Pre-MATH

More than 1 - 2 - 3

TRY TO MEMORIZE THESE SYMBOLS

Top to bottom, left to right: 1, 7, 12, 3, 6, 4, 5, 10, 8, 9, 11, 2

NOW TEST YOURSELF:

This is a taste of what a child has to accomplish when learning numbers

Math is exciting but frustrating so make it fun!

Math concepts that adults understand may be very confusing to a young child, but pre-math activities are used in all of the LEARNING CENTERS, MUSIC, and GAMES – NOT just a specific math center.

Math Area and Small Manipulative Area

Shelves to display all of the items• Items in clear containers

Tables and chairs for the children to sit at play with their selection so they can:• Practice following directions• Practice problem solving skills• Increase visual perception skills• Observe and analyze objects• Practice new concept skills (on next slides) • Attach language and new vocabulary to the

math concepts such as…

MATH VOCABULARY(not just #’s in preschool)

Big & Little

together

High & Low

Wide & NarrowFirst, middle & Last Few & Many

Highest & LowestBunch

Once - Twice

Pair

Light and heavy

Long, tall, & Short

Same and differentMore and lessmost

group

EARLY MATH PROGRAMS should also:

Be HANDS ON (manipulatives – anything tangible)

• Sorting piling, and arranging things Filled with PLAY Include EXPLORATION Based on their level & interests Integrated into every day life

• Sequencing- compare / contrast, #, Cooking - Time - Money - Square Footage Fractions - Percents - etc.

Concept #1 = Counting(Introduce # recognition)

Learned by repetition and memorization• Let them hear frequent counting• Finger plays, nursery rhymes, and songs

One to one correspondence - Knowing that each object is counted once

• Touch each object as you count• Playing games like Chutes and Ladders.• Feed the Bear

• (roll a dice and throw that number of Bean Bags into the bears mouth)

• Counting each square as they hop into it

•Counting as you clap

TOUCH DOT NUMBERS

1 2 3 4 56 7 8 9

CONCEPT #2: Getting around

Spatial relationsMapsFollow directions

Concept #3 = SEQUENCING

The order of how things happen. What will happen 1st, 2nd, 3rd; First,

middle, and last; beginning and end.

SEQUENCING (cont.)

Activity: Divide into 4 groups. Assign each a group an action.

• 1 = Stand at attention• 2 = Arms straight out to side• 3 = Clap hands above head• 4 = Hands on waist

• Count and have every group do their movement – • Do it faster. • Do all 4 actions together.

What else can you put in a SEQUENCE?

Concept #4 = Time

Children can start to read a clock

Time concepts must relate to their world• The length of their favorite TV show, “sleeps”

Before and after, sequence, timers• Salt / Water Timer in a cup.

Have a digital clock next to a face clock

Concept #5 = CLASSIFICATION-SORTING & MATCHING

Putting things that are alike or belong together; categorizing.

Ask: Does this belong? Sorting trays help organize.clear cup, egg carton, muffin tin

CLASSIFICATION- SORTING & MATCHING

Activity:• Cereal Sort – how can you sort them?

What else can you SORT or MATCH?• Candy, shells, beans, socks, rocks, people

CONCEPT #6: Measure up

Measurement comparisons• Use your cereal to measure objects.

Measuring units: inch, pound, quart

CONCEPT #7 = Statistics & Probability

Graphing various qualities of an object.- Graph types of shoes that students are wearing

(tie, slip-ons, sandals/flip flops)

- Drop chips into a can and lay them out to see how many you made = a comparison graph between kids.

- Graph the Cereal you are given.• Graph by Color, shape, …. • Can also use the candy to measure items, fill spaces of a picture, do basic add and subtract problems, create a pattern, …

Concept #8 = ColorMATH SUN

Using crayons or markers, trace the number and do the following:

1 = Red 2 = Blue 3 = Green 4 = Orange 5 = Yellow 6 = Purple 7 = Pink 8 = Brown 9 = Black 10 = Your Favorite Color

12

3

4

6

7

9

8

10 5

6

CONCEPT #9: PATTERNS

Putting items in a certain, organized way.

Repeating specific group.• Pattern Pig - place a pattern of

stickers on a paper strip and “feed” the pig through a slit in his mouth

PATTERNS (cont.)

ACTIVITY - • Pass out Fruit Loops on a paper plate for every

couple of students.• Students are to make a pattern on a very small

(coffee/hot chocolate) using 10 fruit loops. • Put a small marshmallow on each end.

You have just created an EDIBLE ABACUS What else can be put in a PATTERN?

Concept #10 = Shapes and Form

The shape of objects• 2 & 3 dimensional• Shape identification - Use correct

names of shapes • Spheres, cubes, squares, triangle,

rectangular, prisms, cylinder

Pictures of shapes need name written on it (language development)• Play a game & move the # of

spaces of the # of sides (circle=0) Introduce Symmetry of shapes

Concept #11 = SERIATION

Size Relationships and Differences Putting things in order based on Size,

weight, and volume• Lightest to Heaviest• Largest to Smallest • Tallest to Shortest

• Go Fishing: attach a paper clip to fish of different sizes. Attach a magnet to a rope and fish. Put the fish in order by size.

SERIATION (cont.)

ACTIVITY:• Take one piece of Shoe String Licorice and break into

4 pieces of different sizes. Put in order of Shortest to Longest

• Have 4 students come to the front of the room. Group them according to body height and then hair length.

What else is an example of SERIATION?

Concept #12 = Money

Playing store helps children gain a sense of the cost of things

Children can start to identify coins• Pile High Game: Put 20 pennies in a pile. Roll a

die and take that many pennies from the pile. When the pennies are gone, the player with the most wins. Variation: if roll a 3 then put 3 pennies back.

“SMART”by Shel Silverstein

My dad gave me 1 DOLLAR BILL‘Cause I’m his smartest son-And I swapped it for 2 shiny QUARTERS‘Cause 2 is more than 1!

And then I took the QUARTERS And traded them to Lou-For 3 DIMES – I guess he don’t knowThat 3 is more than 2!

Just then, along came old blind BatesAnd just ‘cause he can’t seeHe gave me 4 NICKLES for my 3 DIMESAnd 4 is more than 3!

And I took the NICKLES to Hiram Combs

Down at the seed-feed store,

And the fool gave me 5 PENNIES for them,

And 5 is more than 4!

And then I went and showed my dad,

And he got red in the cheeks-

And closed his eyes and shook his head….

Too proud of me to speak!

MATHGames & Activities

MATH in Books SONGS & FINGERPLAYS

What are some Books, Songs & fingerplays that deal with MATH concepts?

• 5 Little Monkeys in a tree or on the Bed• 5 Little Speckled Frogs• 5 Little Ducks

• 1,2,3,4,5 once I Caught a Fish Alive6,7,8,9,10 Then I let him go again.

Why’d-ya let him go again?Because he bit my finger so!

Which finger did he bite?This little finger on the right.