Symmetry Made Simple: Engage your Students with Hands-On Activities

You're probably here to find new activities to add to your symmetry unit, so let's begin!

Symmetry Provocation

Moment of Truth: I am an old soul.  An old fart.  I'm quite resistant to change so I haven't fully embraced the play and inquiry model.  For now I'm introducing bits and pieces to create more of a balance.

My first foray was a symmetry provocation.  Without explicitly defining symmetry, I put out a set of books which they flocked to.  Check them out below!  The kids quickly picked up the concept and the center became a hit!

If it's not clear, I put a thin layer of sand in a baking tin and added a small mirror.  I held up the mirror with one hand and made a design in the sand with the other.  The kids thought that it was the coolest thing looking at the reflection in the mirror!

Pegs and Pegboards

I got a bucket of pegs and a set of pegboards from a clearance center when I first started teaching.  Like most teachers would, I had to buy it because it was a great deal!  The small pegs and pegboards (4x6 inches) came from a local dollar store.  I challenged my students to make symmetrical designs or pictures. 

Butterfly Art

In grade one (first grade), paint makes everything better!  These were super easy and quick - a few drops on one side of the butterfly, press down and voilà! 

Math Journals

For their journal entries, I asked students to create both symmetrical and non-symmetrical designs and find the line of symmetry in letters of the alphabet.  These pages are part of my resource: Open-Ended Math Questions - Geometry. It is found in my TPT Store and BP Shop.

I hope that you found some new ideas to try with your own kiddos! 

Christmas Fractions Fun: Crafting Holiday Cheer in Math Class

Ahhh...Christmas time!  I know that I'm not the only teacher who sometimes struggles with fitting in all of the curriculum as well as allowing for some "fun" throughout the year, especially around certain holidays and celebrations. 

Years ago, I was teaching my first-grade students about structures in science class and I didn't have the money (nor the patience!) to build gingerbread houses.  I should mention that we did have a classroom budget, but I didn't want to spend a huge chunk on one day's activities.

In math, we were learning about fractions so I headed to my go-to resource sites - TPT and Pinterest - to look for a craftivity for fractions and Christmas.  I didn't find any that would work for my kids so (gasp!) I made one myself! 

I am really happy with how it turned out and had a hard time deciding which craftivity to do with my class!  I went with the Christmas tree.  All of the cutting and gluing took awhile, but at least they were practicing math facts and making a cute Christmas craft at the same time!

Check out my samples.

I put both the Christmas Tree and Christmas Gift together as one resource available for purchase in my TPT Store and BP Shop.  If you already have your Christmas projects planned, you may want to consider it for next year!  If you do try it out, I would love feedback - let me know how it went!  Good or bad :)

Here's to making it to Christmas Break! 

8 Simple Ways for Kids to Represent Numbers

Children need opportunities to learn about numbers. Counting, identifying numbers, and understanding quantity are foundational concepts that students build upon. Check out this blog post to see how I introduce different representations.

Join the Numberock crew as they learn about different representations of numbers.

---

Number Representation Cards

I have created a set of number cards that help to build or reinforce number sense and number representation!

This resource is perfect for Number of the Day and for practicing subitizing, counting, sorting, ordering, and comparing. You can use the cards for assessment, whole group, small groups, math centers, and card games.

Card Games

• Match - Match 2 representation of a number

• Memory or Concentration - Like Match, but the cards are turned over!

• War - How to play

• Snap - How to play

Ways to Sort

• Sort by number

• Odd versus Even

• Number/Not the number (if you’re focusing on the number 4, sort the representations of 4 and numbers that are not 4)

We used these cards on the pocket chart together as a class and some students were already grasping the concept of telling time to the hour and adding coin amounts. 

8 Number Representations:

1. Numeral

2. Word

3. Dots (Dice)

4. Tally Marks

5. Ten Frame

6. Fingers

7. Clock

8. Coin Value

I’ve created 2 versions of this resource: Number Representation 1-10 (TPT Store or BP Shop) and Number Representation 1-20 (TPT Store or BP Shop)

How to Represent Numbers in Different Ways (and a Free Anchor Chart)

Knowing that numbers can be represented in different ways is key to building a strong foundation in number sense.  Beyond the ability of identifying a number, is the understanding of each number as a quantity. 

This catchy song by Jack Hartmann  shows different ways numbers can be represented.

Model representing numbers in different ways

Demonstrate the following number representations:

• Numeral

• Word

• Pictures

• Tally Marks

• Ordinal Number

• Number Line

• Ten Frame

Plus:

• Coin Value

• Clock

• Before and After

Most of my kiddies quickly grasped these concepts, especially by the time we got to number 10. 

We completed the chart as a class and then went on to complete a page from my Number Printing Practice resource which can be found in my TPT store or BP Shop. I introduced my Number Representation and Subitizing Cards as a center activity (TPT Store or BP Shop). Here’s a blog post with more information about the cards.

This anchor chart is a free product available on TPT!  You can get it by clicking on the picture below.