Go Fish!

Activity Overview

Children need to learn how to sort and classify objects into groups before they are able to move on to mathematical activities that involve numbers and counting. They need to know what they are counting before they can actually count them. This engaging fishing game requires not just the motor skills involved in “fishing” out an object, but also the math concepts that allow the student to identify and categorize items in front of them. Is that a stripe or a dot? What shape is that? Can I get more than one fish this time? These questions guide the students to practice classifying objects they see. The paired text gives students an added opportunity to build their sorting and categorizing toolbox, as the author introduces new vocabulary that will help them as they play the game.

What You Need

• Go Fish - printed on various pieces of colored paper, or printed on card stock and colored in by the student

• Scissors

• A stick picked up during a nature walk or an unsharpened pencil

• String or yarn

• Tape

• A small magnet

• 15-30 paper clips

• Fabulous Fishes by Susan Stockdale

Steps

1. Print Go Fish on various colored paper, or print on cardstock white paper and invite your student to color in the fish using a variety of colors. Alternatively, draw and cut the fish out of construction paper. Cut the fish out for your student after they are printed or colored. Consider laminating or covering the fish in packing tape for increased durability.

2. Read Fabulous Fishes by Susan Stockdale. As you read, discuss the shape, pattern, and texture of the fish. For example, point out the round fish, striped fish, and spiked fish.

3. Begin with one attribute of the fish (only the shapes, numbers, or patterns). Work with your student to attach one paper clip to each printed fish.

4. Help your student make a fishing pole by attaching a small magnet to a piece of yarn or string, then tying the other end of the string to your stick.

5. Go fish with your magnetic fishing pole! For example, ask your student to find the circle, then the triangle, heart, and so on. Incorporate vocabulary from Fabulous Fishes as you play. As your student becomes familiar with the game, go fishing for other types of fish (the other attributes provided). Then, consider implementing an extension to add an additional challenge!

Guiding Questions

• Can you find the [striped] fish?

• Why does the author refer to this fish as [spiky]?

• What shape/number/color/pattern is this?

Extensions

• Play the game by finding different colored fish. For example, find all the green fish.

• Play the game using two attributes. For example, find the yellow fish with a circle on it. Find the orange fish with a six on it. Find the red spotted fish.

• Use the blank fish to create your own patterns and new games.