Form I Number: Number Stations: Using Anything for Math Manipulatives to Explore Patterns

In this game students use two colors (to begin with, but you can increase this amount later) of any kind of math manipulative. In this case we are using Unifix cubes to make different patterns with the number of the day. They make their own discoveries with patterns, in-variance of number, counting and thinking logically.

On another day, they wanted to explore the number "5," and they wanted to use goldfish, but we only had one color of them, so instead of arranging patterns, their task was to arrange 5 goldfish in various different ways. In this way they can get an idea of what 5 looks like in various arrangements.

It is interesting to see how this game can continue to keep interest as they make new discoveries with different amounts of materials. We vary the types of materials as well.

Third Student and Fourth Student showed the concept that 7 is an odd number by showing two sets of 3, with the odd man out in the middle.

Fourth Student showed the concept that we naturally can only mentally conceive of 5 and then after that branch off to adding more to 5. He had a row of 5 with 2 branching off, or 5 +2=7

Fifth Student is most comfortable with the number 4. Even though often he can successfully count to 10, he still becomes unsure after 4, so he split his 7 in 4+3=7

Sources: 

GEMS: Treasure Boxes
Kindergarten
6 Activities
102 pages

Mathematics strands explored include discrete mathematics, statistics, number, logic and language. The educational sequence of these activities is designed to build real-life understandings of graphing, sorting, and classification while encouraging cooperation and appreciation for the many ways we can recycle and reuse materials.

Mathematics... A Way of Thinking

by Robert Baratta-Lorton

This activity-centered program contains lessons and blackline masters that covers problem solving, computation, geometry, measurement, probability and graphing.