3-5 Supplemental Curriculum: Learning Centers

 

Unit 8: I Can Learn: Early Mathematical Foundations

Index

Learning Center #1 Title: “Visiting the Local Market”

Learning Center #2 Title: “Number Action”

Learning Center #3 Title: “Number Sets”

Learning Center #4 Title: “Puzzling Numbers”

Learning Center #5 Title: “Clay or Play-doh Numbers”

Learning Center #6 Title: “Numbers in the Jungle”

Learning Center #1 Title: “Paper Shape Collages”

Learning Center #2 Title: “Size Toss”

Learning Center #3 Title: “Liters and Ladles”

Learning Center #4 Title: “Nature Math”

Learning Center #5 Title: “Numbers Tell a Story”

Leaning Center #6 Title: “It’s 100!”

Learning Center #1 Title: “Visiting the Local Market”

Topic 1: Number, Operations, and Everyday Problem Solving 

Link to GRC: Co. Yr. 1, #25, CO. Yr. 2, #24 

Overall Topic Objective: Caregiver and child develop a foundation for understanding mathematics through number recognition, counting, and practical application of mathematics. 

Center Objectives: 

1) Caregiver and child calculate at least 2 quantities through addition and subtraction.

2) Caregiver and child participate in role play of a local market transaction.

Materials:

  • Samples of local foods or packaging

  • Any props similar to a local market in child’s context

  • “Money”, tokens of exchange (can be bottle caps, paper coins in local currency, stones to represent money values, etc.)

  • Pad of scrap paper bound or stapled together as a ledger for writing the money transactions 

Directions: 

  1. Set up a “pretend” market area for the caregiver and child. Include any props that create a market setting.  Decide how much “money” total the caregiver/child has to spend. Count out that money with the pretend tokens of exchange.

  2. Caregiver and child take turns as the “seller” and the “buyer”.  Use pretend currency to buy products and sell the “food items” or other local products available.

  3. Dramatize and count the “money” for each purchase and write down simple sums of 2 or 3 “products” on the paper ledger.

  4. Add up the simple sums. Decide if a “profit” was made for the market and if the buyer had enough money to make her purchases. 

  5. Role play adding or subtracting one or two more items from the total to demonstrate simple subtraction. Example:  Rice = $2.00 + cabbage = $1.00.  Total purchase = $3.00. Buyer has $9.00 to spend, how much money is left to spend?  (9-3=6), etc.

Learning Center #2 Title: “Number Action”

Topic 1: Numbers, Operations and Everyday Problem Solving 

Link to GRC: SE Yr. 2, #21

Overall Topic Objective: Caregiver and child develop a foundation for understanding mathematics through number recognition, counting, and practical application of mathematics. 

Center Objective:

1) Caregiver and child practice counting through body movement. 

Materials:  

  • Number cards with written numerals 1-10 or 1-20, one numeral on each card

  • Small or large bouncy ball

  • Small stones or other “counters” 

Directions:  

  1. Caregiver and child face each for this activity.

  2. Mix the card deck and place the number cards face down. Caregiver and child take turns choosing a number card and clapping the number of times shown on the card.

  3. Using the same number cards, do the following action in a larger space, indoors or outdoors.  Bounce the ball the number of times shown on the card. Take turns.

  4. Continue for several rounds, once mastered, use higher numbers.

  5. Mix up the card deck and use the “counters” provided.  Choose 5 numbers from the deck and match the number of “counters” to the correct number shown on the card for a one-to-one correspondence.  Example:  #7—count out 7 small stones or shells and place under the number card which matches. 

Learning Center #3 Title: “Number Sets”

Topic 1: Numbers, Operations and Everyday Problem Solving 

Link to GRC: None applicable.

Overall Topic Objective: Caregiver and child develop a foundation for understanding mathematics through number recognition, counting, and practical application of mathematics. 

Center Objective:   

1) Caregiver and child will apply mathematical knowledge to grouping items in everyday life. 

Materials:

  • Collect objects that can be formed into sets of 10 or 20 from everyday life.  Examples:  shells, bottle caps, screws (large enough to avoid choking hazard), rubber bands, paper clips, eating utensils such as spoons, small socks, leaves, stones, etc.) 

  • Small plastic bowls or basket as containers.  (Optional:  Use an empty clean cardboard egg carton or a clean ice cube tray.) 

  • Number cards with the numerals 1-10 or 1-20

Directions: 

  1. Caregiver demonstrates the activity to child by choosing a number card and showing her a set of objects that represents the number on the card.  For example; the number 5 card and a set of 5 objects.  Place the 5 objects in a small bowl or the egg carton sections.  Objects do not have to be the same, for example 5 objects could be 2 rocks, 1 shell, 1 paper clip and 1 spoon.  This is a set of 5 objects. 

  2. Choose at least four different groupings of objects to represent with sets.  The sets can be the same objects or different objects.  The goal is to have the correct number of objects as shown on the card chosen.

  3. Verbally count the objects as you create the sets.

  4. Combine sets to make simple addition or subtraction problems.  Example:  A set of 3 objects plus 4 objects equals a new set of 7 objects. Count these verbally together.

  5. Do several rounds of this game until child has mastered the idea. 

Learning Center #4 Title: “Puzzling Numbers”

Topic 1: Numbers, Operations and Everyday Problem Solving 

Link to GRC: PH Yr. 1, #10

Overall Topic Objective: Caregiver and child develop a foundation for understanding mathematics through number recognition, counting, and practical application of mathematics. 

Center Objectives:

1) Caregiver and child match numbers with corresponding set of symbols.

2) Caregiver and child practice eye-hand coordination skills. 

Materials: 

  • 10-20 cardstock rectangles cut approximately 13cm x 20cm each

  • Create puzzle pieces. On one half of each card, write a number between one and twenty. On the other half, draw the corresponding number of hearts, dots, stars, or local symbols.  Note:  See example in Unit 8 Resource folder. If stickers are available, they can be used in the place of drawn symbols of hearts, dots, etc.

  • Cut each card in half using a different combination of straight lines, curves and angles so that no two pieces can be mistakenly matched

  • Safety scissors

  • Coloring utensils 

Directions: 

  1. Mix up all the puzzle pieces. Place them out on a flat surface.

  2. Caregiver and child take turns choosing one piece and locating its match. If the player is correct, he has another turn. The player with the most matches wins the game!

  3. Play several rounds for extra practice! 

Learning Center #5 Title: “Clay or Play-doh Numbers”

Topic 1: Numbers, Operations and Everyday Problem Solving 

Link to GRC: PH Yr. 1, # 8, 10

Overall Topic Objective: Caregiver and child develop a foundation for understanding mathematics through number recognition, counting, and practical application of mathematics. 

Center Objectives:

1) Caregiver and child sculpt numbers to create one-to-one correspondence using fine motor skills.

2) Caregiver and child draw large numbers in the “sky” for muscle memory and number practice. 

Materials: 

  • Clay or play-doh  (See recipe for modeling clay found in the User Guide)

  • Recycled cardboard lids or paper/Styrofoam plates

  • Writing utensil, black marker preferred to make large, thick numbers

  • Write large numbers from 1-10, one number on each lid/plate 

Directions: 

  1. Caregiver and child choose a cardboard lid or paper plate and create the number that appears on the surface by rolling and squeezing play-doh/clay.

  2. Carefully place the sculpted number on the written number, matching the shape of the number as precisely as possible.

  3. Once you have made several numbers, or time is up, say the numbers you have formed and count backwards from each of the numbers. Example: #6:  6-5-4-3-2-1-0.

  4. Practice counting forwards and backwards for each of the numbers you have created.

  5. Replace the clay or play-doh for future use in an airtight container. 

Learning Center #6 Title: “Numbers in the Jungle”

Topic 1: Numbers, Operations and Everyday Problem Solving 

Link to GRC: CO Yr. 1, #16

Overall Topic Objective: Caregiver and child develop a foundation for understanding mathematics through number recognition, counting, and practical application of mathematics. 

Center Objective:

1) Caregiver and child determine numbers which are missing in sequence. 

Materials: 

  • Clothesline or heavy string cut approximately 3 meters long for the “jungle vine”

  • Paper clips, hole punch , clear or masking tape

  • 10 cut Jungle animal shapes (Those found in trees—examples: monkey, parrots, snakes, tree frogs. See printout in Unit 8 Resource folder)*

  • Safety scissors, coloring utensils, black magic marker for written number

  • Write numbers 1-10 on the animal shapes, one number on each animal,  and attach with clear tape, a paper clip which has been opened to create a “hook” 

Directions:

  1. Hang the clothesline/string across an open area in the meeting space to create a “jungle vine”.
  2. Caregiver and child choose at least 5 random numbers, prepared on the animal shapes with paper clip hooks.
  3. Caregiver strings the animals across the “jungle vine” by hanging each number animal on the string in any order.
  4. Child looks at vine of animal numbers and decides which numbers are missing from the sequence (order).  Example:  hang the animal numbers 3, 8, 2, 6, 1. 
  5. Invite the child to place the animal numbers in order on the vine.             Ask the following questions:
    • What numbers are missing?
    • What is the next number?
    • Can you find the missing number and put it in the right place on the vine?
  6. Caregiver and child take turns playing the game for 2 or 3 rounds of play and practice.

* Animal pictures: www.firstpalatte.com 

Learning Center #1 Title: “Paper Shape Collages”

Topic 2: Shapes, Patterning, Spatial Reasoning and Measurement 

Link to GRC: PH Yr. 1, #10, 11

Overall Topic Objective: Caregiver and child indicate mathematical reasoning concepts through measurement, patterns, shape recognition, and spatial reasoning. 

Center Objectives:

1) Caregiver and child use “position” words to organize shapes.

2) Caregiver and child create animals, buildings, and people, with shapes.  

Materials: 

  • Safety scissors, ruler or other straightedge

  • Variety of recycled or scrap paper in various colors, newsprint or other recycled colored papers

  • Cut shapes of various sizes: include circles, squares, rectangles, triangles, diamond, hearts, etc. (See shape printout in Unit 8 Resource folder)* Shapes can be cut prior to the learning center or during depending upon time constraints - cutting the shapes also provides fine motor practice but is challenging for younger children) 

  • Larger paper for the background of collage. (Option: one large sheet can be used for the entire group to display the work of caregivers/children)

  • Glue 

Directions: 

  1. Assemble the materials. Caregiver and child can choose a variety of cut out shapes or colored papers to cut out shapes in order to create a shape animal, building, person, etc.

  2. Practice using descriptive “size” words. Example:  Place the “biggest” circle on top of the “smallest” square, etc. 

  3. Caregiver and child verbalize the activity by describing the different shapes using descriptive words and position words such as “above”, “below”, “beside”, etc.

  4. Take turns creating the animal, building or person.  Glue the pieces on the larger piece of paper.

  5. Display shape creations with other pairs of caregivers/children. 

*Shapes printout: www.worksheetfun.com 

Learning Center #2 Title: “Size Toss”

Topic 2: Shapes, Patterning, Spatial Reasoning and Measurement 

Link to GRC: CO Yr. 2, #11

Overall Topic Objective: Caregiver and child indicate mathematical reasoning concepts through measurement, patterns, shape recognition, and spatial reasoning. 

Center Objective: 

1) Caregiver and child determine which objects are different sizes and practice large motor skills. 

Materials:

  • Unbreakable objects of different sizes—Examples:   balls, plastic lids, boxes, and other items which may be tossed safely into containers, at least 5 or 10 different items

  • 2 or 3 containers (baskets, boxes) into which objects can be tossed

  • Masking tape or a piece of string/yarn to create a boundary line from which to toss the items 

Directions:

  1. Caregiver and child choose one or two items from the collected objects to toss into a container. Child and caregiver stand behind the designated boundary line marked with tape or string/yarn.
  2. Place the container which will catch the objects at a distance to which the child can successfully toss the object.
  3. Caregiver calls out to the child to toss in the “largest” or “smallest” object into the container from behind the boundary line. If the child succeeds in:
    • Choosing the correct size and object  
    • Hitting the target container

           She receives a point! 

4. Take turns tossing the objects and using the following words when describing the objects. Add other descriptive words you think of!

larger/smaller       bigger/littler

shorter/taller        wider/narrower

gigantic/tiny         fatter/thinner                  

thicker/thinner      bigger/biggest 

Learning Center #3 Title: “Liters and Ladles”

Topic 2: Shapes, Patterning, Spatial Reasoning and Measurement 

Link to GRC: CO Yr. 2, #35

Overall Topic Objective: Caregiver and child indicate mathematical reasoning concepts through measurement, patterns, shape recognition, and spatial reasoning. 

Center Objectives:

1) Caregiver and child evaluate volume of liquids.

2) Caregiver and child practice whole hand motor skills. 

Materials:  

  • Wooden spoons, ladles

  • Volume measuring kitchen tools; such as measuring cups, measuring spoons etc.

  • 2 medium sized bowls or buckets  that hold  at least 1 liter of clean water 

Directions: 

  1. Caregiver and child assemble bowl, bucket and ladles indoors or outdoors where water activities are safe.

  2. Caregiver and child practice measuring water using the metric system with the provided volume measuring tools.

  3. Caregiver and child take turns transferring water from one container to the other container, being careful not to spill.

  4. Measure the water once it is in the larger container and transfer only ½ of the water to the original bowl.  Practice ladling and measuring the volumes as you do this activity.  

  5. Keep a record of how many times you have moved the water from one container to another. 

Learning Center #4 Title: “Nature Math”

Topic 2: Shapes, Patterning, Spatial Reasoning and Measurement 

Link to GRC: None Applicable.

Overall Topic Objective: Caregiver and child indicate mathematical reasoning concepts through measurement, patterns, shape recognition, and spatial reasoning. 

Center Objectives:

1) Caregiver and child demonstrate how to add to or take away one or more objects from a group (set) of objects.

2) Caregiver and child verbally identify numbers of objects from 1-10, 11-20. 

Materials: 

  • 2 small containers  in similar size to hold the objects collected

  • Clean objects found locally in nature, Examples: shells, stones, seedpods, beans, etc. 

Directions: 

  1. Caregiver places 7 objects in her basket and verbally calls out the number 5.  Caregiver/child always call out a number that is 2 more than the number of objects in the basket.

  2. Child moves “5” objects from caregiver’s basket and places them in her basket.  She then looks at the number of objects left in the caregiver’s basket.

  3. Caregiver and child count together the number of objects left in the basket. Caregiver asks, “Are there more objects or less objects in the basket?”  Child responds. (The answer in this example is 2 objects left in the basket, so there are less objects.)

  4. Now place all of the objects in the child’s basket, and the child leads the game by verbally calling out a number and asking the caregiver to place that number of objects in her basket.  Each time use a different number of objects, making sure there are always 2 more in the basket than the number called.

  5. This game can be played with numbers larger or smaller depending upon child’s ability.

Learning Center #5 Title: “Numbers Tell a Story”

Topic 2: Shapes, Patterning, Spatial Reasoning and Measurement 

Link to GRC: CO Yr. 1, #16, 17

Overall Topic Objective: Caregiver and child indicate mathematical reasoning concepts through measurement, patterns, shape recognition, and spatial reasoning. 

Center Objective:

1) Caregiver and child apply number operations to a word problem. 

Materials: 

  • Printout of frogs and poems – (See printout in Unit 8 Resource folder)*

  • 10 cut shapes of the frogs, store the shapes in an envelope or folder

  • Copies of number stories or finger plays known in cultural context (Note: Example in directions below is based upon a common early childhood poem in U.S.—Five Little Speckled Frogs )

  • recycled cardboard lid   

Directions:  

  1. To begin the game, Caregiver places 5 frogs on a mat or cardboard lid tray.

  2. Caregiver recites the poem (based upon literacy ability) to the child while the child does the actions of removing a frog at the right time as told in the poem.

  3. Act out the poem by “jumping” off the log according to the number of “frogs” on the log. Example:  “Five little speckled frogs, sitting on a speckled log, eating some most delicious bugs, Yum! Yum! One jumped into (jump one time) the pool, where it was nice and cool, and then there were four speckled frogs.  (Jump 4 times), etc.

  4. Caregiver and child repeat the poem to practice counting and acting out the poem.

Leaning Center #6 Title: “It’s 100!”

Topic 2: Shapes, Patterning, Spatial Reasoning and Measurement 

Link to GRC: CO Yr. 1, #12

Overall Topic Objective: Caregiver and child indicate mathematical reasoning concepts through measurement, patterns, shape recognition, and spatial reasoning. 

Center Objective:

1) Caregiver and child apply the concept of “100” in everyday life. 

Materials:  

  • 1 large piece white or colored paper per caregiver/child that can be torn into 100 pieces by caregiver/child. (Recycled magazine pages could be used)

  • 1 piece white or colored paper per caregiver/child for background to glue the 100 torn pieces

  • Glue

  • 100 small building materials collected from around the church to create a structure (Examples: blocks, recycled paper tubes, lids, small boxes, toothpicks, straws, plastic cups, small sticks, etc. 

Directions: 

  1. Caregiver and child talk about the idea of “100” in everyday life. Close eyes and estimate how long 100 seconds could be.  If possible, take turns watching a second timer on a clock.

  2. Caregiver and child walk “100” steps together indoors or outdoors.

  3. Caregiver and child create a mosaic by tearing 100 pieces of small paper using their fingers and glue their design on the second sheet of paper.

  4. Caregiver and child create a structure counting out 100 of the collected objects on a large flat area.