Non-Numerical Math Activities

Students with Dyscalculia have a lot of difficulty understanding number-related concepts. Hence there is a view point that such children could be exposed to many ideas in math through activities not involving too much use of numbers. These activities can go on parallel to the traditional math pedagogy.

Here are some activities.

1. Comparison of magnitudes

a. Length - short/ long, tall/ short

b. Distance - far/ near, far away/ close by, farther/ nearer

c. Width - wide/ narrow, thick/ thin

d. Weight - heavy/ light

e. Volume - big/ small, large/ small

f. Area – large/ small

g. Speed – fast/ slow

h. Temperature – hot/ cold, warm/ cool

i. Countable – many/ few, more/ less, plenty/ less

j. Age – young/ old. younger/ older

k. Time – more/ less, old/ recent, long/short

l. Money – plenty/ less, expensive/cheap

2. Number Representations

a. Fingers

3. Naming a collection of tokens through activities (number properties)

a. No emphasis on the “number” involved.

b. If a collection can be arranged in pairs then it is even. If it cannot be then it is odd

c. If a collection can be shared equally between two persons, then it is even. If not it is odd.

d. If a collection can be arranged as a rectangle then it is composite

e. If a collection can be arranged as a square then it is square

f. If it can be arranged only in a line then it is prime

4. Operation metaphors

a. Addition – Put Together, More Than

b. Subtraction – Take Away, Separate, Give, Less than

c. Multiplication – Same amount repeated many times, scaling (a picture)

d. Division – Equal Sharing

5. Money

a. Simple conversion problems with rupee notes & coins

b. Simple problems which they may encounter while shopping

6. Time

a. Measurement of time – from a second to a year

b. Reading the clock

7. Word problems to test the above concepts

a. Ram has some pencils. His father gives him some pencils. Will Ram have less or more pencils now?

b. Amar & Akbar have a running race from the classroom to the school gate. Akbar reaches the gate first. Who ran faster?

c. A shopkeeper is measuring a bag of rice with a weighing balance. The bag is on the right pan and some weights are on the left pan. If the left pan is lower, what should the shopkeeper do?

8. Measuring instruments

a. Length – ruler, tape

b. Volume – measuring jars, teaspoon, tablespoon, ladle

c. Weight – weighing machine, weighing balance, standard weights

d. Temperature – thermometer

e. Practical daily measures

9. Fractions

a. Half, quarter. Three quarter, whole (full)

b. Half + half =?

c. Quarter + Quarter =?

d. Some friends go to a pizza parlour and order a pizza. When the pizza comes to the table, some more friends join them. Will each of them get more or less of pizza?

10. Ratio

a. Ram daily has a glass of milk & one spoon of sugar. His elder brother Lakshman has a larger glass of milk with one spoon of sugar. Who drinks sweeter milk?

b. Identify similar triangles by sight

11. Geometry

a. Constructions with a rules & a compass

i. Straight line.

ii. Draw a line parallel to it

iii. Draw a line at an angle to it.

iv. Bisect the straight line

v. Draw a line perpendicular to it

vi. Draw a circle

vii. Draw an ellipse

b. Point & Line

i. Point, Line – straight line, curved line, zig zag line

ii. Perimeter

c. Angle

i. Comparing angles in the set squares

ii. Adding angles with set squares

iii. Add 2 given angles

iv. Demonstrate angles using dance postures and moves

v. Fold a paper into a right angle

vi. Form a right angle with a string and a stone

vii. Folding angles with paper – less than a right angle, more than a right angle

viii. Understand a straight angle and a complete angle

ix. Understand an acute angle, obtuse angle, reflex angle

x. Identify angles in a clock

d. Triangles

i. Forming different triangles using sticks

ii. Folding a triangle into a rectangle

iii. Understanding congruent triangles

iv. Understanding similar triangles

v. Find if 2 triangles are congruent

vi. Find if 2 triangles are similar

vii. Understand Pythagoras theorem by activity with paper

e. Quadrilaterals

i. Identify familiar types of quadrilaterals – trapezium, parallelogram, rectangle, square, rhombus, kite

ii. Which of the shapes can be cut into two congruent triangles?

iii. Identify – pentagons & hexagons

iv. How to cut pentagons & hexagons into triangles

f. Rectangle

i. Can always be cut into two triangles. Are they congruent?

ii. Making a BIG hole in a SMALL piece of paper

iii. Cut a rectangle along the diagonal into 2 right triangles. Try to join them in as many ways to produce other shapes.

iv. Identify similar rectangles

v. How many ways to divide a rectangle into 2 congruent shapes?

g. Circle

i. Converting a circle into a rectangle

ii. Drawing a hexagon in a circle

h. Perimeter & Area

i. Activities to understand the difference- like building a fence & laying a lawn

ii. People sitting around a table & keeping dishes on the table

12. Games

a. Chess

b. Checkers

c. Pallanguzhi

d. Carrom

e. Nim

13. Puzzles

a. Sudoku

b. Loop the Loop

c. Figures with match sticks

d. The chessboard & rice problem

e. Chess

f. Bridges of Konigsberg

g. Tangram shapes