Make Connections: You and Me and Math
Created through the collaboration of TERC and YMCA OF SILICON VALLEY, made possible by the Heising-Simons Foundation.
Download files are in English and Spanish.
Children measure and compare sizes as they investigate their hands, feet, height, and body shape.
Ages 2 and Up:
- Trace their hands and feet and compare sizes with an adult;
- Make bracelets and anklets just their size;
- Make and decorate body outlines and “height strips” as tall as they are;
- Use play dough to make thumbs and pinkies the same size as their own.
Under 2s:
- Find objects they can hide under their hands;
- See what different boxes they can fit their hands (and bodies) in;
- Make long, short, round, and thin play dough shapes.
THEMES
About Me. Children learn about themselves and their caregivers.
See How I Grow. Use the unit at the start of the year. Save children’s projects, and repeat near the end of the year, so children can investigate how they have changed size.
MATH: MEASUREMENT
As children are doing the activities, help them learn math by:
- Using math words, such as short, long, shorter, longer, and outline (all ages);
- Asking children how they know if two objects are the same size (ages 2 and up);
- Asking children to compare similar things of different size: “How are our hands alike? How are they different?” (ages 2 and up).
MATERIALS
Ages 2 and Up:
- Download files
- Construction paper in light colors: 2 pieces per child.
- Variety of markers
- Roll of clear tape
- Tube pasta or long beads (uncooked, enough for about 15 pieces per child)
- Ball of string or yarn, enough for about 20 inches per child)
- Roll of white craft paper, at least 30 inches wide, enough so each child can use about 4 feet, plus some extra
- Roll of adding machine tape, enough for about 4 feet per child and 6 feet per adult
- Play dough (enough for each child and adult to make and take home a play dough pinkie finger and thumb)
- Scissors (for adult)
Under 2:
- Download files
- several objects, some bigger and some smaller than a baby’s hand (a pompom, piece of cereal, plastic animal)
- several empty boxes or containers, some larger and some smaller than a baby’s hand
- one or more large cardboard boxes, opened at each end to make a “tunnel” for babies to crawl through
- a few baseball sized balls of play dough
- a few straws or plastic toys to stick in the play dough