Preschool-Kindergarten Math - Numbers

One of the biggest challenges in teaching Preschool and Kindergarten math is a child's ability to understand cardinality. Cardinality is a child's ability to attach meaning to a number. A young child may be able to count by rote and even use one-to-one correspondence but may not understand that the set represents a specific number. They may not understand that the last number counted represents the total amount. For example, ask a child to count a set and ask them how many there are. Can they confidently relay the total amount (understand the last number counted represents the total)? If you rearrange the set, will they still understand it represents the same number? According to research this is a challenging concept for children and requires them to be actively involved in activities and games that help them develop this. Games and activities that involve counting and comparing are great for developing this. It is a key concept for children because it is the framework for developing other math concepts.
Kinderplans.com has developed a Math program which addresses many of the Kindergarten curriculum outcomes. The video above demonstrates activities that are found in the "Number Sense" strand from the curriculum. It provides ideas of how specific numbers can be introduced and follow-up games and activities can be used to develop the concept of cardinality.
Note: Numbers to 20 are introduced in the program to address the different school jurisdictions curriculum outcomes.

More Preschool-Kindergarten Math Ideas

Preschool-Kindergarten Writing

Children are best encouraged to engage in an activity when they
see others participating in it. This is why it is important for
educators of young children to model the writing process.
Outlined below are a few ways in which this can be
accomplished.

1. Many teachers like to begin each class with writing a short
morning message. This message outlines what activities are
planned for the day. As the teacher is writing she models the
writing process. She might focus on how words make a sentence,
stretching sounds to determine how they are spelled or the use
of capitals and periods. This modeling is a very important
component in a child's learning process as it demonstrates to
them that writing is an important means of communication.

2. Within a learning environment should be a safe and encouraging
place where the children can develop this skill which would be the
"Writing Center". The "Writing Center" would consist of a table,
chairs, paper, envelopes, pencils, crayons, felts, tracers, rulers,
whiteboard, chalkboard and clipboard. The alphabet, in upper and
lower case letters should be posted nearby at the child's level.
Plenty of print should be displayed within the classroom for the
children to use as models for reading and writing. As a member
of the Kinderplans website you will have access to hundreds of
picture cards related to specific themes. Each of the cards have
the words printed on them. These were designed to use for this
purpose.

3. Writing develops at different rates. For many children in the
younger years they draw pictures to convey their ideas. This
begins with scribbling to something that resembles a picture.
The educator (teacher) may ask the child to dictate what the
picture conveys and print this in words and read it back to the
child. This is another means of modeling the writing process.

4. Large classroom books can be made for the children to read.
These books were designed around each child's conveyed message.
for example, if you are working on a "Colors Theme", each child
would dictate a sentence telling what their favorite color is.
After, they would would draw a picture displaying the color. The
teacher would include the printed text of what each child said
below the picture drawn. This would be bound together to make a
classroom book.

WRITING PROCESS
It is important to understand that writing is a process and each
child develops at their own pace. The more support and
encouragement provided the greater the success!

WRITING/CRAFT ACTIVITIES
In the link below you will find some suggested craft/writing
activities that can be done together as a class.

Preschool-Kindergarten Writing Activities