Math Activities

Professional Development for Preschool Teachers: Fun Ways to Teach Math!

http://quschoolofeducation.wordpress.com/2014/02/20/qu-teacher-candidates-present-workshop-to-local-preschool-teachers/

During this professional development I, along with three other classmates in my graduate program, developed 25 different activities preschool teachers can incorporate in their classrooms to help educate their students about mathematical skills based on the preschool Framework.

Go Fish Math Game

During this game, preschool students have the opportunity to develop and/or strengthen their number sense by learning to identify numbers numerically and represented with dots. The goal of the game is to be able to fish for the correct numbered fish that is called out to them using a fishing pole made of a plastic straw, yarn, and a magnet. 

Materials:

*Different colored construction paper
*Black Sharpie marker
*Yarn
*Magnets (small)
*Paperclips
*Scissors

Differentiated Instruction:

There are a number of ways you can play this game in order to accommodate all of your learners!
1. In order to differentiate for your students, you can use the side of the fish with the numeric number on it so that students can focus on building their number recognition numerically.
2. For those who need more of a challenge, you can use the side of the fish that represent the number with dots. In addition, you can help strengthen your students' color recognition skills by instructing your students to find a certain colored fish with a particular number on it. For example, "Can you find a RED fish with the number THREE on it?"