Three preschool math teachers were found wandering the aisles of the supermarket on the 6th of September 2010, laughing and having fun. On closer inspection, we noticed that they were carrying a card which they later said was a “value card”, going around the supermarket picking things off the shelves. When asked to elaborate on just what they were up to, the teachers claimed that they were planning a mathematical game for preschoolers aged 4-5 using things they could find in the environment.
Although they claimed to be planing a lesson, the three teachers looked like they were having a good time. When this reporter asked them if she could have a peek into their basket to see what they had collected so far they willingly obliged. In one of the baskets, the teachers had picked 1 can of Hunt's tomato sauce and 2 bottles of Meiji Milk. The teachers explained that the objective of the activity was for students to look for a combination of items that would come up to a total value of five. On their "value card", the teachers had given each item a value (e.g. A bottle of Meiji Milk -2 ).
One of the teachers; Grace had this to say about their activity :
"This activity; "Shopping Number Race", tied in to Chapter 3-Teaching Through Problem Solving, of our textbook in some ways.
The game "begins where the students are" .We took into consideration the current understanding of the 4 to 5 year olds in our centres and planned an activity that would engage yet challenge them. We tried to ensure that the context was grounded in experiences familiar to the students - the supermarket- to help them build meaning for the concept we were teaching. A problem that is presented to children should also have multiple paths to the solutions. This will allow each child to make sense of the task using their own thoughts and ideas. The "Shopping Number Race" that we have planned allows children to make their own combinations of items to come up with a total value of five.This activity also allows for extensions.Teachers can pose "what if" questions to motivate the students and extend their learning."
And with that the three teachers carried on in their race!
very creative. by the way i have used the group's example for discussion on my blog.
ReplyDelete:) thank u! U've read it so fast! I saw the qns u posed on our activity...await our reply! haha
ReplyDelete