Preparation:
Place the box of number cards on a table, carpet, or other flat surface. Prepare the concrete (optional).
You can use concrete objects that represent quantities along with the number cards to give children a visual understanding of numbers. For example, you can use beads.
Introduction:
Discover the number cards: Let the children touch and look at the number cards. Talk about the different colors and sizes. Which number card is the biggest? Which number card is the smallest?
Understand the value of numbers: Compare the number cards. For example, you could compare 1 and 10, or 100 and 1000. Talk about how the size and color of the cards represent the value of the numbers.
Activities:
1. Lay out the number cards:
- Start with ones: Lay out the ones cards from 1 to 9 in order.
- Continue with tens: Lay out the tens cards from 10 to 90 to the left of the ones cards.
- Build hundreds: Lay out the hundreds cards from 100 to 900 to the left of the tens cards.
- End with thousands: Lay out the thousands cards from 1000 to 9000 to the left of the hundreds cards.
Look at the pattern in the numbers and how they increase in value from ones to tens, hundreds and thousands.
2. Build numbers:
- Start with simple numbers: Start by building numbers from 1 to 20 by combining ones cards and tens cards.
- Use concrete: You can use beads or other small objects to show the quantity represented by the number.
- Increase difficulty: Gradually increase the difficulty by building numbers from 21 to 99, 101 to 999, and finally from 1001 to 9999.
