8227 /www/nrich/html/content/id/8227/ 5 0000-00-00T00:00:00 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <mdoxml version="1.0"><h3>Introduction</h3> <p>Children often make collections of natural or found objects, like leaves, stones or pine cones or select from large provided assortments of shells, fabrics or buttons, making subgroups which they arrange in patterns or put into containers. Teachers can build on this by providing ranges of collectable objects and containers for putting them in.</p> <h3>The activity</h3> <p>Encourage children to make and arrange collections and talk about their ideas. They may make collections of things from the classroom or bring things in from home.</p> <h3>Mathematical Opportunities/curriculum links</h3> <p>Sorting and describing collections by mathematical properties such as size,  shape and pattern.<br></br> Counting and comparing numbers of collections and groups.</p> <h4 style="margin-left: 40px;">The big ideas and their progression</h4> <h4 style="margin-left: 40px;">same and different:</h4> <ul> <li> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">size and measures – noticing length, area, weight, capacity</p> </li> <li> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">shape – grouping by properties like curved or straight and noticing similarities with other shapes in the environment “like a house, wing, face”</p> </li> <li> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">number</p> </li> <li> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">noticing amounts increase as more are collected</p> </li> <li> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">counting and cardinality - progressing from knowing some number words, to saying one number for each object, then knowing the number of the whole group</p> </li> <li> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">relative number size - being able to compare numbers of groups</p> </li> <li> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">part –whole numbers – noticing numbers within numbers, for subgroups within collections</p> </li> </ul> <h4 style="margin-left: 40px;">comparing and describing:</h4> <ul> <li> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">using mathematical language about measures such as bigger, fatter, progressing to more specific terms like longer, wider, heavier, holds more</p> </li> <li> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">using mathematical language about shapes, using informal vocabulary such as  pointy, fat, wiggly, progressing to mathematical terms like straight, round</p> </li> </ul> <h4 style="margin-left: 40px;">pattern sniffing:</h4> <ul> <li> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">spotting patterns in shapes eg symmetry</p> </li> <li> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">making patterns in arrangements of collections ie arranging according to a rule</p> </li> </ul> <h3>Teacher interventions</h3> <p>You might encourage children to describe how they have sorted and explain their reasoning:<br></br> Tell me about your collection…<br></br> I wonder why you’ve put all these ones together /these over here and those over  there?<br></br> You might encourage comparison of size and measures, and model more specific language:<br></br> I see you’ve put all the shorter ones together and all the longer ones over here<br></br> That box isn’t big enough, can you find one that holds more?<br></br> You could encourage children to count and compare:<br></br> What a lot you’ve got! I wonder how many there are../how many we could find?<br></br> What kind are there most of?</p> <p>Different approaches and contexts<br></br> Child initiated collecting<br></br> Outings-children might be stimulated to collect in outdoor environments such as woods or a park.<br></br> NB You may need to deter them from picking flowers or collecting unsavoury objects like litter (or ensure they wear gloves )!<br></br> Plan to take containers such as bags on outings, so that collections of shells, conkers leaves etc can be brought back.<br></br> Observe what children are interested in and supplement collections back in your setting</p> <h3>Children&#39;s possible responses</h3> <p>(I’ve put some of what I thought would go here in the progression bits above)<br></br> The children might look for containers to keep or sort their collections into, which provide further opportunities to explore shape and size.<br></br> They may put into bags, boxes, baskets, or trays with compartments<br></br> They may arrange collections in straight or curved lines and shapes</p> <p>NB the children may also focus on scientific properties such as colour, texture, materials and function.</p> <h3>Other approaches to stimulate collections</h3> <p>You will already have lots of collections of things in your setting. You might provide collections of objects which:</p> <ul> <li>have potential for shape and pattern spotting, such as buttons, fabric scraps, wrapping paper, cards</li> <li>are miniature objects, such as cars, small people or animals </li> <li>are available cheaply, at car boot sales, pound shops or scrap schemes</li> <li>are connected with parents’ jobs or activities, eg nuts and bolts, wood or material fragments, packaging, tickets</li> <li>are part of a role play area eg treasure, hats, shoes, tools, boxes</li> <li>are specifically mathematical eg numerals in different fonts</li> </ul> <p>Hide collections in sand, around the setting or outdoor area – or put in water to be ‘caught’ and fished out.<br></br> Provide containers of different sizes and shapes, especially with compartments, like printing trays, chocolate boxes, bun or plant trays<br></br> Display collections in compartments with labels<br></br> Put on light boxes to look at shapes of silhouettes<br></br> or between hinged mirrors- collections put between them will appear much bigger!<br></br> Provide purposes for sorting and arranging resources for tidying and checking, for creative work or for a shop or role play area</p></mdoxml> 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 An EYFS resource looking at the theme of collecting through mathematical lenses.