Domain: NC Foundations for Early Learning: Cognitive Development (CD)

Subdomain: Mathematical Thinking and Expression

Goal: Children show understanding of numbers and quantities during play and other activities

Skill Progression: Composing and decomposing number

Age: 54-60 Months

Click here to go to all skills for ages 54-60 Months.

Have a variety of 10-20 piece puzzles available. Have children work in pairs with children who have lower number concept comprehension using the puzzles with fewer pieces. The adult needs to provide some instruction before doing the activity. Children need to understand the concept of flat and a corner. The adult needs to define and illustrate these concepts before beginning.

3) Give them a piece of grid paper with large squares and have them draw in a symbol for each corner piece in a row ([), a straight edge symbol (|), and an all curves piece (S). 4) Ask children to count how many pieces they have in each set and write the amount next to the last item in the row.

The adult walks among the pairs and listens to the comments and problem solving. She takes notes on individual children related to the skills in this area. The child should be able to create distinct groups or sets relating to characteristics of items.

Parents are not likely to do similar activities, so early childhood educators need to use every opportunity in the day to give children practice with adding to and subtracting from groups or sets. (Total number of coats, number left; single mittens, number needed; total drink cups needed, how many more after 3 set down, etc.)