Post 7: Bear More or Less

 Post 7: More or less 

Personal Objective: 

I am really interested in use high interest topics to teach math skills. I want to male learning fun and meaningful so that my students can learn, practice and be exposed to how to compare quantities. I am going to use the children's interest in bears for this activity. A hands-on bear activity that will help young students develop a strong mathematical foundation.

Common Core Standard:

Counts to tell the number of objects 

PK.MATH.3. [NY-PK.CC.3.] Understands the relationship between numbers and quantities to 10, connects counting to cardinality 

PK.MATH.3a. [NY-PK.CC.3a.] When counting objects, says the number names in the standard order, pairing each object with one and only one number name and each number name with one and only one object. (1:1 correspondence) 

PK. MATH.3b. [NY-PK.CC.3b.] Explores and develops the concept that the last number name said tells the number of objects counted, (cardinality). The number of objects is the same regardless of their arrangement or the order in which they were counted. 

PK.MATH.4b. [NY-PK.CC.4b] Given a number from 1-10, counts out that many objects Compares numbers 

PK.MATH.6. [NY-PK.CC.5.] Recognizes whether the number of objects in one group is more than, fewer than, or equal to (the same as) the number of objects in another group (e.g., using matching and counting strategies Note: Include groups with up to five objects

 PK.MATH.7. [NY-PK.CC.6.] Identifies first and last related to order or position

Activity: 

Bear More or Less Purpose  Is an activity, where students are using one-to-one correspondence skills ( the ability to match an object to the corresponding number and recognize that numbers are symbols to represent a quantity) to determine the number of objects counted, then comparing quantities which means that while they can count they may understand the meaning or value of the numbers. . The students will get an opportunity to touch each object and say the numeral name aloud versus rote counting ( reciting the numeral names in order). Activities that provide opportunities to practice comparison skills deepen the understanding of numbers and quantity, thus building a strong mathematical foundation. 

When we provide children with hands-on opportunities to manipulate objects, engagement and learning increase. Touching and moving blocks, counters, and other real world objects support research based best-practices of learning from the concrete to the abstract.

The skills covered in this activity include:
subitizing: some children will be able to subitize the dots on the die, others only up to a certain number, and some, not at all
one-to-one correspondence: pairing each object with one and only one number name as bears are counted
more or less: identifying whether the number of objects in one group is greater than, less than, or equal to the number of objects in another group
understanding the meaning of the words more and less

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Bear Activity Supplies
(supplies you will need to make your own bear one-to-one correspondence activity)
Paper bowls, one per child in your small group
Gray or brown paint
Paint brush
Scissors
Shaving cream
Liquid glue
One foam die
Plastic bear counters OR Teddy Grahams
Cotton balls 
Printable ten frames 

Preparing the Bear More or Less Activity
1. Turn the paper bowls upside down and paint them gray or brown to represent caves.
2. After the bowls have dried thoroughly, use the scissors to cut an opening in the front of each bowl to represent the opening in the cave.
3. Mix one part shaving cream and one part glue together to create “snow paint.” Use a paint brush to apply thick blobs of snow to the outside of the bowls. Or you could also use cotton balls to create snow. 
4. When the snow on the caves is completely dry you are ready to play the game!

Bear More or Less Activity Directions
1. Ask your students to pair up or assign partners if you prefer. Next, give each child a cave and one foam die per pair.
2. The students in each pair will take turns rolling the dice and then place the corresponding number of bears in their caves.
3. After each child has rolled the die and placed the correct number of bears in their caves they will then lift up the caves to count and compare the bears and determine who has more and who has less. Furthermore, ask student "which number comes first? last?

The printable ten-frames sheet can be used to help children visualize quantities and develop number sense.

Note: You can use plastic bear counters for this bear activity, or Teddy Grahams. For more hands on learning, you could use the activity with plastic bears one week, and switch to Teddy Grahams the second week. 

Other Resources:

https://www.teachstarter.com/us/teaching-resource/colored-bear-counters/

https://www.pre-kpages.com/one-to-one/

https://www.teachstarter.com/us/teaching-resource/colored-bear-counters/

Reflection: