#257. It's in the Basket

, level: Kindergarten
Posted Sun Nov 24 16:56:48 PST 2002 by Donna Patterson (Patt5@swbell.net).
Atkins Elementary, Atkins, USA
Materials Required: Manipulatives, baskets
Activity Time: Approximately 30 minutes

This has worked wonderful for my kindergarteners for number recognition and counting.First I get 20 (depending upon what number you are teaching) and lable each basket A through U. In each basket I put manipulatives of different shapes and colors from 0 to 20. In basket A I might put 3, in basket B I might put 19 manipulatives. I make a sheet with the letters A - U and leave space ( I draw a line) for the students to write the numbers. Before I put the baskets out, I review the numbers on the board with the students asking them to identify each number as I write. (I often make mistakes such as leaving out numbers or writing them incorrectly to see if they can catch the mistake. At this point, I tell them that it is okay to make mistakes, even teachers make them!) I give them the paper and tell them that the "letter" is on the side of each basket and they are to count the objects in the baskets and record the number on their sheet. I randomly put the baskets around the room and let them roam freely and count the objects and record their findings. (The teacher should have a sheet with the answers before allowing the students to count so that he/she can observe and see if the students are actually counting the objects and getting the right answers). After approximately 20 minutes, use an overhead transparency to fill the sheet out and tell the children to put a check mark beside the ones they got right and fill in the blanks that they did not have time to count. My students LOVE this activity and it allows them to move around. Be sure to stress only one person at a basket at a time. Have fun!