Diagnostic task discussion and reflection Tracey Armstrong Sharon Lee Swan View Primary School 2012
Dec 05, 2014
Diagnostic task discussion and
reflectionTracey Armstrong Sharon Lee Swan View Primary School 2012
1. Which student/s achieved the task?Discuss the students that achieved or didn’t achieve the checkpoints of your task.
Focus Questions
2. What parts of the checkpoints did the child achieve and what parts didn’t the child achieve?
Resource making
•Bead Sticks
HOW TO MAKE?
1. Put 4 groups of 5 beads on the stick. Each group should be ONE colour.
2. Dip each end of stick into PVA glue and push wall plug in.
Counting Collections
Outcomes1. The aim is to explore learning activities that
will help the children progress in their understanding of developing a strong number sense.
2. Providing a link between subitising and partitioning and relating it to counting collections.
3. Develop your own understanding of Mathematical Knowledge the children need to have.
What is counting?In everyday use, to count has two meanings:
Counting can mean to recite whole number names in the right order or it can also mean to check a collection one by one in order to say how many are in it.
The significance of counting is that it enables us to decide how many are in a collection or to make a collection of a given size.
Young children initially need to learn to say the counting number sequence and then learn to connect the numbers in this sequence to the
quantity.
Why is the Concept of Counting Important for Mathematical Foundations?
To scaffold(build) young children's mathematical knowledge they need to have
different experiences with subitising and partitioning, counting collections, read, write
and saying numbers, all being interwoven.
The Concept of Counting is an Important Aspect to Develop a Strong Number Sense.
Children Learn about Number as a Representation of Quantity
Counting skills Subitising
Noticing theATTRIBUTE OF QUANTITY
Same/different more/less
COUNTINGUse counting to get an amount
Choose to use counting to make equivalent sets
PART-WHOLE UNDERSTANDING
See groups within amountsAdd and subtract small amounts
SEE NUMBER AS A REPRESENTATION OF QUANTITYAble to confidently break up numbers and rearrange the parts,
Knowing that the quantity has not changed
Focusing on the purpose for counting will help students make sense of the counting process.
Children’s experience of counting games with adults is often simply playful. So that means the quantity of the numbers used in the games is not a focus.
Counting activities should always include a purpose for the count.
What mathematics can you find in a story book?
Birdsong by Ellie SandallPurpose for Counting
1. Each object to be counted must be
touched or ‘included’ exactly once as the numbers are said.
Counting Principle One
Birds and Nests (One to one matching, oral counting)1. One child chooses a number of nests and counts them
as they place them on the table.2. Partner places a bird in each nest counting aloud as
they work.FOCUS QUESTIONS3.How can we find out how many there are?4.What do I need to do when I count?5.What is the first number I say?6.Was the last number you and your partner said the same?LANGUAGEHow many? Last number, Next
2. The numbers must be said once and
always in the conventional order.
Counting Principle Two
Letters in my Name(counting to find out how many, oral counting)1. Write your name on the blank card2. Each person takes a turn to stick a star above each
letter of their name, counting with the rest of the group counting as they stick each star on.
3. Ask each child to say each sequence eg Linda, 5 letters, 1,2,3,4,5,
FOCUS QUESTIONS4.Does anyone have 5 letters in their name?5.Whose name has only 3 letters?6.Who has more letters Claire or Jason?7.Who has the most letters on their name card?LANGUAGEHow many? More, Less, Same.
3. The objects can be touched in any order, and the starting point and order in which the objects are counted does not affect how many there are.
Counting Principle Three
Row of Blocks
(counting to find out how many)
1. Start with a new collection of items and place in a line.
2. Count the blocks but start in the middle.
FOCUS QUESTIONS
3.Can you count how many (blocks) and make this one (pointing to the middle block) number one?
4.Can you count how many (blocks) and make this one (pointing to the second last block) number one?
LANGUAGE
How many? start, each one.
4. The arrangement of the objects does
not affect how many there are.
Counting Principle Four
Eggs in the egg carton•In pairs you need an egg carton, dice and blocks.•One person rolls the dice and places that many blocks into the egg carton counting as they drop each block.•Other person changes the arrangement of blocks in their partner’s egg carton and asks ‘how many now?’•Swap over and repeat.•Take turns in changing the arrangement in the egg carton and ask ‘how many now?’
LANGUAGE
How many? One, two, three, four, counting, count, match numbers
5. The last number said tells “how many” in the whole collection. It does not describe the last object touched.
Counting Principle Five
FISH OUT OF WATER (partner activity)•Toss the die. •Count your fish into the bowl.•Partner then asks ‘So how many fish are there?’•The partner says ‘Show me what 6 means?’
LANGUAGE
How many? show me, counting, number sequence, last number, group, collection
5 Principles of Counting
1. Each object to be counted must be touched or ‘included’ exactly once as the numbers are said
2. The numbers must be said once and always in the conventional order
3. The objects can be touched in any order, and the starting point and order in which the objects are counted does not affect how many there are.
4. The arrangement of the objects does not affect how many there are.
5. The last number said tells “how many” in the whole collection. It does not describe the last object touched.
• There is often no purpose in counting until a task involves more than the children can subitise.
• Overemphasis on counting can undermine children’s trust in their ability to subitise. In other words a child who can subitise to 6 should not be asked to recount collections of objects up to 6 again and again.
• Students need to trust the count and, without prompting, ‘choose’ counting as a way of solving problems.
Subitising and Counting
1. By the end of Pre-Primary, students should establish understanding of the language and processes of counting by naming numbers in sequences, initially to and from 20, moving from any starting point.
2. The focus of teaching needs to continue on the same path but with larger quantities moving up to 20 and then developing knowledge to 100 items.
Connecting Number Names, Numerals and Quantities
Skip Counting
Students who only learn to ‘skip count’ by reciting, may not realise that skip counting tells you ‘how many’.
Students will need a lot of practical experience in order to see that pulling out 3 at a time and counting by 3’s gives the same answer as counting by 1’s.
GROUPING ACTIVITY
Focus : Invite students to rearrange a collection of things to make them easier to count.
Can we rearrange ourselves so it is easier to count? (record count)
Is there another way? (record count) Is there another way? (record count)
What do you notice about how many we get every time we count?
Why don’t we get a different number if we start with a different person?
Which number tells us ‘how many’ we have?
What stays the same? What’s different?
CONSTANT ADDITION
In pairs, use the constant function on a calculator to work out how many chair legs are in the room. One person uses the calculator. The other person records the count.
1. Key in 1 + = for the first leg, then = for each remaining leg.
2. Repeat the count by 4s for each set of legs; press
4 + = for the first chair, then = = = for each other chair.
3. Record how many legs. Ask: Should we get the same result each
time? Why? Why not?
WHERE TO NEXT ?
1. Place Value
2. Diagnostic task to complete for the next session in Term 3 is ‘Counting to Say How Many K-2’.
3. Using your bead stick think of an activity / game related to subitising, partitioning or counting collections for the next session. Ideas you bring will be collated and sent to your school after the next session.
4. Please fill in your Feedback Sheet.