ECE 151: Math in the Preschool

Emily Gordillo

Theme: Classification

Age and Number of Children: 6 three-year-olds

Content Standards: Content Standard 2.0: Patterns, Functions & Algebra: 2.PK.1 Sort objects

by similar attributes (e.g., size, shape, and color).

Objectives: Participation during this activity will increase the childs ability to

1. Explore the relationship between different shapes.

2. Sort like characteristics into different groups.

3. Identify the different characteristics of each shape.

Materials: A selection of different size and color shapes. We will also need a blank sheet of

white paper with a black divided line through the middle of it.

Activity: Place all the shapes out on the table. Give each child the same exact shapes and allow

them to explore the shapes for about five minutes. After giving the children time to explore and

observe each shape, I will ask them to set them down in front of them. I will then pick one child

and ask them, did you see a shape that you really loved? Can you pick it up and show us which

one you loved the most? The child will then pick up one of the different shapes and show the

group. I will ask why did you pick this shape? What is the first thing you saw that made you

pick up this shape? (If the child is confused I will ask them to tell me everything that they know

about the shape. If they are still confused, then I will pick up a shape and demonstrate it. I will

say this is a I see the color It also has a stamp on it. Oh, and it is a (size of it) shape.)
The child will then describe what they saw, and I will say to the rest of the group can we find

any other shapes (have the same characteristic as the one the child chose?) We will put the

shapes that are similar on this side of the paper (point to one side of the paper.) Once the

children are done I will ask the other children that did not pick the shape why we grouped these

together. I will say these shapes are all the same of very similar because (allow for the

children to respond.)

I will then repeat the process once again with another child allowing them to choose the

shape attribute that will go on the other side.

If all the children understand this procedure, then I will give them their own individual

paper and allow them to do both sides on their own. I will then individually ask them why they

grouped it the way that they did and allow them to describe it to me.

On the other hand, if the children are struggling, I will take away two sets of shapes to

minimize over stimulation, as well as remove the paper. They will simply place the correlating

shapes on the table rather than on the paper. If this is still daunting to the children, I will continue

to prompt them by choosing the shape for them. I will then ask them to find a shape that is like

the one that I have chosen.

What Happened: All the children were very eager to participate in the activity. I noticed that

while exploring the activity the children, without even being prompted, began to list off different

characteristics of the shapes. They were mostly intrigued by the stamps on the shape.

Payton and Jasper grasped this concept very easily, however; LJ had a hard time

wrapping his head around the concept that even though the stamp was the same, that the shape
did not look the same and the color was different. LJ was able to sort the objects by shape and by

color, but was unable to sort them based on the stamp or size of the shape.

Whats Next: I will encourage the children to go on a scavenger hunt for different objects that

have similar characteristics in the classroom. For Payton and Jasper, I will increase the level of

difficulty and for LJ I will keep the characteristics obvious and easy to see.

After they have obtained a variety of different objects in the classroom we will then sort

them into different categories. If LJ continues to remain puzzled, then we will simplify the

activity in addition to allowing more one on one time.