Discovery Activities: 3w Mathematics, Science, and Technology · 2011-09-23 · RW-21 3w Discovery...

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RW-21 3w Discovery Activities: Mathematics, Science, and Technology Mathematics, science, and technology are taught as hands-on experiences in the early childhood curriculum. Young children are beginning to think logically and are moving into more ab- stract concepts. However, simply telling them about their world is rarely effective. They need to develop a solid base of internal- ized experiences as a foundation for later abstract scientific and mathematical thinking. ACTIVITY GOALS AND STANDARDS Activities are organized by the goals and standards they sup- port. The activities themselves serve as prototypes of activities that can be used again and again with minor changes. Books that are referred to in the text with an * have a complete cita- tion and annotation in the Children’s Bibliography; others have a complete citation where they are cited. For books where a lexile score is available, it is given after the book, for example, (500L). The notation “AD” before the lexile, means that the © Cengage Learning 2012 book needs adult direction and should initially be read by an adult and discussed with children before children read it independently. DISCOVERY ACTIVITIES MATHEMATICS: SMALL GROUP 3-31w Number Line GOALS: To improve number sense and numeration; to iden- tify and understand patterns and relationships; to improve sensory motor integration STANDARDS: M 1 Know number names and the count se- quence; M 2 Count to tell the number of objects. MATERIALS: A 20-foot length of fabric marked into twenty 1-foot areas and numbered consecutively from 1 to 20, a spinner or dice PROCEDURE: Spin a spinner or roll dice and have children move the designated number of spaces on the fabric. ACCOMMODATIONS AND INTEGRATION: Use only one die or numbers only up to 6. As children become more competent using the board game format, increase the complexity by adding “wild cards” and the concept that the child who lands on an occupied space sends the other child back to “start.” is is a variation of a board game, with the chil- dren as the playing pieces. Although this may initially be a teacher-directed game, once children learn the rules, encourage them to play independently. Children can gain a sensory motor feeling for numbers by playing while they participate with peers. Encourage children to play board games. MATHEMATICS: SMALL GROUP 3-32w Number Tapping GOALS: To improve number sense and numeration; to iden- tify and understand patterns and relationships; to improve sensory motor integration STANDARDS: M 1 Know number names and the count se- quence; M 2 Count to tell the number of objects; M 3 Com- pare numbers. MATERIALS: Piano, drum, table, tambourine, tapper PROCEDURE: Have a child tap a number, or tap it yourself on one of the instruments. Have the class (or a child) state the number, or have children clap the number. ACCOMMODATIONS AND INTEGRATION: Tap dramatically so that the children can use visual as well as auditory skills. Tap slowly on one instrument in a steady pattern, and have the children count as you tap. Start with low numbers. As children become more skilled, tap a nonrhythmic pattern or © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. No distribution allowed without express authorization.

Transcript of Discovery Activities: 3w Mathematics, Science, and Technology · 2011-09-23 · RW-21 3w Discovery...

Page 1: Discovery Activities: 3w Mathematics, Science, and Technology · 2011-09-23 · RW-21 3w Discovery Activities: Mathematics, Science, and Technology Mathematics, science, and technology

RW-21

3wDiscovery Activities: Mathematics, Science, and Technology

Mathematics, science, and technology are taught as hands-on

experiences in the early childhood curriculum. Young children

are beginning to think logically and are moving into more ab-

stract concepts. However, simply telling them about their world

is rarely effective. They need to develop a solid base of internal-

ized experiences as a foundation for later abstract scientifi c and

mathematical thinking.

ACTIVITY GOALS AND STANDARDSActivities are organized by the goals and standards they sup-

port. The activities themselves serve as prototypes of activities

that can be used again and again with minor changes. Books

that are referred to in the text with an * have a complete cita-

tion and annotation in the Children’s Bibliography; others have

a complete citation where they are cited. For books where a

lexile score is available, it is given after the book, for example,

(500L). The notation “AD” before the lexile, means that the

© Cengage Learning 2012

book needs adult direction and should initially be read by

an adult and discussed with children before children read it

independently.

DISCOVERY ACTIVITIES

MATHEMATICS: SMALL GROUP

3-31w Number LineGOALS: To improve number sense and numeration; to iden-tify and understand patterns and relationships; to improve sensory motor integration

STANDARDS: M 1 Know number names and the count se-quence; M 2 Count to tell the number of objects.

MATERIALS: A 20-foot length of fabric marked into twenty 1-foot areas and numbered consecutively from 1 to 20, a spinner or dice

PROCEDURE: Spin a spinner or roll dice and have children move the designated number of spaces on the fabric.

ACCOMMODATIONS AND INTEGRATION: Use only one die or numbers only up to 6. As children become more competent using the board game format, increase the complexity by adding “wild cards” and the concept that the child who lands on an occupied space sends the other child back to “start.” Th is is a variation of a board game, with the chil-dren as the playing pieces. Although this may initially be a teacher-directed game, once children learn the rules,

encourage them to play independently. Children can gain a sensory motor feeling for numbers by playing while they participate with peers. Encourage children to play board games.

MATHEMATICS: SMALL GROUP

3-32w Number TappingGOALS: To improve number sense and numeration; to iden-tify and understand patterns and relationships; to improve sensory motor integration

STANDARDS: M 1 Know number names and the count se-quence; M 2 Count to tell the number of objects; M 3 Com-pare numbers.

MATERIALS: Piano, drum, table, tambourine, tapper

PROCEDURE: Have a child tap a number, or tap it yourself on one of the instruments. Have the class (or a child) state the number, or have children clap the number.

ACCOMMODATIONS AND INTEGRATION: Tap dramatically so that the children can use visual as well as auditory skills. Tap slowly on one instrument in a steady pattern, and have the children count as you tap. Start with low numbers. As children become more skilled, tap a nonrhythmic pattern or

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Discovery Activities: Mathematics, Science, and Technology RW-22

tap very quickly. Tap each rhythm on a diff erent object or instrument. Have the children close their eyes. Each time, ask the children to tell the number of taps and/or repeat the pattern back to you. Have children listen to two diff er-ent tapping patterns and decide which one has more taps. Th is integrates auditory, tactile, and verbal skills in learning number concepts.

MATHEMATICS: SMALL GROUP OR INDIVIDUAL

3-33w AbacusGOALS: To improve number sense and numeration; to im-prove knowledge of whole number operations and computa-tions; to improve reading literacy

STANDARDS: M 1 Know number names and the count sequence; M 2 Count to tell the number of objects; M 4 Understand addition as putting together and adding to, and understand subtraction as taking apart and taking from.

MATERIALS: A large abacus, several small abacuses for indi-vidual work, cards with numbers on one side and a picture of the number of beads moved on the other, and simple equations (e.g., 2 1 3 5 5 or 5 2 3 5 2)

PROCEDURE: Give children cards with the number side up. Have them count (move) the specifi ed number of beads and then check their answer by comparing it to the drawing on the other side of the card. Begin by using only cards with lower numbers and the teacher giving directions. As children become more competent, give them higher numbers and more diffi cult math problems (addition and subtraction).

ACCOMMODATIONS AND INTEGRATION: Start with only the fi rst row on the abacus, and tape the other rows if this is distracting. Let children use the large abacus. Demonstrate by counting and moving the beads. Talk with children about diff erent computation methods and how to use them, in-cluding using cubes and other small objects as well as calcu-lators. Help children grasp the relationship between written numbers and the number of objects.

MATHEMATICS: INDIVIDUAL

3-34w Follow That LightGOALS: To improve number sense and numeration; to iden-tify and understand patterns and relationships; to improve sensory motor integration

STANDARDS: M 1 Know number names and the count sequence; M 8 Identify and describe shapes; M 9 Analyze, compare, create, and compose shapes.

MATERIALS: Two fl ashlights

PROCEDURE: Make the room as dark as possible. Turn on two fl ashlights. Give a fl ashlight to each of two children. One child makes a simple shape or number with the light on the wall, fl oor, or ceiling, and the other child repeats the design when it is completed or “shadows” the design as it is being done. Th e child then identifi es the shape or number

and the fi rst child confi rms it or draws it again, stating its relevant features.

ACCOMMODATIONS AND INTEGRATION: Have an adult use one fl ashlight and move it slowly in a simple pattern for the child to follow. Make the designs more complex and move the fl ashlight faster. Encourage children to use the button on the fl ashlight to make long and short fl ashes in a repeating pattern. Th is can also be done with alpha-bet letters. Children who must stay in bed for extended periods can make or follow these patterns. Talk about other patterns such as Morse code and signal lights, and how ships can use patterns of light for communication if telephones are not available. Show children these symbol systems.

MATHEMATICS: SMALL GROUP

3-35w Changing ObjectsGOALS: To identify and understand patterns and relation-ships; to improve memory skills

STANDARDS: M 2 Count to tell the number of objects; M 3 Compare numbers. M 4 Understand addition as putting together and adding to, and understand subtraction as tak-ing apart and taking from.

MATERIALS: Small objects such as blocks, doll furniture, toy cars, and a screen

PROCEDURE: Put three objects in a row and ask the children to look at them. Put a screen in front of the objects and rearrange them. Ask one of the children to put them in the original order. Initially, use objects that are less similar, such as cup/doll/block. For variation, take one object away and have the children name the missing object.

Easier: red block/blue airplane/green cup/orange crayonHard: Red block/blue block/green block/orange blockHarder: Red stocking cap/red baseball cap/red ski hat/red felt hat

Once children are comfortable with the procedure, begin to group the objects so you have one object and then two close together. Have the children count the objects and then have them make this into a written equation (1 1 2 5 3). Hide the objects and regroup them so 2 1 1 5 3. Use more objects, and continue to group and regroup the objects. Ask children to compare the number of objects in each group, using concepts of more and less.

ACCOMMODATIONS AND INTEGRATION: With younger chil-dren, work on the concepts of same and diff erent, more and less and counting. As children’s skills improve, in-crease the number of objects. Th e objects you choose can be based on the theme you are working on (e.g., hospital: tongue depressor, little fl ashlight, stethoscope, bandages) or as a way of introducing a topic that has unfamiliar materials or materials that children might be concerned

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about. Encourage the children to touch, handle, and arrange the materials.

MATHEMATICS: LARGE GROUP

3-36w Pendulum GameGOALS: To improve knowledge of whole number operations and computations; to improve estimation skills

STANDARDS: M 2 Count to tell the number of objects; M 3 Compare numbers; M 6 Describe and compare measureable attributes.

MATERIALS: Tennis ball, string or rope

PROCEDURE: Attach a tennis ball to the string and attach the string to the ceiling. Have children sit on the fl oor on either side of the ball. Hold the ball up high with the string taut and let it go. Have the children count how many times it swings before it stops. Do this procedure numerous times, swinging the ball harder and softer. Graph the results. Have children estimate the number of times the ball will swing before you let the ball go.

ACCOMMODATIONS AND INTEGRATION: Count the swings with the children. Make a graph with the children’s predictions and the actual number of swings. Th is activity enables chil-dren to work together to formulate answers and to intro-duce the concepts of timing and prediction.

MATHEMATICS: SMALL GROUP

3-37w Counting JarsGOALS: To improve number sense and numeration; to im-prove observational skills; to improve estimation skills

STANDARDS: M 2 Count to tell the number of objects; M 3 Compare numbers; M 6 Describe and compare measureable attributes.

MATERIALS: Four to fi ve jars of the same size, a variety of common objects (e.g., markers, wooden cubes, crayons, wooden beads, etc.), paper, pencils

PROCEDURE: Set up a table with four to fi ve jars fi lled with various numbers of diff erent objects. Encourage children to look carefully at each jar. Ask children to estimate the number of objects in each jar, provide a rationale for their estimate, and write down their estimates. Th en have children count the items in the jars and compare this with their estimations. Help children refl ect on their reasoning and critique the reasoning of others. Talk about the variables considered in estimating. Encourage children to persevere to become more accurate and precise in their estimations and in their reasoning.

ACCOMMODATIONS AND INTEGRATION: Keep the numbers small until children get the idea. Talk about the relationship between object size and the number of objects in contain-ers. Estimation is a skill that takes practice. Use diff erent-sized items and encourage children to think about size as a variable that infl uences estimation.

MATHEMATICS: SMALL GROUP

3-38w Variations on BlocksGOALS: To improve number sense and numeration; to im-prove geometric and spatial sense; to improve classifi cation skills

STANDARDS: M 2 Count to tell the number of objects; M 8 Identify and describe shapes.

MATERIALS: A set of unit blocks

PROCEDURE: During cleanup, request that children follow specifi c directions relative to putting away the blocks. First have them identify the shape of the block and then:

Pick up all the blocks that are the same as this one (show model) or give name.Pick up all the curved blocks.Pick up blocks of three diff erent lengths.Pick up blocks in sets of twos, threes, or fours.Pick up all of a certain type of block: rectangles, squares, cylinders, and so on.Place blocks on the shelves in a certain order: top shelf, middle, then bottom.Count the number of diff erent blocks in a structure.Count how many blocks of a certain type were used.Count the total number of blocks in a structure.Combine two or three of the above (request a child to put three cylinders on the top shelf).

ACCOMMODATIONS AND INTEGRATION: Begin with requests that require simple matching skills. Children learn math through building and manipulating blocks, provided an adult adds information about size, shape, and so on. Add-ing the vocabulary increases the usefulness of understand-ing mathematics for children and helps them transfer this usefulness to everyday life. Young children need many real-world experiences using three-dimensional materials to become mathematically profi cient and develop a strong foundation in math.

MATHEMATICS: INDIVIDUAL

3-39w ButtonsGOALS: To improve number sense and numeration; to improve classifi cation skills; to improve sensory motor integration

STANDARDS: M 3 Compare numbers; M 4 Understand ad-dition as putting together and adding to, and understand subtraction as taking apart and taking from; L 5 Explore word relationships and nuances in word meanings.

MATERIALS: 12 pairs of large buttons (with tactile diff er-ences); additional buttons in sets of three, four, and fi ve; a bowl or bag; an egg carton or ice cube tray; a blindfold

PROCEDURE: Collect pairs of buttons that feel diff erent. Put one button of each pair in an egg carton or ice cube

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Discovery Activities: Mathematics, Science, and Technology RW-24

tray section and put the other in a bowl or bag. Initially, choose buttons that are larger and more dissimilar. Have the children match and classify the pairs while blindfolded. If children do not like blindfolds, put the buttons in a bag and have the children fi nd the matching buttons by touching them. Talk about the concept of a pair being two. Help children think of other things that are pairs (e.g., glasses, pants, shoes) and why they are called pairs. Talk about other designations (three is a trio; four, a quartet). Encourage children to make mathematical equations to represent putting together and taking apart diff erent sets of buttons.

ACCOMMODATIONS AND INTEGRATION: As children become profi cient, use smaller, more similar buttons as well as fabric, textured wallpaper disks, or small objects. We often neglect to isolate the tactile sense, and it needs to be fi ne-tuned. Pairing it with core mathematical concepts makes both more interesting. Ensure that an adult is near this activity as some buttons are small enough that they could be swallowed.

MATHEMATICS: INDIVIDUAL OR SMALL GROUP

3-40w Number SquaresGOALS: To improve number sense and numeration; to im-prove estimation skills; to improve reading literacy

STANDARDS: M 3 Compare numbers; M 4 Understand ad-dition as putting together and adding to, and understand subtraction as taking apart and taking from.

MATERIALS: Graph paper, pencil, marker

PROCEDURE: Use graph paper or make your own grid of 9 boxes down and 9 boxes across. Fill in each box with a number between 1 and 9. Mark the center square and put a marker (button) on it (see Figure RW3–1). Th e objec-tive of the game is to fi gure out how to go from the center and land just outside the grid on the last move. Children can move the marker in any direction that is a straight line (diagonal, left, right, up, down). Th row a die for the fi rst number of boxes to move the marker. If the number is 2, the child would choose where to go from the center square. If he went on a diagonal toward the top, he would land on the 7. Going to the left would place him just out-side the grid on the next move. Th e number landed on is the next number of moves. Children can play individually or in pairs.

ACCOMMODATIONS AND INTEGRATIONS: Initially, use only numbers 1 to 5 by making a grid with 6 lines down and 6 across; make the grid large. To play alone, have each child keep a record of the number of moves it takes to land outside the grid. It is useful to have several diff erent sizes of grids and to have diff erent number confi gurations so that children do not see this as a competitive game, but rather one of planning, mathematical reasoning, and calculation. Encourage children to challenge themselves and persevere.

MATHEMATICS: SMALL GROUP

3-41w Soft PretzelsGOALS: To improve measurement concepts; to improve cause-and-eff ect reasoning; to follow directions

STANDARDS: M 3 Compare numbers; M 4 Understand ad-dition as putting together and adding to, and understand subtraction as taking apart and taking from; M 6 Describe and compare measureable attributes.

MATERIALS: Th awed frozen bread dough (enough for each child to have one cup), plastic knives, kosher salt, oven, food scale, or balancing scale

PROCEDURE: Give each child approximately one cup of dough. Explain to the children that the dough is for making pretzels. Tell them that you want each of them to make four pretzels, using the dough they were given. Th e pretzels can be any shape, but they all should be about the same size. Talk about how to ensure that the pretzels are the same size. Talk to them about cutting the dough in half and in half again—quartering it. Let the children work on dividing the dough in half. Th en have them weigh the dough to make sure it is equal. Repeat the process with the two halves, thus quartering the dough. Let the children be creative with the quartered dough by making it into any shape they like. Sprinkle kosher salt on the shaped dough and bake accord-ing to the package directions.

ACCOMMODATIONS AND INTEGRATION: Support the children as they divide the dough. If the dough is not equal, help children fi gure out what needs to be added or taken away to make them equal. Help them compare the two diff erent types of scales and their usefulness. Provide opportunitiesfor children to follow a recipe to make something. En-courage them to weigh and measure objects to determine whether they are equal.

MATHEMATICS: LARGE GROUP

3-42w Bead EstimationGOALS: To improve number sense and numeration; to im-prove estimation skills; to improve reading literacy

STANDARDS: M 3 Compare numbers; M 4 Understand ad-dition as putting together and adding to, and understand subtraction as taking apart and taking from; M 7 Classify objects and count the number of objects in each category.

PROCEDURE: During a group time, show children a bag of wooden beads or other objects. Ask children to estimate how many there are and which color there is the most of in the bag. Record and graph each child’s answer. Have children break up into groups, and give each group a por-tion of the bag. Th e children are to sort the beads by color and count them. When all the children have had a chance to sort, come back together as a group and combine all the groups’ fi ndings to discover what color there is the most of and how many beads there are all together. Write the equation for the children as each group contributes their

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information. Ask the children to decide on diff erent ways of representing this information (e.g., graph, pie chart).

ACCOMMODATIONS AND INTEGRATION: Use colored 1-inch blocks instead of beads, and only have two colors, with twice as many of one color. As children become more profi cient, have two diff erent kinds of objects that vary in size (e.g., Unifi x cubes and Cuisenaire rods). Repeat this activity with various other bags of items until the children have a good sense of estimation.

MATHEMATICS: SMALL GROUP

3-43w Measuring ToolsGOALS: To improve measurement concepts; to improve classifi cation skills; to increase thinking and reasoning skills

STANDARDS: M 3 Compare numbers; M 6 Describe and compare measureable attributes; M 7 Classify objects and count the number of objects in each category.

MATERIALS: Timer, ruler, food scale, hourglass, stopwatch, tape measure, bathroom scale, alarm clock, calendar, yard-stick, balance scale, yardstick, paper, pencils

PROCEDURE: Place one group of measuring devices on a table with appropriate suggestions for things to be mea-sured, timed, or weighed. Encourage children to use and explore the tools. Discuss with children the effi cacy of their choices, what worked, and what did not work as well. En-courage children to record and graph their results and to make predictions about other measurements.

ACCOMMODATIONS AND INTEGRATION: Begin with just one type of measurement, such as time. Brainstorm with children diff erent ways of measuring time and why some methods work better than others, depending upon the purpose. Contrast a watch with a calendar and help chil-dren make other comparisons. Talk about why people carry date books or use applications on cell phones. Be sure to include the children’s daily schedule as a measure of time. When there are special events, discuss how they are noted. Have children order objects and events based on principles of measurement. Th is is a good activity for chil-dren working in pairs. It encourages inclusion and teaches math concepts.

MATHEMATICS: INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP

3-44w Big and Little PairsGOALS: To improve geometric and spatial sense; to identify and understand patterns and relationships; to improve clas-sifi cation skills

STANDARDS: M 3 Compare numbers; M 7 Classify objects and count the number of objects in each category.

MATERIALS: A large box to contain the objects and pairs of large and small objects: for example, tablespoon/teaspoon, large book/small book, adult shoe/child’s shoe, large plate/small plate, large piece of paper/small piece of paper, and other pairs of items that are the same size or shape but diff er in other attributes (one red and one blue shoe size 1)

9 3 2 9 8 1 9 3 5

3 7 7 1 2 5 6 8 6

1 2 3 5 9 8 7 6 4

8 9 7 8 5 2 4 3 1

5 2 6 1 7 1 2 5 1

6 4 3 1 5 7 8 6 4

2 5 1 3 7 4 1 2 8

1 6 5 2 7 8 1 3 5

3 4 1 9 7 6 8 9

FIGURE RW3–1 Number Squares

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Discovery Activities: Mathematics, Science, and Technology RW-26

PROCEDURE: Have children empty the box and sort the large and small versions of objects together in pairs as well as other possible classifi cation systems and count these.

ACCOMMODATIONS AND INTEGRATION: Choose large and small objects that are the same color and diff erent from other pairs. Encourage children to fi nd other ways of clas-sifying the objects (size, use, color, etc.). Have the child choose one large object and then fi nd its small counter-part only using touch (put a cover over the box). Th ere are many variations of this activity. Encourage children to count the number of objects in each diff erent classifi cation and graph this.

MATHEMATICS: SMALL GROUP OR INDIVIDUAL

3-45w Estimating PricesGOALS: To improve estimation skills; to improve knowledge of whole number operations and computations; to improve reading literacy

STANDARDS: M 4 Understand addition as putting together and adding to, and understand subtraction as taking apart and taking from; M 5 Work with numbers 11–19 to gain foundations for place value.

MATERIALS: Pretend store, cash register, variety of items with price values between $0.01 and $0.20 with price tags on them, paper, pencils, money

PROCEDURE: Have the children choose four or fi ve items from the variety of items displayed and estimate how much the items will cost all together. Th en have children write the equation, add up the items, and compare the total with their estimated total. Talk with the children about the diff erencesbetween the two amounts and the reasons why they might have occurred. Help children see whether they have enough money to buy the items. If not, help them decide which items to return so they will have enough. Write the equation.

ACCOMMODATIONS AND INTEGRATION: Have children start with two items and make the prices low. Take children on a fi eld trip to the grocery store, buy several inexpensive items, and have the children estimate the cost. Th is encourages chil-dren to estimate the amount of money they will need to pur-chase items, a concrete and useful skill. Th is activity could be integrated into a dramatic play area that sells various items.

MATHEMATICS: INDIVIDUAL OR SMALL GROUP

3-46w Variations on Cuisenaire RodsGOALS: To improve number sense and numeration; to iden-tify and understand patterns and relationships; to improve measurement concepts

STANDARDS: M 4 Understand addition as putting to-gether and adding to, and understand subtraction as taking apart and taking from; M 6 Describe and compare measureable attributes.

MATERIALS: Several sets of Cuisenaire rods. (Take out the smallest rods for children under 3; they can be swallowed.)

PROCEDURE: Support children in exploring the rods. En-courage them to sort the rods by length and color. Have them build fl at designs as well as vertical structures, and count the rods used in these activities. Help children discover that the same length is always the same color. When children become familiar with the rods, do the follow-ing activities:

Build a person.Make fl at designs.Make a design using a specifi ed number of rods.Copy another child’s design.Build staircases. Outline a simple design on graph paper and color it in, using the rods to determine the colors.Give children a design on graph paper and have them duplicate it with the rods.Use smaller rods to measure the larger rods.Make a repeating pattern with the rods.

ACCOMMODATIONS AND INTEGRATION: Take out every other length rod so the diff erences in the lengths of the rods is larger. Use Cuisenaire rods to teach higher-level skills such as addition, subtraction, and multiplication, as well as skills that are more basic. Talk about systems of measuring and relationships between diff erent measurement systems.

MATHEMATICS: SMALL GROUP

3-47w Boxes and More BoxesGOALS: To improve geometric and spatial sense; to improve measurement concepts; to improve vocabulary acquisition and use

STANDARDS: M 6 Describe and compare measureable attri-butes; M 8 Identify and describe shapes.

MATERIALS: Cardboard boxes of varying sizes and shapes, including a very large box (usually from an appliance)

PROCEDURE: Place small, medium, and large boxes in an open area. Encourage children to climb in and out of the boxes and push and pull them. Talk about size concepts such as small, medium, and large, and objects that might be placed in each box. Use spatial relations vocabulary—in, out, in front of, be-hind, beside—and measurement terms—near, far, close, distant. Make a large appliance box into a house. Have children decide where to place the windows and doors, how to measure the height and area of each, and how large they should be.

ACCOMMODATIONS AND INTEGRATION: Support children’s explo-rations of the boxes both verbally and physically. Encourage children to use the boxes in imaginative play, such as making a train. Measure the length of the train. Help them arrange the boxes in order by size. Take the boxes outside in nice weather. Children need real-life sensory motor experience with math-ematical concepts before they can use them abstractly.

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RW-27 Resource Chapter Th ree Online

MATHEMATICS: INDIVIDUAL OR SMALL GROUP

3-48w AreasGOALS: To improve geometric and spatial sense; to improve measurement concepts; to identify and understand patterns and relationships

STANDARDS: M 6 Describe and compare measureable at-tributes; M 8 Identify and describe shapes; M 9 Analyze, compare, create, and compose shapes.

MATERIALS: Building pieces made of red poster board; shapes made of white poster board or buy tangrams

PROCEDURE: Using the patterns for the building pieces. Shown in Figure RW3–2, cut out the designated number of building pieces. Put building pieces together to form new shapes, outline them, and cut them out (see Figure RW3–3).

ACCOMMODATIONS AND INTEGRATION: Use only the square and triangle building pieces and shapes that can be made from these. Use the shapes as if they were puzzles, and count how many building pieces it takes to cover each shape. Make more shapes using diff erent confi gurations of the building pieces. All building pieces are relative in area—1, 2, or ½. Help children “discover” the relationship of the building pieces and use this information to fi gure out the area of designated shapes. Vary the complexity of the shapes. Have children cover the shapes pieces several times, using diff erent confi gurations of building pieces to teach measuring and area concepts as well as fractions, estima-tion, and computation. For tactile cues, glue sandpaper to the building pieces and put the materials in a jellyroll pan to confi ne them.

5 each:

3"

2.8"

2"

2"

1

1

1

3"

4.2"

2

11/2"

11/2"

1/211/2"

11/2"

11/2"

10 each:

10 each:

2"

2"

2.1"

10 each:

20 each:

FIGURE RW3–2 Sample Building Pieces: Number inside shape represents relative size.

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Discovery Activities: Mathematics, Science, and Technology RW-28

MATHEMATICS: LARGE OR SMALL GROUP

3-49w Thinking ShapesGOALS: To improve geometric and spatial sense; to improve classifi cation skills; to identify and understand patterns and relationships

STANDARDS: M 8 Identify and describe shapes; M 9 Ana-lyze, compare, create, and compose shapes.

MATERIALS: None

PROCEDURE: Th e teacher will think of objects in the room that are a particular shape, and the children must guess the object. Th e teacher will answer only yes-or-no questions. Initially, accept and support anything that is the right shape and ask the children to fi nd more objects of that shape. Th en play the actual game.

FIGURE RW3–3 Sample Shape Pieces

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RW-29 Resource Chapter Th ree Online

Teacher: “I’m thinking of something in this room that is square.”

Child: “The table.”

Teacher: “No, the table is square, but that is not what I’m thinking of.”

Child: “Is the square you are thinking of red?”

Teacher: “Yes.”

Th e process continues as the children make more guesses.

ACCOMMODATIONS AND INTEGRATION: Begin with simple ob-vious objects with one shape (e.g., round, clock). Give chil-dren hints (e.g., “It is on the wall”; “We use it to tell time”). When children can classify objects in the room by two-dimensional shapes, introduce three-dimensional shapes and their names (e.g., cube, pyramid, sphere, cylinder). Add objects that are composed of more than one shape. Encour-age children to narrow the fi eld categorically before guess-ing specifi c objects. Th is is a good activity to share with parents to use in unfamiliar rooms as it gives them familiar qualities and helps time pass.

SCIENCE: SMALL GROUP

3-50w Water TonesGOALS: To improve cause-and-eff ect reasoning; to make predictions; to improve listening skills

STANDARDS: SC 2 Science as Inquiry; M 6 Describe and compare measureable attributes; M 7 Classify objects and count the number of objects in each category.

MATERIALS: Water glasses with varying amounts of water in them, tappers (spoon, pencil, etc.)

PROCEDURE: Fill the glasses with diff erent amounts of water. Help the children classify their sounds. Gradually introduce more glasses. Allow the children to examine the glasses and the sounds they produce. Help them discover the relationship between the amount of water and the pitch. Have children arrange the glasses by pitch.

ACCOMMODATIONS AND INTEGRATION: Start with three glasses, two nearly full and one almost empty. Help the children clas-sify the sound as the same or diff erent. Encourage children to predict what will happen as they experiment by adding or taking away water to make diff erent pitches. Children can hear and see the diff erences. Help them make fi ner discrimi-nations while talking about the underlying principles.

SCIENCE: SMALL GROUP

3-51w FlubberGOALS: To improve observational skills; to improve mea-surement concepts; to improve knowledge of whole number operations and computations

STANDARDS: SC 2 Science as inquiry; M 3 Compare num-bers; M 4 Understand addition as putting together and adding to, and understand subtraction as taking apart and taking from.

MATERIALS: Scissors, fl ubber

TO MAKE: 2 cups white glue, 1½ cups water (add food coloring if desired), 1⅓ cups warm water, 1 tablespoon Borax. In a me-dium bowl, add glue to 1½ cups colored water and mix well. Mix the Borax in 1⅓ cups of warm water and dissolve. Add Borax mixture to glue and stir well. Knead fl ubber until it is fl exible and stretchable. Store in plastic bags.

PROCEDURE: Have the children participate in making the fl ubber by measuring the ingredients and kneading it. Talk about how the substance changes states. Explore the prop-erties of fl ubber, examining how it moves and feels. Once they have had time to play with it, give each of them a pair of scissors. Give the children directions for how to cut the fl ubber (in half; in four pieces, or quartered; in three pieces, or thirds) or to pull it apart to make a specifi c number of pieces. Have children count these and make simple equa-tions. While they follow the directions, talk with the chil-dren about the fraction they have created.

ACCOMMODATIONS AND INTEGRATION: Encourage children to play with and cut the fl ubber. Work on concepts such as more and less. Help children cut the fl ubber and then try to put it back to make a whole. Describe how they cut the fl ubber, then ask them to make specifi c fractions. Providing an interesting manipulative substance off ers a chance to in-clude a variety of other goals as well.

SCIENCE: SMALL GROUP

3-52w Color ChangesGOALS: To improve observational skills; to make predic-tions; to improve cause-and-eff ect reasoning

STANDARDS: SC 2 Science as inquiry; SC 3a Physical sci-ence; L 5 Explore word relationships and nuances in word meanings.

MATERIALS: Water; measuring cups; spoons; red, blue, and yellow food coloring; eyedroppers, small clear plastic glasses (about six per child); large container; a set of 64 crayons of varying colors

PROCEDURE: Fill the glasses about half full of water. Give children food coloring and other equipment and allow them to experiment. Have children identify the color in the con-tainer. Emphasize the vocabulary of specifi c colors as well as the relationship between the intensity of the color and the ratio of water to food coloring. Encourage children to predict what will happen before they mix colors. Have them count the number of drops of each color used. If children want to mix more colors, have them empty their glasses into a large container, and at the end put all their colors in, ob-serving the changes with each addition.

ACCOMMODATIONS AND INTEGRATION: Focus on the primary colors. As children become more competent, have them pick a crayon and see whether they can match its color with food coloring. Have them ask others whether the color matches

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Discovery Activities: Mathematics, Science, and Technology RW-30

and what to add if it does not. Help generalize this experi-ence to painting and using markers.

SCIENCE: SMALL GROUP

3-53w GelatinGOALS: To improve observational skills; to make predic-tions; to improve cause-and-eff ect reasoning

STANDARDS: SC 2 Science as inquiry; SC 3a Physical sci-ence; L 5 Explore word relationships and nuances in word meanings.

MATERIALS: Fruit-fl avored gelatin (sugar free), ice cubes, boiling water, fruit, cold water, bowls, stirring spoons

PROCEDURE: Following the directions on the package, make two bowls of gelatin, both using boiling water but one using cold water and the other, ice cubes. Set a timer and check on state of the gelatin at 15 minute intervals. Emphasize vocabulary: cold, hot, boiling, dissolve, melt, thicken, powder, liquid, solid.

ACCOMMODATIONS AND INTEGRATION: Concentrate on the vocabulary and the change of state of the gelatin. Add fruit at various stages in the thickening process and discuss sink-ing and fl oating. Plan to have the gelatin for snack or lunch. Compare making gelatin with cold water and with ice by timing both processes and predicting when the gelatin will be thick enough so the fruit fl oats instead of sinks. Make a chart showing how the children’s predictions compare with what actually happens. Encourage children to stir the gela-tin with a spoon at various stages to gain tactile feedback about the change from a powder to a liquid and the process of thickening as the gelatin turns to a solid.

SCIENCE: SMALL GROUP

3-54w MagnetsGOALS: To make predictions; to improve cause-and-eff ect reasoning; to improve classifi cations skills

STANDARDS: SC 2 Science as inquiry; SC 3a Physical sci-ence; M 7 Classify objects and count the number of objects in each category.

MATERIALS: Magnets of varying sizes, shapes, and strengths; assorted small nonmetal objects (e.g., plastic milk bottle tops, plastic clips); assorted small metal objects (not aluminum) such as paper clips (large and small), nails, washers, safety pins (large and small), staples; shallow box of metal fi lings covered with plexiglass. (Metal fi lings are available from hardware stores that cut pipes.)

PROCEDURE: Give the children a variety of magnets and ma-terials to experiment with. Encourage them to use the mag-net both on the top and bottom of the box with metal fi lings. Ask them to classify objects according to the object’s response to the magnet. Ask them to predict whether specifi c objects will be attracted by the magnet. Have them discover addi-tional objects in the room that are attracted to the magnet.

ACCOMMODATIONS AND INTEGRATION: Allow children to explore the magnets and their properties. Teach them to modify objects so that they will be attracted to the magnet (attach a paper clip to a small piece of paper). Encourage children to chart the results of their investigations. Have them explore the strength of diff erent magnets by fi nding out how many paper clips each magnet can pick up. Intro-duce paper clips of diff erent sizes, including plastic coated paper clips, and see how many of each size can be picked up. Weigh or balance the diff erent clips. Graph the results. Encourage children to think of ways that magnets might be useful. Add a magnet to the end of a stick. Have children sit in a chair and use it as an extension of their arm to get things they cannot reach, such as paper clips. Th is activ-ity is an initial step in showing how devices can help those with physical impairments. Note: Th is activity requires close teacher supervision and should not be used with children under age 3.

SCIENCE: INDIVIDUAL OR SMALL GROUP

3-55w My YardGOALS: To improve observational skills; to improve classifi -cation skills; to increase knowledge of the natural world

STANDARDS: SC 2 Science as inquiry; SC 3b Life science.

MATERIALS: A yard of string for each child, binoculars, small sticks or nails, pad and pencil, magnifying glasses of diff erent strengths

PROCEDURE: On a warm, sunny, dry day, cut pieces of string a yard long and tie one end to a stick or nail. Have the children push or pound these into the ground. Give each child a magnifying glass and have the children explore their “yard.” Th eir “yard” is a circle with a 1-yard radius. At fi rst, you may have to help them see the little things: a blade of grass, an ant, bugs, dirt. Help them think about why particular things might be in their yard. Ask children to look at the larger environment and how that might aff ect whether their yard is sunny or shaded. Encourage children to visit other yards and note diff erent things and hypoth-esize about the diff erences. Discuss what children see with or without magnifi cation.

ACCOMMODATIONS AND INTEGRATION: Have children work in pairs. Point out specific objects to the children. En-courage them to list what they find and even map out the location. Use different degrees of magnification, and note what is seen. Note where the child is and repeat the activity in a different season or move to a different place. Use a digital camera to help children remember what they saw, and use the picture again in a different season. Be sure to draw the analogy between glasses and magnify-ing glasses. They are different devices to help people see better. If the ground is damp, have the children sit on something. Note: If any children are allergic to grass, these allergies are usually worse just after the grass has been cut.

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RW-31 Resource Chapter Th ree Online

SCIENCE: SMALL GROUP

3-56w Natural SequencingGOALS: To identify and understand patterns and rela-tionships; to increase comprehension; to improve reading literacy

STANDARDS: SC 2 Science as inquiry; SC 3b Life science; S&L 4 Describe familiar people, places, things, and events and, with prompting and support, provide additional detail.

MATERIALS: Pencils, crayons in diff erent states of use, fl ow-ers from buds to full bloom, pictures of a naturally occurring sequence

PROCEDURE: As these are naturally occurring sequences begin by having the actual objects and discuss with chil-dren the stages in the sequences and what occurs in the environment to promote these changes. Th at is, get roses in diff erent stages of bloom, put them in warm water, and watch how they open; or look at how a pencil or crayon gets worn down with use. Have the children match the sequence at each stage. Draw pictures of naturally occur-ring sequences on cards. Have the children place these pictures in order and explain or write down why the se-quence is occurring (see Figure RW3–4), and then check their accuracy. Be sure the sequences do not always show objects going from little to big. You do not have to be a ter-rifi c artist to make these, provided you pick concepts that are simple to illustrate (a pencil getting used up, a pine tree growing, etc.). Sequencing is a good follow-up after a fi eld trip. Children with limited experience often see events individually, without developing the connections that language and experience allow. Pictures are available commercially.

ACCOMMODATIONS AND INTEGRATION: Choose more complex but familiar sequences, such as getting dressed or brushing teeth. Th en work up to sequences that are less familiar but logical, such as going on a trip in a car or plane. See whether children can work out the sequence and draw it.

SCIENCE: INDIVIDUAL

3-57w ToolsGOALS: To improve classifi cation skills; to increase cause-and eff ect-reasoning; to improve vocabulary acquisition and use

STANDARDS: SC 2 Science as inquiry; SC 4 Science and technology; M 7 Classify objects and count the number of objects in each category.

MATERIALS: Tub with birdseed, small objects, chopsticks, spatula, spaghetti spoon, pierced serving spoons, tongs, tweezers, needlenose pliers, magnifying glass

PROCEDURE: Place small objects in the tub with birdseed. Have the child retrieve the objects using diff erent tools and analyze their eff ectiveness. Once picked up, encourage children to explore the attributes of the objects under a magnifying glass, turning them with tweezers. As the chil-dren fi nd the various objects, encourage them to describe, classify, and count the objects and tools they used to retrieve them.

ACCOMMODATIONS AND INTEGRATION: Have children use their hands to fi nd the objects, then tools such as a spoon, that are relatively easy to manipulate. Encourage chil-dren to think about the match between the tool they use and the type of material they are picking up. Children need practice using many diff erent tools.

A pencil getting used up

A rose blooming

FIGURE RW3–4 Natural Sequencing: Pencil and Rose

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Discovery Activities: Mathematics, Science, and Technology RW-32

SCIENCE: INDIVIDUAL OR SMALL GROUP

3-58w SortingGOALS: To improve classifi cation skills; to improve gen-eralization skills; to identify and understand patterns and relationships

STANDARDS: SC 3a Physical science; SC 4 Science and technology; M 7 Classify objects and count the number of objects in each category.

MATERIALS: Th ree containers for each child and objects that can be sorted into two categories, for example, buttons, silverware, shapes, blocks, fruits, animals, furniture, veg-etables, vehicles, kitchen utensils, balls

Objects Category A Category B

buttons rough smooth

buttons two holes four holes

silverware forks knives

silverware big spoons little spoons

shapes circles squares

shapes oval rectangle

PROCEDURE: Anchor three containers to a board or place them in a row (coff ee cans with lids work well). Vary the size of the can based on the size of the objects to be sorted. Put all the objects in the middle container. Th en have the children sort the objects into the two empty containers. Have children describe the properties they used to classify the objects. After children have learned the system of clas-sifi cation have them classify objects as natural objects and objects made by humans.

ACCOMMODATIONS AND INTEGRATION: Start with simple objects with obvious diff erences (blocks and balls) that are large enough to handle easily and few enough to complete the task. Have children sort the objects into categories and tell you the basis for their sorting. Th en have them resort the same objects using a diff erent classifi cation system. Have them sort the objects into three categories. For chil-dren who rely on tactile cues, choose objects that have tac-tile cues (rough and smooth, one or two holes).

SCIENCE: LARGE OR SMALL GROUP

3-59w Nature BoardGOALS: To improve observational skills; to improve classifi -cation skills; to increase knowledge of the natural world

STANDARDS: SC 3b Life science; SC 5 Science in personal and social perspectives; M 7 Classify objects and count the number of objects in each category.

MATERIALS: Objects found on a nature walk, cardboard, glue, small bags, rubber gloves

PROCEDURE: On a nature walk, help the children pick up objects such as nuts, sticks, stones, leaves, twigs, and so on.

Start by labeling objects for the children. While you are on the walk, point out obvious relationships: “Look, you found a leaf. Let’s look up in the tree and see if there are more like it. I think this leaf fell from this tree. Th is is called an oak tree. You have a green oak leaf.” Try to get at least two of each object. In addition to picking up natural objects, use gloves to pick up environmental pollutants as well: Styrofoam, aluminum cans, plastic bags. Put these in a separate bag. When you get back to the class, glue each of the natural objects onto a separate, small piece of card-board. Put the “pairs” to these objects in a bag, and have children see whether they can match the designated object. Have children try to remember where they found certain objects and why they might be there, for example, acorns and pine cones under trees. Classify the objects found in as many diff erent ways as possible. Talk with children about pollutants and the problems they cause in the environment. Have them help fi gure out some potential solutions to these problems.

ACCOMMODATIONS AND INTEGRATION: Help children focus on the walk itself. Take digital pictures of the various items collected and the areas from which they were found, and let children use these as clues for their classifi cation. Have children make a map of the nature walk and draw signifi cant landmarks. Help them mark where objects were found, and glue some of the objects to the map. Classifying objects makes them more relevant. And it is never too early to begin environmental education.

SCIENCE: SMALL GROUP OR INDIVIDUAL

3-60w Milk Box ComputerGOALS: To improve technology skills; to improve number sense and numeration; to improve knowledge of whole number operations and computations

STANDARDS: SC 4 Science and technology; M 4 Understand addition as putting together and adding to, and understand subtraction as taking apart and taking from; M 5 Work with numbers 11–19 to gain foundations for place value.

MATERIALS: Half-gallon milk carton, pieces of poster board cut into 2 × 2½ inch pieces, one piece of poster board 2½ × 15 inches.

PROCEDURE: Create a milk box computer.

TO MAKE:

Step 1. Use a half-gallon cardboard milk or juice carton. Cut a rectangular hole (½ inch high by 2¼ inches wide) in the top one-fourth of the carton. Make a similar cut in the bottom one-fourth. Cut posterboard 2½ by 12 inches. Open the top of the container. Place poster board inside the container with the bottom edge coming out the bot-tom hole (it will look like a slide). Trim pieces so they are even, and attach the poster board, using tape and/or staples. Staple the top of the container shut. See Figure RW3–5.

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RW-33 Resource Chapter Th ree Online

Step 2. Use small pieces of poster board to make addition and subtraction problems. Write the problem (4 1 1 5 __ ) on one side, then fl ip the card and write the answer (5) on the opposite side (see Figure RW3–6). Have manipulatives available so children can use them to create the problems if needed.

Create additional problems appropriate for the level of children in the group. Give the children the cards with the problem side up. Encourage the children to solve the math problem in their head or use the manipulatives and then put the problem into the top of the “computer” to check their answer. (Th e slide fl ips the card so the answer side is up.) Make more diffi cult problems with numbers 11–19 for chil-dren to work on base 10.

ACCOMMODATIONS AND INTEGRATION: Color-code the prob-lems and make the easier problems one color and the more diffi cult ones other colors. Help children choose the color that matches their ability level. Th e milk box computer can be used in a variety of activities including pictures and their initial sounds, word recognition, and so on—anything that is a simple question and answer.

SCIENCE: INDIVIDUAL OR SMALL GROUP

3-61w Cast ItGOALS: To improve cause-and-eff ect reasoning; to increase awareness of roles people play; to increase awareness of in-dividual diff erences and similarities

STANDARDS: SC 4 Science and technology; SC 5 Science in personal and social perspectives; L 4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on kindergarten reading and content.

MATERIALS: Plaster tape (available at most drugstores), water, scissors without points, dolls, broken chicken bone, X-ray

PROCEDURE: Talk about broken bones and how that might happen. Ask children about their experiences (if any) with broken bones. Bring in an X-ray of a broken bone and show it to the children. Help them understand the purpose of set-ting and casting broken bones. Set up the dramatic play area with plaster tape (just soak it in water to use it), a bucket of water, and dolls. First, have the children experiment with a doll. Some children may just explore the plaster tape. Th en,

Attach to insidewith tape, glue,or staples

Posterboardstrip

Hole

Hole

Attach to outsideof milk carton

Step 1

FIGURE RW3–5 Milk Box Computer: Semi-Transparent View

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Discovery Activities: Mathematics, Science, and Technology RW-34

have them put a cast on a thumb or fi nger and talk about the experience. Th e cast will slip off , but have some blunt-nosed fi ngernail scissors so you can cut off any stubborn casts. Discuss with the children that breaking bones hurts, but casting doesn’t.

ACCOMMODATIONS AND INTEGRATION: Help the child begin the cast. Cut the tape into shorter pieces. Make a thin-ner cast. Talk about diff erent types of casts (walking cast, straight-leg cast, foot cast, etc.). Discuss plastic casts and more temporary casts made out of plastic and Velcro. Warn parents about this project so they will know their child’s thumb is not broken if he wears the cast home. Children who know how and why casts are put on and taken off are less fearful when they need a cast. If most children cast their thumbs or fi nger, make an art project out of decorat-ing the casts.

TECHNOLOGY: LARGE GROUP

3-62w Input–OutputGOALS: To improve technology skills; to improve cause-and-eff ect reasoning; to improve generalization skills

STANDARDS: T 6 Use simulations and graphical organiz-ers; T 8 Communicate about technology accurately; L 4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on kindergarten reading and content.

MATERIALS: Chalkboard, chalk outline of a person

PROCEDURE: Talk with the children about how they learn. For example, how did they decide what to wear today? If they looked outside and saw the sun was shining, that was visual input. If their mother told them what to wear, that was auditory input. Th at input went into their central processing unit (CPU), or brain. Th ey all came with clothes on; that is output. Help children think about how they learn in terms of an input–CPU–output framework. Ask the children, “Who is absent today?” (input). Th e children look around, and in their CPU (brain), they compare who they see with their memory of who is in the class. Th ey process the information. Th en they decide that Lanie is absent (output). Use the chalkboard to draw further il-lustrations for the children. Use a simple machine such as a drinking straw dispenser. Explain how pressing the lever is an input, the movement inside the CPU causes the straw

Card hits posterboardand flips

5

Card goes in upper slot

Card comes out lower slot

4 +

1 =

Step 2

FIGURE RW3–6 Milk Box Computer: Step 2

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RW-35 Resource Chapter Th ree Online

to fall, and the straw is the output. Or turn the handle of a jack-in-the-box (input), note that something happens inside (CPU), and fi nally the fi gure pops up (output). En-courage children to design their own processors based on the principle of input–CPU–output. Help them think of simple machines that work on this principle (e.g., water and juice machines, jukeboxes). Now help children go a step further and think about the automatic teller at the bank and the computer/cash register at the fast-food res-taurant. Note: Tell children they must put money in before they can take it out!

ACCOMMODATIONS AND INTEGRATION: Take children on a fi eld trip to an automatic teller, juice machine, or other place close by where they can experience the input–CPU–out-put experience. Encourage parents to talk about this with children when the occasions arise. Th is is a basic introduc-tion to the concepts of input–CPU–output, some basic computer terminology, and logical thinking. It is important for children to know that if they don’t put anything in the computer, nothing will come out. Th ey can use a software program, but somebody had to put all the information into the computer.

TECHNOLOGY: INDIVIDUAL OR SMALL GROUP

3-63w Buried TreasureGOALS: To improve technology skills; to improve general-ization skills; to improve reading literacy

STANDARDS: T 6 Use simulations and graphical organizers; T 8 Communicate about technology accurately.

MATERIALS: Large, fl at box with top, or sand table; sand or birdseed; string or yarn; masking tape; nine small trea-sures; clay; marker; cards with coordinates on one side and a drawing or picture of the treasure in those coordinates on the other

TO MAKE: Using four pieces of string, divide the box into nine equal segments (or start with two pieces of string and four segments). Tape the string so that it goes on top of the open box. In each segment, put a small piece of clay to keep the treasure from moving around, and stick the treasure in the clay. Add sand to the box, making sure the treasure stays in the designated segment. Divide the top of the box in the same way, using a marker to divide it into sections. Add a narrow section across the left side and the bottom; put the numbers 1, 2, and 3 on the sides and A, B, and C on the top and bottom. Give the children a card with a set of coordinates (2–B) and see whether they can fi nd the right treasure. Draw a simple picture of the treasure on the back of the card so they can check themselves (see Figure RW3–7).

PROCEDURE: Have children predict what they will fi nd. Th en, have children fi nd the treasures. Once they have the idea, bury the treasures, give them a drawing of the

area marked off , and have them chart the location of the treasures.

ACCOMMODATIONS AND INTEGRATION: Use string to make only four areas with hidden objects. Help children use the coordinates to bury treasure for others to fi nd. Th is activity helps children learn to move in a systematic way between vertical and horizontal planes, a skill that is necessary not only for the computer but also for copying from the chalk-board. It also helps children learn to read the coordinates of a graph.

TECHNOLOGY: LARGE OR SMALL GROUP

3-64w Alphabet KeyboardGOALS: To improve technology skills; to follow directions; to improve reading literacy

STANDARDS: T 6 Use simulations and graphical organiz-ers; T 8 Communicate about technology accurately; R:FS 1 Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print.

MATERIALS: Picture of a computer keyboard for each child, a separate card for each letter of the alphabet and the num-bers 0 to 9, basket, crayon or marker

PROCEDURE: Place the cards in the basket. Draw a card and read the number or letter. Give children time to locate the letter or number and identify it. After you read the fi rst card, give children time to locate the next item and draw a line between the fi rst and second letter or number. Con-tinue this process.

ACCOMMODATIONS AND INTEGRATION: Hold up the letter or number for the children to see as you call out the letter. Give the letter or number to the child so she can match it to the keyboard, or let children play this game individually, choosing the letters or numbers themselves to control the pace of the activity. Vary the activity so that you call out let-ter sounds instead of letter names. Th is off -computer activ-ity stresses keyboarding skills.

TECHNOLOGY: SMALL GROUP OR INDIVIDUAL

3-65w Banana SnackGOALS: To improve technology skills; to follow directions; to improve measurement conceptsSTANDARDS: T 6 Use simulations and graphical organizers; T 8 Communicate about technology accurately.MATERIALS: Bananas, wheat germ (check for food allergies), plastic knives, plastic sandwich-sized bags that zip closed, small paper plate, marking pen

PROCEDURE: Make a rebus menu for the children to follow as they make their snack (see Figure RW3–8). First peel the banana and then cut it in half. Next the children take their

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Discovery Activities: Mathematics, Science, and Technology RW-36

half and cut it into small pieces (about ½ inch), then they measure about a tablespoon of wheat germ into the plastic bag and place the banana pieces in the bag. Seal the bag and shake the pieces of banana to get them coated with the wheat germ. When the banana is coated, the children put their banana pieces on the paper plate with their name on it and eat it for snack.

ACCOMMODATIONS AND INTEGRATION: Make the banana snack but only have the children put the bananas in the bag and shake them. Talk to the children about recipes and how rebus recipes are much like computer menus. Encour-age children to write a recipe for something they want to make. Help them identify each step in the process. Look at cookbooks designed for children. Following sequential, mul-tistep directions is an important skill. Using rebus pictures for illustration reinforces the skills learned. Use words that

imply the sequence: “First we are going to cut the banana. Second . . . . Th ird . . . .” Note: Be sure no children are allergic to bananas or wheat.

EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES

Fun Sites for Preschoolers lists a variety of sites for young children

to go to play games. www.tempe.gov/youthlibrary/preschool/

preschweb.htm/

Kids – National Wildlife Federation focuses on getting kids into

nature and the wildlife with games and crafts for children

divided by those under and over 7. www.nwf.org/Kids.aspx/

Exploratorium has a preschool science site that has areas for

science and technology, earth science, pedagogy, mathematics,

the fi ve senses, and biology as well as links. www.exploratorium.

edu/lc/pathfi nders/preschool/home.html/

A B C

A

A–1

B–1

C–1

9 objects hiddenunder the sand

one in each area

9 cards

Front Back

Dog

Dog

Cup

Cup

Shell

Shell

Rattle

String

String

Box or sand tablefilled with sand

3

2

1

3

2

1

B C

A–2

B–2

C–2

Front Back

Crayon

Hair clip

Rattle

A–3

B–3

C–3

Front Back

Eraser

Hairscrunchie

Top

FIGURE RW3–7 Design and Cards for Buried Treasure

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RW-37 Resource Chapter Th ree Online

Step 1: Put name on plate.

Step 3: Peel banana.

Step 5: Get plastic bag. Fill with1 tablespoon wheat germ.

Wheatgerm

Step 6: Put banana piece in bagand shake.

Step 2: Cut banana in half.

Step 4: Cut banana in pieces.

Step 7: Put banana piece on plate. Put anotherbanana piece in bag and shake.

Russell

Step 8: Eat bananas for snack.

Gretchen Russell

FIGURE RW3–8 Rebus Directions for Banana Snack

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