Box of Numicon Shapes 1-10

Description

Transform how well you teach number in the Infant Classes, and beyond, by using a simple box of Numicon 1 to 10 Shapes.

The 10 individual Numicon shapes are KEY to the programme, each representing a value from 1 to 10. The shapes are used to build number experience and competency to 10, onwards through the teen numbers, onwards to 100, tens & units, multiplication, division, fractions etc.

Let’s just focus on INFANTS.

Here are just a few of the mathematical ideas, concepts and activities that can be engaged in:

NUMICON STARTER ACTIVITIES

Here are just a few of the mathematical ideas, concepts and activities that can be engaged in using the shapes 1 to 10.

1.       Identify each shape by assigning value to it i.e. 1 to 10 The value of the shape can be determined by counting the holes. (Alternatively there are bags of 80 pegs available for €15.80 (4 colours x 20 of each) and children can stick pegs into the shape holes e.g. stick 5 pegs into the 5 holes in the RED shape. By doing this they are assigning the value of 5 to the 5 shape which in time they will conserve.

2.       Trace the shape, colour the shape in and write the numeral beside it .

3.       Ask the child to hold up 3, the child will hold up the yellow. Show me 5, the child holds up the red etc.

4.       You hold up a red and yellow – ask the child to hold up the shape that is equivalent value i.e. the green 8.

5.       The black bag activity : put all 10 shapes into a black FEELY BAG, any bag that can’t be seen into, hand the bag to a child and ask him /her to reach in, find a shape / number, identify it by touch alone and tell you what that number is, pull it out and check if correct. Great whole class activity. Children take it in turns to put in their hand and using only the sense of touch, to take a shape into their fist, tell you what the number is and then extract their hand to see if he/she is correct. (At first they will feel the number of holes to determine the value of the shape. Later they will tell the number by its overall shape e.g. they will quickly come to know the shape of 5, the size of 10 as being the largest etc. They will even begin to tell you if it is an even or an odd number that is in their hand by whether there is a bit sticking up or not i.e. odd or even, odd doesn’t have a matching partner. There are so many angles to this activity.

Follow on: this black  feely bag has 3 shapes in it. The total of the shapes is 8. What shapes might be in it? What a lovely open ended task with so many different but equally correct answers. Great discussion question. Repeat for other combinations e.g. in this bag are 4 shapes that total to 10. What are the 4 shapes?

6.       Ordering and naming shapes: ask the children to put the numbers in order from 1 to 10 i.e. put down the orange 1, followed by the light blue 2, the yellow 3, the 4 etc. They can see that each is one more than the previous.

Follow on activity: in pairs the children to put the numbers in order from 1 to 10 i.e. put down the orange 1, followed by the light blue 2, the yellow 3, the 4 etc. They can see that each is one more than the previous. One child then turns their back. The second child removes a shape e.g. the red 5 from the sequence and closes the gap by pushing all the remaining shapes together. The first child turns around and tries to work out which shape or number  is missing from the sequence.

7.       Cut out numbers 1 to 10 and ask the children to match each shape to its written numeral.

8.       Addition: if I add 5 and 3, how many does that make? The child combines the yellow with the red and gets 8, can confirm that he / she is correct by overlaying with the green 8 shape.

9.       Story of Number: e.g. what are all the ways we can combine numbers 1 to 9 to make 10? The child takes the blue 10 shape and experiments with overlaying it with combinations of smaller numbers e.g. pink 7 and yellow 3 cover the blue 10, so 7 + 3 = 10. Find all the combinations. This is real maths! Repeat for other numbers e.g. what are all the ways we can make 8?

10.   Make number bonds e.g. put the blue 6 and yellow 3 on the purple 9. Make observations and record e.g. 6 + 3 = 9, 3 + 6 = 9, 9 – 3 = 6, 9 – 6 = 3:

11. Here’s a really engaging activity that will drive ral mathematical problem solving and plenty of great maths conversation: take a little black bag, into it drop 3 shapes and then pose the following question: In this bag I have three number shapes and their total is 8. What three shapes could be in the bag?

12. Can you draw some odd Numicon Shapes? Can you draw some even Numicon Shapes? Write the numbers beside your shapes.

And on and on goes the number work possibilities.

The Box of 10 Shapes come in a clear plastic box.

FREE CD with Resource Templates and Activities included when you purchase 10+ boxes + Ideas pamphlet to get you started on your NUMICON Journey.