Growth Point 2
Counting Growth Points activities
The tasks listed on the following pages are rich tasks from various sources that may be used with multi-level groups or students who are working at a particular level.
2. Counting collections
Confidently counts a collection of around 20 objects.
Snap cards
Materials: Set of flashcards with numbers 1 to 30, set of dot cards (arranged in both regular and irregular patterns) with quantities 1 to 30.
Activity: Shuffle cards and have students play snap.
Related key ideas: Quantity, conservation of number, subitising.
Freckleface
Materials: One activity card per student, Blu-tack.
Activity: Each paper plate face has a numeral from 20 to 40 written on the back. Students need to use the Blu-tack to make this number of freckles to place on the face. Partner to check for accuracy.
Related key ideas: Quantity, one-to-one principle, stable-order principle, cardinality principle, conservation of number, order-irrelevance principle.
Wool tie
Materials: Assorted collections of everyday classroom things (e.g. Unifix cubes, buttons, pencils) in groups representing 15 to 50, set of flashcards numbered 15 to 50, 15 lengths of wool.
Activity: Groups of objects are randomly arranged along one side of the floor space, and the numbered cards randomly arranged along the other side. Whole class counts groups of objects together, and then individual students use wool to connect the group to the corresponding numeral.
Related key ideas: Quantity, one-to-one principle, stable-order principle, cardinality principle, conservation of number, order-irrelevance principle.
Count your own bingo
Materials: Cloth bags containing groups of counters from 15 to 40, one game card per student.
Activity: Each student has a game card. The class selects a bag and then counts the number of counters in the bag which becomes the bingo number. First student to cover all four of their bingo numbers wins.
Related key ideas: Quantity, one-to-one principle, stable-order principle, cardinality principle, conservation of number, order-irrelevance principle.
Schools of fish
Materials: Cards with pictures of groups of fish from 20 to 50, flashcards with numerals 20 to 50 with paperclips, one magnet ‘fishing rod’.
Activity: Students ‘fish’ for a card and then match it up with the corresponding picture card.
Related key ideas: Quantity, conservation of number, subitising.
Dog wash
Materials: One worksheet per student, small pieces of Blu-tack to use as ‘fleas’, dice.
Activity: Students take turns to roll the dice. They then add this number of ‘fleas’ to their dog. When their dog has 40 ‘fleas’, it gets a ‘wash’ and they win the game. Teacher roves around the classroom asking the students prompts (e.g. ‘How many fleas do you have? How do you know? How are you grouping them so that it is easier to keep track?’).
Related key ideas: Quantity, one-to-one principle, stable-order principle, cardinality principle, conservation of number, order-irrelevance principle.
