Overview of learning 7

Example of mathematics planning and resourcing 7

What we want children to learn (Development matters)

Objectives in bold refer to Early Learning Goals.

Mathematics objectives

Recognise numerals 1 to 9

Using and applying mathematics

Match sets of objects to numerals that represent the number of objects

Related Early Learning Goals

Recognise and explore how sounds can be changed, sing simple songs from memory, recognise repeated sounds and sound patterns and match movements to music (CD)
Explore and experiment with sounds, words and texts (CLL)
Retell narratives in the correct sequence, drawing on language patterns of stories (CLL)

Possible contexts

Share number books and rhymes involving numerals, for example Ten, Nine, Eight by Molly Bang, and home-made number books of all kinds, for example zigzag books.
Use resources such as number lines, tracks and staircases and interactive displays involving numerals.
Engage children in practical activities that are underpinned by developing communication skills.
Engage in activities that are imaginative and enjoyable and that follow children's interests.
Exploit real-life problems. For example: how many spoons do we need for everyone in this group to have one?
Give children sufficient time, space and encouragement to use new words and mathematical ideas, concepts and language during child-initiated activities in their own play.
Exploit problem-solving opportunities, for example with 'small world' play.

Example of adult-led activity

Context: Five little monkeys

Share 'Five little monkeys jumping on the bed'. Sometimes alter the number to numbers under 10. Develop a rhyme sack including a tape of children singing, pictures, objects and numerals. Hold up a numeral and start with that many monkeys.

Discuss making a display of the rhyme. The display could be made for a wall in the room, a shelf top, an interactive whiteboard or as an electronic talking book using software such as Textease or PowerPoint.

Make the display with the children, encouraging them to make choices. For example: how shall we make the monkeys? Shall we use clip art or photographs of ourselves? Shall we have masks? Make the numerals and numbers of monkeys removable and put them in a box next to the display for the children to add and play with.

Demonstrate using the display to say the rhyme. Sometimes take away a number of monkeys and the matching numeral and ask: how many silly monkeys are missing today? Or muddle up the order for the children to correct.

Adult role

Scaffold children's learning in role-play activities to support and extend their recognition of numerals, for example shoe sizes or labelling of items for the grocer's shop.
Discuss numbers of objects in real-life contexts, for example numbers of chairs at a table or children in a group. Encourage children to find the numerals from large number lines, grids or washing lines.
Support children's recognition of numerals in cooking activities, for example following a recipe with numbers of ingredients.
Create opportunities for children to be involved in making displays, for example a display about birthdays, numbers of pets, house numbers.

Opportunities for children to explore and apply

Incorporate number lines into the inside and outside learning environment. These could be movable, for example on clips on a washing line or hanging on string, so that sometimes their order can be muddled up or a number can appear to be missing. Add bags to the number lines with numbers of objects that the children can change, for example 1, 2, 3, 4 shells or 9 shells, 8 twigs, 7 pebbles, etc.
Laminate photographs of the children so that they can be used in number lines outside. (Pencil will last longer in the sun than pen.) Encourage the children to think of inventive ways to show numbers of themselves, for example 1 child waiting on the bench, 2 children chatting on the bench, 3 children playing on the bench, and so on.
Make story/rhyme sacks with tapes, pictures, objects and numerals. Model their use and then let children use them in their play.
Play 'match the number'. Bury numerals in sand, two of each number. Children have to find a number then find its partner. This can be extended to finding the number that came before or the number that comes after.
Make numerals using objects found outside.

Adult role

Scaffold children's learning in role-play activities to support and extend their recognition of numerals, for example shoe sizes or labelling of items for the grocer's shop.
Support children's recognition of numerals in cooking activities, for example following a recipe with numbers of ingredients.
Create opportunities for children to be involved in making displays, for example a display about birthdays, numbers of pets, house numbers.
Observe children who notice numbers in the learning environment.

Look, listen and note

How do children use personal numbers such as their age, house number, number in their family, number of pets? For example: when Simeon pointed to the number 5 on the telephone, he said, 'That says five and I'm five.'
Take note of the numerals children recognise during number rhymes and games that they choose to play with independently.
Observe how children engage with songs, rhymes and stories that display numerals and question children to prompt for further information.

Assessment opportunities

Observe how children spot numbers on calculators, tills, number tracks, clocks, books and in rhymes and the learning environment. Use these contexts to check that children can recognise all the numerals from 1 to 9.
Observe children during games that use a dice and a number track or number square.
Use a number walk around the local environment to see which numerals children recognise, for example on road signs and in shop windows.