Handfuls

Arrange hoops in 2 large circles in the playground to create 2 playing areas for 2 games.
Place a large collection of counters in the centre of each playing area.
Group students in pairs.

Students stand at a hoop with a partner.
Teacher blows a whistle and calls out a number less than 10.
One student from each pair runs in and collects a handful of counters (or lima beans or pasta) equal to the number called out.
Students run back to their partners and the hoop.
Students hold the objects in their hand and the teacher encourages them to imagine how many they have.
Students describe what that collection might look like by visualising and imagining, then communicates this to their partner.
Pairs of students organise their collection so that someone can determine how many items there are by looking and thinking.
When the collection has been made and amount recorded, the second student runs into the middle and repeats the steps above.
When all students have arranged their collection, students are encouraged to go on a gallery walk.
Teacher calls out movement such as ‘hop’ and students hop around the circle.
When the whistle blows, students stop and look at their peers’ representation of an amount.
Repeat with different movements so students see a range of peers’ collections.
Students return to their own hoop to consider the benefits of others’ collections compared to their own.
Students can change the arrangement of their collection if they want to.
Repeat above with the teacher calling out another number less than 10.

Representing whole numbers