Materials
colored construction paperscissorspaste or gluewhite papermarkers or crayonspencil
Instructions
1. Before beginning the activity, select three simple shapes (or symbols) to represent the numerals 1, 5, and 10.
2. Using a different color for each shape, trace several of each shape on the construction paper. For example: green squares for the numeral 1, red hearts for 5, and blue circles for 10.
3. Cut out all the shapes and label with the correct numeral.
4. Give each child a sheet of white paper and a few of each shape (they will need more squares than circles), or place all the shapes in piles for the children to draw from as needed.
5. Say a number and have the children depict it by maneuvering the shapes on their papers. For example, the numeral 8 would be eight squares or one heart and three squares.
6. Help the children count out the shapes and find ways to depict each of the numerals. For example, 12 would be one circle (10) and two squares (1 + 1) or two hearts (5 + 5) and two squares (1 + 1). Encourage the children to think of other combinations.
7. Help the children understand that five squares equal one heart, and two hearts or 10 squares equal one circle, and so on by manipulating and substituting shapes to show equalities.
8. Once the children have grasped the idea that the shapes symbolize numbers and quantities, invite them to select one or more numbers of their own to depict.
9. Have them glue their shapes on the paper, and write the number represented next to the shapes.
