TOT SCHOOL IS IN SESSION: Lesson 1

Welcome to Tot School.  Each week I hope to provide you with some lesson inspiration!

The popularity of Tot School has kind of hit me by surprise and yesterday we spent the morning at the beach and afternoon at Zumba so time has gotten away from me!  I hope to create each lesson as a printable for you!  But for now here are the details.

“Peg Me A Number.”

Materials:

  • Paper Plates
  • Pegs
  • Pen or Stickers.

The Lesson Plan.

1. We introduced the lesson by sining the song 1,2,3,4,5 Once I caught a fish alive.  Any number song will do!

2. Write a number representation onto a paper plate.  There are three ways you can do this and it will depend on the age and ability of your child. you can;

Pictorial Representation (For Littles and Tots): Stickers (on one plate put one sticker, next plate two stickers, next plate 3 stickers) Ask your child to help you do this.  If you dont have stickers you could draw dots instead.

Numeral Repesentation (For Tots and Kinders): For children ready to learn numbers. Draw the numbers 1-5 on 5 plates.

Written Representation (For Schoolies): You can even do this activity with school aged children.  Write the number “name” on each plate.

3. Ask your child to count the stickers, or say the number or word.  

4. Now your child has to count out the same number of pegs as the number on the plate.   The lesson is in the detail here. The child must pick up each peg, move it to a new place on the desk and say aloud one number.  We are trying to help them assign a number to EACH object.  This is called one to one correspondence and is VERY IMPORTANT.

5. Once the right number of pegs are counted out,  peg each peg to the outside of the plate. Once again count each peg as it is pegged on to the plate.

6. Now that the pegs are on the plate, count them AGAIN!

For Littles this is where the activity ends.  Your ATTENTION SPAN TIME LIMIT has expired! They have used their  number skills to count at least 3 times!  They are also demonstrating in a hands on manner that they can represnt numbers in different ways. Their fine motor skills have gotten a work out strengthening their pincer grip and developing finger control! Pegs are great for this! Most importantly your child is learning one to one correspondence which will help them count, add, subtract, multiply and divide in the years to come! One to one correspondence is also a valuable literacy skill!

For Tots.  Can you now lay the plates out on the floor in the right order?  Sing the fishie song whilst pointing to each plate!

For Schoolies: What number would come next?  Can you write that number? Can I add to plates together to create a new number? Use the pegs to create an addition or subtraction sum!

If words don’t cut it for you and you need a visual..

Check out when Master O did this activity a few years ago! 

OR Even Better

Today in the “My Pigeon Pair’ Tot School this activity is on the agenda!  View our step by step pictures on Instagram #MPPTotSchool or on our Facebook page! Please share your pictures with us too!