Teacher's Mistake (5-1)
KNPIG ID #Nb 1109.0
What's this activity about?
This activity is great for quick math practice with sequencing numbers from five to one. You can do this anywhere because there are no materials needed! You say numbers backward from five to one and leave one number out. Your child has to guess what number you missed. Then your child can have a turn being the teacher and see if you can figure out what number she left out. This is a great opportunity to fit some fun math practice in anytime.
What materials do we need?
No materials are needed.
How do we play?
Start counting backward from five to one and omit one number. Your child earns a point every time they accurately identify the omitted number from the counting sequence. The “teacher” earns a point anytime the students cannot identify the error. Switch roles and play again to see if your child can trick you!
Where’s the Math?
This activity has a lot do with what your child is learning in school. Your child is learning all the number names and what the numerals look like. Also, your child is learning about number order and how to count forward and backwards from any given number between one and five. These all are important concepts to master when just starting out with math.
Things to Think About:
When working with children remember to BE PATIENT. It may be hard not to help when they are struggling but learning how to problem solve on their own is an important developmental step. Just like learning the alphabet before learning to read, learning numbers and number order should come before more difficult math. Remember, making mistakes is all part of the learning process. The most important thing is to make this fun!
If your child is struggling, try practicing counting forward and backward together before going back to finding the missing number. Continue to practice this until your child becomes more comfortable with the order. You can encourage your child to close his eyes and picture the numbers in his head. She may even use her fingers if she is a more tactile learner. In no time, this activity will become a piece of cake.
*If you have fun with this activity, try it counting forward also!*
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