Ten Ways to Play and Learn With Counting Bears

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I'm sure that every preschool and kindergarten classroom has and uses counting bears (or other counters) in some way!  Many homes have them as well, and they can be a fun and simple way to spend some learning time.  We use these Baby Bear Counters from Learning Resources, but if bears are not your thing you can also find pets, people, jungle animals, vehicles, dinosaurs,or even fruit ! My favorite thing about them is how versatile they are.  I easily sat and taught my 2.5 year old and my 4.5 year old at the same time, giving them each different tasks and moving back and forth between them.

There are lots of cute printables available that you can use to play with your counters.  They're stylish and colorful, and if you have the time and desire to use them then that's fantastic.  But by golly, sometimes you just need to grab a bucket of bears and entertain your kids for a while without having to think about it ahead of time.  Of course you can count them, but there are lots of other ways to use them.  Keep these simple ideas in your back pocket for the next time you need a super quick lesson.

1. Count Them

Work on basic one-to-one correspondence.  Set out a row of bears and let your little one practice counting.

2. Skip Count With Them

 Set them out in rows of 2, 5, or 10 and practice skip counting.  Lena was working on counting by 10s in this picture.

3. Sort Them By Color

Set out one bear of each color and have your little one put the rest in the correct piles.

4. Work on Greater Than/ Less Than

 Set out a small pile and a large pile.  Ask which is greater, more, less, fewer, equal.  Practice using those words.

5. Use Them to Measure

 Get out some books or toys (or a ukulele) and practice non-standard measurement.  How many bears long is the object?  This ukulele was about 12 bears long.

6. Use Them for Basic Math Facts
Set out simple math problems.  2 bears + 2 bears = 4 bears.

7. Make Patterns with Them

 Younger children can make basic A/B patterns while older children can work on more complicated patterns.

8. Make Shapes or Words With Them

Arrange them into shapes or letters.  Use them to spell simple words.

9. Wash Them

Hand your kiddos a bowl of water, some bears, a squirt of soap, and a rag.  Bath time!

10. Use Them for Imaginative Play
I know my girls love to plunk them around, make them talk, put them to bed, wrap them up, and so on.  Encourage your children to do the same!

- Original source---See more at: http://www.cuttingtinybites.com/2015/01/10-ways-to-play-and-learn-with-counting.html#sthash.xv9GGUaC.dpuf

Activity: Symmetry of Shapes

Let's find symmetry in shapes! You will need some shapes. You could buy some, or make your own like this: Print out Shapes (In Color) or Shapes (black and white) and cut them out.

Folding Test

You can find if a shape has a Line of Symmetry by folding it.

When the folded part sits perfectly on top (all edges matching), then the fold line is a Line of Symmetry.

Here I have folded a rectangle one way, and it didn't work.

So this is not a Line of Symmetry

But when I try it this way, it does work (the folded part sits perfectly on top, all edges matching):

So this is a Line of Symmetry

An Octagon

Let us try the Octagon (the 8-sided shape)

Is this a Line of Symmetry?

Let's try folding it:

Yes! When folded over, the edges match perfectly

So let us draw it on:

I found another way too::

Tried this	It works!	Draw it on

In fact I found 8 Lines of Symmetry:

Triangles

How about this Triangle?
I tried this fold, but it didn't work:

Can you find any Lines of Symmetry in that triangle? I couldn't.

But how about other types of triangle?

Your Turn

Now it is your turn ... pick a shape and find its Lines of Symmetry.

In fact, try them all! See what you discover.

Final Note: The Circle How about the Circle? Did you find any Lines of Symmetry? In fact the circle has infinite Lines of Symmetry, how about that! Click here for original source!

Math Meets Art: Symmetry Self-Portraits

Click here for original source!

Symmetry is one of my favorite parts of our geometry unit. We always begin by looking for symmetry in the world around us. The perfect book to begin my lessons on symmetry is Seeing Symmetry by Loreen Reedy. It opens my students’ eyes to symmetry that surrounds them in letters, words, nature, and even architecture.  After reading this book, my students love to design their own geometric animals, flowers, and buildings.

Beyond drawing the symmetrical butterfly, however, I like to show my students exactly how symmetrical they are. In order to do this we create symmetrical self-portraits, an activity that uses precise measurement to get beautiful results. Below, you’ll find the directions I had my students follow to create their “other half.”

Materials

• Closeup photo of each student
• 8.5 x 11 white paper for printing
• Paper cutter
• 9 x 12 white construction paper
• Glue sticks
• Rulers
• Shape templates (optional)
• Crayons and colored pencils for coloring.

Step-by-Step Directions

Step One: First, I took a closeup photo of each student. It’s best to take it straight on, making sure the head isn’t tilted to the left or right.

Step Two: Next, I downloaded the photos from my camera and resized them in Microsoft Word so that they took up most of a full page. Once they were resized, I printed them in color.

Step Three: Using scissors, I cut out each head. Having the head trimmed makes it easier to find the line of symmetry for the next step.

Step Four: Using the paper trimmer, I cut each photo in half, straight down the middle. I used the middle of the student’s nose to help me find the halfway mark on each student’s face.

Step Five: Students glued their half-heads onto a piece of 9 x 12 white construction paper.

This next part involves some modeling. Once you show the students how to measure, most can do it with ease.

Step Six: Using the ruler, students pick a starting point and measure how far it is from the line of symmetry. Then they measure that exact same distance on the opposite side, marking the spot with a dot.

For example, Eiki started with his eye. He measured and learned that the inside corner of his right eye was 1.25 cm from the line of symmetry. This helped him know that his left eye must also be 1.25 cm from the line of symmetry. So he measured 1.25 cm and made a dot there. Next he measured the distance from the center to the outside corner, making a dot on the opposite side.

Step Seven: Students continue to measure and mark dots all around the perimeter of their heads. Once they have generated a good amount of dots, I tell the class that they have made themselves into a dot-to-dot drawing and it is time for them to connect the dots! Once the dots are connected, they can really start to see their image emerge.

Step Eight: Next, students began coloring their portraits.

Step Nine: For the final step, students added a background of their choosing. Many used shape templates or rulers to draw symmetrical shapes and patterns. Getting the background symmetrical proved to be the trickiest part for my students, and I will definitely model this step more next time.

 

Symmetry Meets Technology

My class loves the free app Symmetry Lab Basic. This app quickly became a favorite during all the indoor recess we had over the cold winter months. Students use the touchscreen on the iPad to draw creative, symmetrical, kaleidoscope-like works of art.

On the desktop computers, my students enjoyed all the features of Polygon Playground that not only allowed them to create symmetrical shapes, but also introduced them to tessellations.

One of the easiest ways to show symmetry is through snowflakes. My students enjoy making them out of paper, but it is much faster (and neater!) to make them on the computer with Make a Flake.

Books to Try