Sorting Bolts
Provide bolts in a
variety of sizes and have your child sort them into sets according
to size.
Count the Bolts Game
Cover several
styrofoam cups or yogurt containers with construction paper
and
write different numbers on each one. Encourage your child to count out
the indicated number of
bolts to place in each cup/container.
Hammer Counting
Gather the
following materials to make a woodworking area: wood pieces of
differing
shapes and sizes, nails, screws, hammers, sandpaper blocks, wood
glue, carpenter
hats, aprons, etc. Allow supervised children to carefully work
with the tools to make
creations. As children work, encourage them to name the shapes
they are working with, count the number of times they hammer, etc.
Building Walls
Materials Needeed:
Shoe Boxes or cracker boxes
Duct tape
Newspaper
Directions:
Have parents save shoe
boxes or cracker boxes. They are about the same size. Fill the
boxes with crumbled up newspaper. Wrap with any color duct tape (small
motor skills) .
Invite the children to help build a wall, a castle, a garage
or corral. Show them how to stack
the boxes, now bricks, in a brick pattern. When they have finished count
the number of bricks
it took to make their structure. Be sure to take a picture of the child
and their creation.
Building Math
We add
in math by counting the blocks as we build, measuring to see which
building is taller.
Measurement
Let the children take
turns measuring objects in your classroom using measuring tape.
For example, the width of chalkboard, door, window, calendar, table/desk,
pencil, and crayon.
Measurement Tools
Display a collection of
various sizes and lengths of boards on a table. Include a variety
of sizes of unit blocks along with the boards. Place a collection of
measurement tools
(ruler, yardstick, retracting measuring tape, folding ruler, ruler with
level, and metal square)
near the boards. Encourage the children to explore the various
measuring tools. Discuss how
the different tools are used. Children may choose a measurement tool
to measure a board or a block.
Nuts & Bolts
Collect a large supply
of nuts and bolts sets. Separate the nuts and bolts into two different
bowls.
Arrange the bowls in your math center along with two plastic
clear jars and writing utensils.
Invite the children to visit this
math center in pairs. Ask one child to put a random number of
nuts
in one jar while the other child puts a random number of bolts in the
other jar. Then
have each child look at the jar he/she did not fill
and guess how many items are in that jar.
Have the child write down
his/her guess and then count to find out the actual total.
Nut & Bolt Printing (Sequencing)
Gather several real or
play nuts and bolts. Place the nuts and bolts and shallow bowls of
tempera paint and paper on an art table. Allow children to press the
nuts and bolts in the
paint and then on their papers to make designs. Encourage
students to make patterns using
different colors (yellow nut, green nut, yellow nut, green nut, etc.)
or two shapes (nut, bolt, nut, bolt, etc.)
Fill the Dump Truck
Cut shapes from assorted
colors of construction paper. Cut ten each of the following shapes:
circle, triangle, square, star, and rectangle. Play Fill the Dump
Truck. Mix up the shapes and
spread them out next to a toy dump truck. Then give your child
directions to follow that involve
the shapes. For instance, "Please put ten rectangles in the dump
truck." or "Please put five
red shapes in the dump truck." Help your child count out the
corresponding number of
rectangles. Once he or she finishes, count the rectangles with your
child to make sure the
answer is correct. Let him/her dump out the rectangles and then give
a new direction to follow.