Overview of learning 2

Example of mathematics planning and resourcing 2

What we want children to learn (Development matters)

Objectives in bold refer to Early Learning Goals.

Mathematics objectives

Use language such as 'more' or 'less' to compare two numbers
Find one more or one less than a number from 1 to 10

Using and applying mathematics

Sort objects, making choices and justifying decisions

Related Early Learning Goals

Work as part of a group or class, taking turns and sharing fairly, understanding that there needs to be agreed values and codes of behaviour for groups of people, including adults and children, to work together harmoniously (PSED)
Be confident to try new activities, initiate ideas and speak in a familiar group (PSED)
Interact with others in a variety of contexts, negotiating plans and activities and taking turns in conversation (CLL)

Possible contexts

Provide collections of objects for children to sort, match and count.
Encourage children to self-register using photographs or name cards, and notice how many children there are.
Share, recite and encourage joining in with number rhymes and stories using games and books.
Provide tapes and CD-ROMs of number rhymes and songs for children to listen to.
Use photographs in the learning environment to ask, for example, how many children are at the water?
Provide opportunities to share out objects within the group, for example fruit, 'small world' toys or small equipment in the outdoor area.
Develop interactive displays of objects with prompts for 'more' or 'less'.
Provide rich resources for number activities through number stories and rhyme sacks with resources.

Example of adult-led activity

Context: Setting up role-play using money

Plan the role-play with the children using a visit, photograph, video or something a family have brought in as a starting point, for example a visit to a local garden centre. Ask the children to record how things are priced using photos or mark making.

Develop the area with the children, encouraging them to make price labels. Ensure that a range of pennies is used that will involve counting out, giving one more, one less, etc. Ask the children to justify choices, for example: if 2 of those cost x should 3 cost more?

Model being a shopkeeper and a customer asking prices, expressing difficulties as you do not have the right change. Ask the children for solutions.

Record solutions using a variety of children's ideas, for example: I found that hard. How shall we help someone else who has a 10p and wants to buy something costing 8p? How could we show that to help them?

Adult role

Pose problems and questions, for example when children are leaving a group: we had 20; one has gone; how many have we left? Use number staircases to support.
Encourage children to investigate. For example: there aren't enough. Do we need more?
Draw attention to comparisons and introduce the language of 'more' or 'less'.
Model sorting objects and finding 'more' or 'less'.

Opportunities for children to explore and apply

Using systems for self-registration, ask the children: how many children are here today? Are there more than yesterday? How many more would need to be here for a full class?
Ask children to share out between a group or the class, for example by cutting and sharing fruit.
Use number and photo displays to organise the learning environment, for example 4 children in the role-play area; 5 saucepans on these shelves; 10 Bee-Bots in this box.
Children use the book area to act out or use objects to support number stories, songs and rhymes involving one 'more' or 'less'.
Provide a range of collections of objects.

Adult role

Pose problems and questions, for example when children are leaving a group: we had 20; one has gone; how many have we left? Use number staircases to support.
Encourage children to investigate, for example there aren't enough. Do we need more?
Draw attention to comparisons and introduce the language of 'more' or 'less'.
Model sorting objects and finding 'more' or 'less'.
Exploit opportunities for problem solving when exact numbers are needed. For example: there are 3 chairs on the bus, how many more do we need?
Prompt questioning through number rhymes and games.

Look, listen and note

How do children use methods to answer a problem they have posed? For example: Colin and Ben suggest what might be done about the biscuit that is left over when everybody has had one. 'Someone else can have the extra one.' 'Get one more and then we can both have two.'
What is the variety of responses when children work out a calculation from a story? For example: Merrie said, 'If two more come there will be seven, because five and two make seven.'
Can they share objects? For example: can they share 8 crayons equally among 4 children and know that each child has 2 crayons?

Assessment opportunities

Use activities that require limited numbers of children to see if they can work out problems. For example: how many more do we need? We have 4 aprons; is that enough?
Use a puppet as a prop to ask children questions about numbers from number lines, tracks and songs.
Observe children in practical contexts, for example a shop or café, to work out how many cakes are left after selling/eating one.