Big & Small

Activity Overview

How do we sort? This question is explored throughout early childhood education as we think about naming attributes, identifying opposites, patterning, graphing, and other mathematical concepts. This early sorting activity gives students a hands-on way to compare and contrast size with everyday objects found in the home. Additionally, students will be asked to follow a complex set of directions aimed to help them organize their process. It is important to find ways - such as this activity - for children to practice executive functioning skills such designing plans, following multi-step directions, and self regulation as they grow and develop into more independent learners. The work students will do in this activity helps reinforce learning building blocks that build to more complicated skills as they grow and mature.

What You Need

• Home Scavenger Hunt

• Clipboard

• Marker or crayon

• One large tub

• One small tub

• One basket or bag

Steps

1. Invite your student to join you in a scavenger hunt around the home. Use the Home Scavenger Hunt sheet to gather two items from each space in the home, checking off the circles next to the room images as you find them. Put the items in the basket or bag as you collect them.

2. As you and your student go on the scavenger hunt, notice the size of the items that your student is gathering and try to collect items that are of the opposite size to ensure there is a balance. For example, if your student collects small items like a pencil, a fork, and a toothbrush, ensure there are also large items in the basket such as a book, a pot, and a towel.

3. Once your student has checked off all the boxes on the sheet and gathered 10-12 items in all, find a space to sort through the items. Set out a large tub and small tub, and discuss with your student that one tub is big and the other is small.

4. Guide your student to take the items out of the basket one at a time and decide whether it is big or small. Have them place big items in the large tub and small items in the small tub. When finished, count how many big items they found and how many small items they found. Compare the quantities.

Guiding Questions

• Is this big or small?

• How many items are in the big tub? The small tub?

Extensions

• Order the items in a row from smallest to largest.

• Create a map of your own scavenger hunt.

• Explore what other senses you can use to sort the items (color, shape, use, texture).