Reinforcing Number Sense and Counting with a Multi-Layered Dance Activity

In my last blog post, I created a basic movement lesson about letter knowledge (letter shapes and sounds), making words and sentences, and exploring sequencing and word meanings. Dance helps to make the learning of these concepts a fun and lively experience.

So for this post I decided to create a similar multi-layered activity exploring number sense and counting, filled with lots of large motor-skill practice.

A few things to keep in mind about this movement activity:

• Before we begin, it is important to note that the kinesthetic exploration of numbers is what is important in this activity.  Whether or not he accomplishes the exact number shape, it is the child's recognition of the number, his attempts to make the shapes with his body, and exploring new ways to move that are the valuable learning experiences. 

• Because most numbers are asymmetrical, don't worry if the number the child makes in his body is backward or forward or upside down!  The child is still learning the shape of the number kinesthetically.  

• Also, encourage the child to make whole body shapes, and not shapes with just the hands and fingers.

Dancing About Numbers!

Time of Activity:  20-30 Minutes

Materials:  The numbers 0-9 written on separately on paper, or number flash cards; and a large, open space, if available

Music:  A lively instrumental selection; and a tambourine or drum, if available

Up and Down: 

To warm up and start the counting fun, ask the children to go from standing to sitting in 10 counts.  Have the children count along with you.  Now come up to standing in 9 counts.  Repeat this until the children are coming up from the floor in one count, and repeat the "1" count several times as the children go up and down, finishing on the floor.

Counting as we go up and down!

Rocket Ship:  

Now to practice counting backward, ask them to crouch low and imagine they are a rocket ship.  Count backwards from 10 slowly, and give the children a chance to "fly through space" after they have blasted off.  Repeat several times, to reinforce the backward counting.

Getting ready to blast off!

Make Number Shapes with Your Body: 

Hold up the flash card of the number "0."  Say the name of the number, and ask the children to repeat it.  Then ask the children to make that number using their whole body.  Remind them that they can try the number standing, sitting, lying down, or even jumping in the air.

Do the same with each number.  Practice these in order until the children can make each number without needing the visual cue of the numbers you are holding.  Then try calling out the numbers in random order.

Make Number Shapes in Sequence:

Using a drum, tambourine, or just clapping your hands, now call the numbers out one after the other from 0-9, in order, on each beat or clap.  Ask the children to make the shape as you name each number.  Start out slowly, and increase the speed as the children become more efficient at responding.  When you have done it as fast as they can respond, ask them to freeze in the shape of the number "9."  Then ask them to melt to the floor holding the shape as long as they can, and then make the shape of the number 9 on the floor.

Numbers in the Air:

Hold up the numbers one by one.  Ask the children to imagine they are holding an imaginary crayon and to write each number in the air.

Number Paths:

Hold up the numbers one by one again.  Ask the children to walk the path of each number on the floor, imagining they have paint on the bottoms of their shoes.

Number Code Dance

This activity will help children remember the value of the numbers 1-5. 

Here is the Number Code:

1 = 1 Hop

2  = Go down to the floor, and back up

3 = 3 Turns

4 = 4 Jumps

5 = 5 Marches

Prompt the children to try out the movements associated with each number above, first in order, then mixing up the order.

Tell them that they are going to put some of the numbers together to make a number dance. 

Let's do a 1 - 3 - 5 dance.  What would that look like?  Can you try it on your own?  (The dance should be 1 hop, 3 turns, and 5 marches).  Once they have tried to figure it out on their own, ask everyone to do it together. 

How about a 1 - 2 - 5 - 1 dance (1 hop, down to the floor and up, 5 marches, 1 hop).

Let's do a 4 - 3 - 2 dance!  (4 jumps, 3 turns, down to the floor and back up).

Now we will finish with a 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 dance!

Free dance and number shapes!

Dance and Freeze:

To reinforce all of the number shapes they have practiced, play the instrumental musical selection.  Ask the children to dance freely while the music is playing.  Stop the music randomly, call out a number, and ask them to freeze in that shape.

Keep on dancin' (and having fun with numbers!),

Connie

MOVING IS LEARNING!

https://www.scbwi.org/members-public/connie-dow

Using Cards to Build Number Skills

It's Scott from Brick by Brick. I love to repurpose materials—use materials in ways different from their intended purpose.

Playing cards or other numbered cards can be reused to practice number skills and math skills.

You can use any playing cards...just take out the face cards. I've been using Uno cards, since the numbers are large and focus on single digits.

For pre-K and kindergartners, use them to practice numeral recognition. They can sort or match the numerals; talk about each one. As they count or group objects into quantities, show and say the numeral. 

As kindergartners gain more skills, show a card and ask them to count out that many objects. Show another card and count objects. Then compare the two quantities. 

If you create your own board game, you can use these cards as part of the game. Draw a card and move a game piece that number of spaces on your game.

Or draw a card and find that many items in the room that share a common characteristic (color, shape).

For older kindergartners, draw three cards. Help the child put the numerals in order from least to greatest. (I played this game with first graders last year.) 

Use the cards for part-part-whole skills. Lay down a 5 card and count out the objects. Divide the objects into two groups and locate the numerals for those amounts. (For example, 1 and 4.) Seeing these parts of a larger number builds skills in addition and subtraction. 

Another reason I like using Uno cards is that I can use the cards to make larger numerals. I can put 2 card and 3 card next to each other for 23. If you have a child interested in numbers, you can create any number by placing the cards next to one another. (And Uno cards have a 0!)

But note. Whatever you are doing with your kids, keep it fun...as a game. Don't drill or force the play. Start a game. If a child gets engaged, keep going. If the child seems interested in something else, put it aside. You have introduced a concept; build on it when a child's interest is high.

What ideas do you have for using cards with numbers?

Ten-Frames and Number Sense

For young children, developing number sense is critical, and manipulatives play an important part that process. 

But are all manipulatives created equal?  When we consider that true number sense involves understanding of quantity as it relates to place-value, then the answer may surprise you.

Look at the two different representations of the quantity eight:

Though it is important to give children experiences with a wide range of tools, which model would be a more useful tool for building understanding of number?

For many students, the first representation would be much too abstract.  In order to verify the quantity, they would have to count each tile or cube one by one.  However, when they see eight on a ten-frame, they are able to identify the quantity of eight as it relates to ten.  This visual may be more helpful in developing and retaining the sense of ten. 

Seeing quantities as instantly recognizable without having to recount from one is an important step in the stages of counting.  Students develop cardinality when they can understand that the final number they counted represents the quantity of objects in a set.   The ability to subitize comes later when students can instantly recognize a quantity of objects.

The use of a ten-frame helps children build mental images, develop the ability to subitize, and foster understanding of part/whole relationships, all important in strengthening a foundation for later work with place-value.  The use of manipulatives such as cube-trains, though helpful in early states of counting, does not provide an instantly recognizable and distinct picture of the wholeness of ten.

The use of the ten-frame also aids in assessing a student’s ability to reason abstractly, construct viable arguments about mathematics, and look for and make use of structure – three of the Mathematical Practice Standards within the Common Core. 

Consider these student’s responses to the following mathematical models of eight:

Ten-frames easily show the order and organization of our base-ten number system.  They provide students with the flexibility of counting each dot individually, or seeing a quantity of dots as combinations of smaller groups of dots.  Students can also see a particular quantity and it's relation to ten.  More importantly, a student is able to develop multiple strategies for counting quantities and understand the connections between them. 

If you have not made use of the ten-frame in your classroom, I encourage you to try it!  You can download a free set here.  Happy counting!! 

 

Thanks for reading along.  Be sure to visit my blog and say hello!  You can find it here.

Dr. Penny Messick is an Instructional Specialist with the Alabama Math, Science, and Technology Initiative (AMSTI).  She spent 25 years teaching K-2 and is a strong supporter of inquiry based learning.  She spends most of her days providing resources and professional development for elementary teachers across south Alabama.  Penny blogs at www.teachthemath.com.  She can also be found on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.