For this activity, the teacher put marbles in a large glass vase.  The children each then had a turn to “estimate” how many marbles were in the jar.  Seems simple enough.  However, let’s take a look at how this differs from Monday’s example and why these distinctions are important. 

The first thing to notice that even as an adult, you couldn’t possible estimate how many marbles are in the vase.  It really wouldn’t even be an estimate as much as it would be a guess, and a pretty random one at that.  The smaller jars with fewer items makes far more sense for young children.  Most three and four years olds can’t even imagine what 45 or 70 marbles look like since they probably haven’t developed a solid sense of number that big.  And remember, just because children can count to 45 does not mean they have any concept of what 45 is.

Each child had an opportunity to write their name and their guess on a large graph that the teacher hung in the classroom.

I love that the children wrote their names and their numbers but you can see that their “estimates” are not even close.  This takes us back to the original intention of the activity.  If the learning outcome for the children was to write their names and a number then the learning outcome was met. If the learning outcome was about estimation, I am not so sure.

The teacher wrote the word “Predictions” on top of the first column.  Was this a prediction activity?  A prediction is a guess about the future, so this language is not quite correct.  We want to be sure to use exact and correct language with children all of the time.  This is especially true when we design an activity and the results of that activity will be a part of the classroom over time.  Having this graph up in the classroom may reinforce misunderstandings about what a prediction is, and it doesn’t say anything about estimation.

Thoughts?

It may be hard to see so I will give you some hints.

There are 2 cookies, a glass of milk, a refrigerator, a straw, a mirror, a book, and a pencil (there are a few more).  Using these clues, can you tell that this is the story called If You Give a Mouse a Cookie?

This teacher did such a lovely job telling this story and including each child.  She knew the story by heart and each time the mouse needed something new, a child would come and find the felt board piece and add it to the board.

These children were in their second week of preschool and they did an awesome job taking turns, finding the pieces and getting them to stick to the board. For a first felt board experience, this was really nice.

One of the great things about the Laura Numeroff books (there are several that are similarly themed) is that they incorporate, cause and effect, if-then statements, and predictive sequencing. During this telling of the story, the teacher did not focus on these obvious elements as she was clearly just beginning to work with these newcomers, and her goal for the moment was that they participate, listen and enjoy.

However, once the children become accustomed to the activity and become wholly familiar with the design of these stories, it is important that the children put the pieces of the story on the board in order so they can tell and retell it themselves.  I appreciate the hand-made pieces (they were beautiful) but I would have also included a felt mouse, since all of the action happens around him.  A felt mouse could also be included in the telling which might make the felt board version more coherent for the children.

Imagine laying out each piece in order (a cookie, a glass of milk, a straw, and so on) and then have the mouse mover through the sequence.  Rather than having the children put the pieces on the board, they could come up and take them off.  Once the mouse eat the cookie, he want some milk.  In order to drink the milk, he needs a straw, etc., until the mouse comes full circle and ends up back to the cookie.

The mathematical elements of these books are outstanding.  Prediction and sequencing are the most appropriate for the preschool classroom and can be incorporated into any associated activity you do with your children.

This Monday is April Fool’s Day- the day when playing practical jokes  is not only acceptable but expected.  There are several accepted origins to this day-from references to Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales to the Roman holiday of Hilaria. 

In Europe, a traditional practical joke that is played amongst school children, families and colleagues in the workplace is to try and tape a paper fish to someone’s back without being noticed.  That is why April 1st is called “April Fish Day” in France, Italy, and Belgium.

It might be fun to create a game out of the fish tradition with the children in our programs.  Rather than playing “Doggy, Doggy, Where’s my Bone?” you could adapt it to play, “Kitty, Kitty, Where’s my Fish?”.

If you are unfamiliar with this game it is quite simple.  Everyone sits in a circle, puts their hands behind their backs, and closes their eyes.  Very quietly, you give one child a fish (or a bone for the Doggy version) and once it is well hidden behind that child’s back, you ask everyone to open their eyes.  At this point, everyone says together, “Kitty, Kitty, Where’s my Fish?”  One child gets to guess who has the fish.  If s/he gets it right, you play again, and that child gets to choose where the fish goes for that round.  If s/he gets it wrong, another child gets to guess, until the fish is found.

This game involves “guessing” (or predicting), and the process of “elimination”, both great mathematical skills.  Give it a try and let us know how it goes.