MATH ACTIVITIES

By:

Alejandra Diaz

10 Activities3-4 years old

1. Matching

2. Numbers

3. Classifying

4. Comparing

5. Shape

6. Space

7. Parts/Whole

8. Ordering

9. Measurements

10.Graphing

Participant

Matching

MatchingMethod: Individual ObservationObjective: To help the child match a shape of one color to another color but same shape.Materials: red circle, red square, red triangle; green circle, green square, green triangle. Resource: Charlesworth, R., and Lind. K.K. (2010). Math and science for young children (6th ed.). Clifton Park, NY: Cengage Learning

Instructions:1. Place 2 sets of shapes in front of the child.2. Encourage the child to match the shapes

in front of him.3. As he accomplishes 2 sets, add more

shapes to the sets.

*Evaluation-Note if the child is able to make all three matches*

Materials

Encouraged the child to match the shapes in front of him

Numbers

NumbersMethod: Individual ObservationObjective: To relate to Rational CountingMaterials: 4 mats; 4 napkins; 4 snacks; 4 kids. Resource: Charlesworth, R., and Lind. K.K. (2010). Math and science for young children (6th ed.). Clifton Park, NY: Cengage Learning

Instructions1. Have the 4 kids sit in front of child.2. Provide the child with materials to

hand out while counting3. Encourage the child to count as

he/she gives each one their things. Repeat with all the materials.*Evaluation-Note if the child is able to rote count at least to 4*

Materials

Encouraged the child to put out mats, napkins & snacks while counting and count the kids

Classifying

ClassifyingMethod: Individual ObservationObjective: To recognize and sort by colors.Materials: shapes (circle, square, triangle) in different colors (red, green, yellow, blue) 4 baskets 4 bean bags (red green yellow blue)Resource: Charlesworth, R., and Lind. K.K. (2010). Math and science for young children (6th ed.). Clifton Park, NY: Cengage Learning Instructions:1. Place all 4 baskets on floor with one bean

bag inside each basket.2. Place all shapes in a pile on the floor.3. Encourage the child to sort the shapes by

color according to the color that the bean bag is inside the basket.* Evaluation-Note if the child naturally groups by similarities*

Materials

Encouraged the child to sort the shapes according to the color of

bean bag in the basket

Comparing

ComparingMethod: InterviewObjective: To understand the difference in taller and shorter.Materials: 1 football, large sheet of butcher paper, tape, 3 to 4 kids, dry erase board, dry erase marker.Resource: Charlesworth, R., and Lind. K.K. (2010). Math and science for young children (6th ed.). Clifton Park, NY: Cengage Learning Instructions:

1. Tape the butcher paper to the wall. Measure the paper with the football :

2. Encourage the children to take turns standing against the paper.

3. Encourage them to measure each other using the football.

4. Encourage the children to write down all their measurements and compare how many footballs tall they stand.

*Evaluation-Note if the child identifies the group that contains more and less*

Materials

Measuring his 1st volunteer and documenting his findings

Measuring his 2nd volunteer and documenting his findings

Measuring his 3rd volunteer and documenting his findings

Measuring his 4th volunteer and documenting his findings

Pointing to the one with the

most footballs

Pointing to the one with the

least footballs

Shape

SHAPEMethod: InterviewObjective: To perceive the idea of shape through touch.Materials: Large box with hole on top, different shapes (circle, squares, triangles)Resource: Charlesworth, R., and Lind. K.K. (2010). Math and science for young children (6th ed.). Clifton Park, NY: Cengage Learning

Instructions:1. Place the box on the floor and place all

the different shapes inside.2. Encourage the child to pull out different

shapes just by feeling.

*Evaluation-Note to see if the child is able to group similar shapes by sense of touch*

Materials

He was encouraged to pull out all the circles he could feel.

He was encouraged to pull out the squares.

Space

SpaceMethod: Individual ObservationObjective: To organize materials with 3-Dimensional boxes.Materials: Provide child with wooden boxes that fit inside each other.Resource: Charlesworth, R., and Lind. K.K. (2010). Math and science for young children (6th ed.). Clifton Park, NY: Cengage Learning Instructions: 1. Encourage the child to try to see

what they can build with the boxes.2. Encourage the child to build

different things with the boxes*Evaluation-Note if the child is able to arrange things in the space until they fit or until they please the eye*

Materials

Child was encouraged to see what he could construct with these

boxes of many sizes.

Child was encouraged to put boxes all in one, it was a task.

He did it!!

Parts/whole

Parts/wholeMethod: Individual ObservationObjective: Understand that whole things can be divided into more pieces.Materials: Interlocking floor matsResource: Charlesworth, R., and Lind. K.K. (2010). Math and science for young children (6th ed.). Clifton Park, NY: Cengage Learning Instructions:1. Have 4 interlocking mats together as one.2. Ask the child to separate the mats one at a

time.3. Continue until they are all separated as one.4. Encourage the child to put mats together as

one instead of 4.*Evaluation-Note how the child approaches the problem and how he goes about solving*

Materials

Child was encouraged to put all four pieces and make a

bigger square

He did it!!

ORDERING

OrderingMethod: InterviewObjective: To understand the idea of ordering in sequenceMaterials: A set of nine buckets that fit inside each other from smallest to largest.Resource: Charlesworth, R., and Lind. K.K. (2010). Math and science for young children (6th ed.). Clifton Park, NY: Cengage Learning Instructions:1. Place all buckets spread out on floor2. Encourage the child to place the buckets

smallest to largest3. Encourage the child to place largest to

smallest*Evaluation-Note how the child approaches the problem and whether their solution is entirely or only partially correct*

Materials

Child was encouraged to put buckets smallest to largest

Child was encouraged to put buckets largest to smallest.

Measurement

MeasurementMethod: Individual ObservationObjective: To understand different ways volume can be measured using sand.Materials: Sand Box, different size containers, spoons, scoops, Resource: Charlesworth, R., and Lind. K.K. (2010). Math and science for young children (6th ed.). Clifton Park, NY: Cengage Learning Instructions:1. Encourage the child to use different containers

and see the amount of sand fits into each.2. Ask the Child which container holds the most?

Least? 3. Have the child discover all the possibilities

with sand and different containers. *Evaluation-Note if they fill each from a larger

container or fill a larger container using a smaller one. Or do they use the scoops to fill containers*

Materials

Child was encouraged to fill containers to see which held

most sand and which held least.

Graphing

GraphingMethod: InterviewObjective: Understanding that different things of different sizes sink and float.Materials: Tub of water, different items that float & some that sink, simple graph to put information.Resource: Charlesworth, R., and Lind. K.K. (2010). Math and science for young children (6th ed.). Clifton Park, NY: Cengage Learning Instructions:1. Place water in tub2. Encourage the child to check each item and

document on graph whether it sinks or floats.3. Encourage the child to talk about his findings.4. Encourage the child to total out how many

sink & how many float.*Evaluation-How did the child record his results of his exploration*

Materials

Child was encouraged to put toys inside of water and

document which sink and which float

Child continued dropping toys in and documenting

Childs results were: 4 float & 2 sink

Childhood: A unique

and valuable stage in

the human life cycle.