens; Paper. | ||
| Stickers Soft toys. | ||
| Count things in the everyday environment |
Use the terms one and lots
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Sorting objects Lego Pencils and coloured pencils Plastic cups Symbol to represent 'one' and 'lots' You can obtain symbols through the Commtap Symboliser. | Collect lego pieces that are all the same size and colour - add one lego piece that is different. Sort the lego into bowls and use the symbols of 'one' and 'lots' to label the bowls. Ask the child to give you 'one' or 'lots' and give as much help as needed to ensure success. Reward the child for completing the activity even if you have given lots of help. Do the same sorting activity with lots of pencils adding one coloured pencil Do the same with plastic cups adding one that is different | Understanding that things can be categorized and labelled in many ways. Extend this skill to everyday life - categorize knives and forks, shoes and boots etc |
| Snack time Symbols for 'one' and 'lots' on plates. Snack items You can obtain symbols through the Commtap Symboliser. | ||
| Cars, marbles, toys Garage with a car ramp and a number of cars Marble run game with lots of marbles Bag of toys with lots of toys in and bag with only one toy in. | ||
| Feeding soft toys Soft toys and pictures of food. | ||
| Pictures Computer printouts or hand made drawings of groups of lots of teddies/boxes/flowers etc and single teddy/box/flower. Symbols of 'one' and 'lots' You can obtain symbols through the Commtap Symboliser. |
Match two equal sets
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Making matching Lego towers Lego bricks | Make a tower of 3 bricks and another identical one of 2 bricks. Hand the child the third brick needed for the smaller tower and help the child complete the tower. Say 'Look...the same' and point to the 2 towers. Compare the towers and count the bricks. Increase the height of the towers and the number of the bricks the child has to add to make the towers the same. Make your tower and then say 'Look......make the same'. Give lots of praise for making a tower the same. | Allow the child to explore the materials you are using before you start the activity' . You want the child to get the idea of things being the same. Extend the idea into everyday life e.g. match cups at snack time or knives and forks at dinner time. |
| Peg board patterns Pegs and a peg board | Make a peg pattern e.g. red peg, blue peg, red peg. Start the pattern off for the child. Say 'Look.........Make the same'. You may need to hand the child the pegs to complete the pattern to start with. When the child makes the same pattern praise and say 'Look.......the same' Allow the child to complete more and more of a pattern that you have made as they become familiar with the activity. Praise for completion. | |
| Matching using coloured counters/coloured care bears etc Care bears Counters | ||
| Line of coloured dots on a piece of paper Colours and paper. | ||
| Paper and colours | ||
| Establishing one to one correspondence Large laminated numbers 1/2/3 on card Small laminated numbers 1/2/3 on card Pieces of food/crisps/biscuits (or other motivating items) Marbles and marble run game Cars and garage ramp | Understanding that '1' is always '1' and '2' always '2' etc is quite abstract and a big step for a child. This skill needs lots of practise and encouragement. Give yourself enough time. |
Indicate one or two using fingers
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Sing shortened versions of well known number songs A number of quickly drawn speckled frogs Blue-tack | 1. Sing 2 Green Speckled Frogs. Use lots of animation 2. Stick one/two green speckled frog pictures on your finger/s to illustrate the song 3. Can the child copy your actions with speckled frogs on his/her finger/s 4. If the child does not want frogs on her/his fingers stick them to the desk in front of the child and point to or touch the frogs right number of frogs as you sing 5. Do this activity with a friend who will be a good role model for the child. | Make this a fun activity Keep the pace snappy Use simple language (2/3 words only at one time.) Give children time to process information and requests. Where possible work in a quiet place, and make sure the child is attending to you. Work for short periods only but repeat often. |
| Adapted song of 10 little monkeys Miniature figures of people or animals | ||
| Snack time Fruit pieces | ||
| Stickers on fingers Two quick drawings of hands Small stickers |
Show an interest in number rhymes songs or games
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Three Little Speckled Frogs Recording of the song; (for example on youtube) Water spray; Picture of a log and a pond with Velcro attached to the log and three bits of Velcro in the pond; Three Velcro frogs | 1. Give the child one frog at a time to place on the log. 2. You count the frogs. 3. Start playing the recording and do the actions to the rhyme. 4. Let the child move the frogs from the log into the pond at the correct part of the song and reward with a spray from the water spray. | You may need to stop the recording if the child needs prompting to move the frogs from the log into the pond. Note, you should not expect the child to be able to count at this level. They may be able to join in with some of the sound patterns. The main goal of these activities is for the child to show interest in these rhymes in some way - this could be imitating some of the sounds or actions, or it could simply be being attentive to the song. |
| If you're happy and you know it Recording of the song; Visual prompt card (grid 2x3 on A4 with prompts for clap, stamp, nod, say "Ha ha" and do all 4). | 1. Play the recording and/or sing the song. 2. Encourage the child to do the actions with a physical prompt, verbal prompt, in imitation or spontaneously as necessary. | It is best to go through all the actions at the beginning of the activity and review at the end of the song. |
| Garden Song Chair; Large thick cardboard covered in glittery paper; Water spray; Talcum powder. Optional: symbols for more/finished. You can find symbols in the Commtap Symboliser for PowerPoint. | Encourage the child to stay seated throughout the rhyme. The wind/water/snow are quite rewarding so children will usually sit back down if requested to do so. Encourage children to join in the rhyme or sign wind/rain/snow as they become familiar with the rhyme. | |
| Watching and then joining in with number rhymes Objects to represent number rhymes | Use lots of animation and have fun You want the child to watch you, begin to join in and show some pleasure in the songs. You want the child to show some anticipation - build pauses into your routines for this to happen. | |
| Child chooses a number rhyme from a choice of two pictures of rhymes Pictures for familiar rhymes | ||
| Five little men in a flying saucer Laminated picture of a flying saucer and five men. Attach Velcro to the flying saucer and each of the five men. | Note, you should not expect the child to be able to count at this level. They may be able to join in with some of the sound patterns. The main goal of these activities is for the child to show interest in these rhymes in some way - this could be imitating some of the sounds or actions, or it could simply be being attentive to the song. |
Makes a choice from two items
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Choosing between food items 1
|
| Give child time to settle and see the items to choose from. Work for short bursts. Give lots of praise for making a choice or starting to make a choice. |
| Choosing between food items 2 Small pieces of 2 different desired foods. | ||
| Choosing between toy items 1
| ||
| Choosing between toy items 2 Two desired toys |
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