Arizona Head Start TTA Office
Summer Webinar Series:
Integrating Math Across the Curriculum
Mary Kramer Reinwasser, M.Ed.
AZ Head Start T/TA Office Manager
Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona
A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
1
Agenda
• Discuss the importance of math
• Review fundamental math concepts that develop
during the preschool years
• Strategize how to Create a Mathematical Rich
Environment
Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona
A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
2
Learning Outcomes
Participants will be able to:
• Name fundamental concepts of math
• Explain the importance of developing math skills in children
• Identify several strategies to implement in the classroom that
will encourage math skill development in children
• Develop ideas for integrating math throughout the classroom
environment
Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona
A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
3
Do you suffer from math anxiety?
Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona
A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
4
Why Math?
• Math helps children find meaning in their environment.
• In play, daily routines, and other meaningful activities,
children question, analyze, and talk about their discoveries.
• Mathematics is an area where many English language learners
accelerate because they can manipulate materials, as well as
their bodies and hands, to practice math skills.
• Last, but by no means least, math knowledge, interest, and
skills are basic to children’s success in school
Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona
A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
5
Fundamental Math Concepts
Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona
A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
6
Numbers and Operation OR Numeracy
• Number sense involves the
ability to think and work with
numbers and to understand
their uses and relationships.
• "Operation" is the formal
mathematical term referring to
addition, subtraction,
multiplication, and division of
numbers
Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona
A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
7
Head Start Outcome Framework
Domain #3 Element: Numbers and Operations
• Demonstrates increasing interest and awareness of numbers
and counting as a means for solving problems and determining
quantity.
• Begins to associate number concepts, vocabulary, quantities,
and written numerals in meaningful ways.
• Develops increasing ability to count in sequence to 10 and
beyond.
• Begins to use language to compare numbers of objects with
terms such as more, less, greater than, fewer, equal to.
• Develops increased abilities to combine, separate and name
“how many” concrete objects.
Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona
A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
8
Number and Operations Strategies
• Encourage children to count all sorts of objects and events
and to think about quantity and number
• Arrange materials and use games and verbal encouragement
to involve children in matching and sorting objects, using oneto-one correspondence and ordering a set of objects that vary
• Draw children's attention to numbers around them and what
they are used for, such as finding addresses, prices of objects,
and shoe sizes.
• Use strategies to help children learn to count accurately and
efficiently
Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona
A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
9
• Highlight the relationships critical to developing number
concepts and operations
• Help children to become familiar with the skills and
vocabulary of estimating
• Use math vocabulary words regularly including more than,
less/fewer than, about, near, approximately, and in between
• Make it a point to return to a problem type to allow children
to try again.
Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona
A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
10
Geometry and Spatial Sense
• Geometry is the naming and
understanding of attributes
of shapes and applying
them to problem solving
• Spatial sense is
understanding the
relationship of self and
objects through position,
directions, and distance
Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona
A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
11
Head Start Outcome Framework
Domain #3 Element: Geometry and Spatial Sense
• Begins to recognize, describe, compare, and name common
shapes, their parts and attributes.
• Progresses in ability to put together and take apart shapes.
• Begins to be able to determine whether or not two shapes
are the same size and shape.
• Shows growth in matching, sorting, putting in a series, and
regrouping objects according to one or two attributes such as
color, shape, or size.
• Builds an increasing understanding of directionality, order,
and positions of objects, and words such as up, down, over,
under, top, bottom, inside, outside, in front, and behind.
Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona
A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
12
Geometry & Spatial Sense Strategies
• Encourage children to identify different shapes and threedimensional figures during daily activities.
• Give children many opportunities to handle objects, such as
blocks, boxes or containers, shape sorters, and puzzles.
• Let them climb in and out, on or around, under, over, through,
into, on top of, and out of different things to experience
themselves in space.
• Encourage them to make new shapes by putting materials
together and taking them apart in different arrangements.
Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona
A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
13
Geometry & Spatial Sense Strategies
• Introduce spatial vocabulary, including—
– location and position words (such as on/off, over/under,
in/out, above/below, in front of/in back of);
– movement words (such as up/down, forward/backward,
toward/away from, straight/curved path); and
– distance words (such as near/far, close to/far from,
shortest/longest).
– Distance words (such as near/far, close to/far from,
shortest/longest).
Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona
A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
14
Patterns and Measurement
• Pattern is a regular or
repetitive form, order, or
arrangement
• Measurement is the size,
length, quantity, or rate of
something that has been
measured
Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona
A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
15
Head Start Outcome Framework
Domain #3 Element: Patterns & Measurement
 Enhances abilities to recognize, duplicate, and extend simple
patterns using a variety of materials.
 Shows increasing abilities to match, sort, put in a series, and
regroup objects according to one or two attributes such as
shape or size.
 Begins to make comparisons between several objects based
on a single attribute.
 Shows progress in using standard and non-standard measures
for length and area of objects.
Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona
A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
16
Patterns & Measurement Strategies
• Increase awareness of patterns around the classroom and
throughout the day
• Let children figure out their own units for measurement
• Use many daily activities such as construction, cooking,
woodworking, science, and other experiences that involve
measurement.
• Provide simple experiences that help children begin to
develop an understanding of time concepts
• Capitalize on children’s interest in comparing all sorts of
things about themselves.
• Use charts and graphs daily!
Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona
A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
17
Creating a Mathematical Environment
Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona
A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
18
Library
• Include shape books,
counting books, and books
for classifying and
comparing, and books for
solving problems
• Integrate math and
storytime
• Children create books of
their own
• See handout for more
books to use
Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona
A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
19
Sand and Water Play
• Children learn about shape,
size, weight, and volume
endlessly.
• Always include materials
such as a variety of
containers, measuring cups,
sieves, funnels spoons and
buckets to name a few
Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona
A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
20
Dramatic Play
• Select a variety of items in
different shapes and sizes
• Every plate should be
partnered with a spoon,
knife, and fork. Each pot
should have a lid. Each shoe
should have a mate
• Provide play money, a cash
register, a simple scale,
tickets for pricing items and
an adding machine
Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona
A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
21
Art
• Match brushes with paint
cups
• A peg for each smock
• Art supplies are arranged
on a shelf with “shadow’ to
indicate where each item
belongs
• Include rulers, tracing
shapes, etc.
Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona
A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
22
Blocks
•Offer blocks made of different
materials such as wood,
cardboard, and foam
•When you label the block
shelves with the actual block
shape, cleanup becomes a
matching activity.
•Also create rules about how high
blocks should be stacked at
cleanup.
•Add maps, paper and pencils for
drafts, books about construction,
etc.
Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona
A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
23
Other Areas
• Look for math opportunities beyond your learning centers. Wall
space can be used for graphing of various attributes of objects,
events or the children themselves.
• Children can explore measurement all over the room with tools
such as links, cardboard tubes, and blocks.
• Post symbols of various kinds ( not just numbers) to represent
the number of children that can use a center at one time.
• In your classroom environment you can capitalize on the
physical attributes of your space, such as patterns in your rugs,
floor, series of windows and height of furniture, to reinforce
math concepts.
• Always try to keep an eye out for other creative ways to
incorporate math around your classroom
Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona
A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
24
In summary…
• Math experiences should provide for
fun, shared times between for children.
• Children need experiences handling and
working with things.
• Children need repeated experiences.
• Children learn best when they are
engaged in activities that interest them.
• Children are practicing math and
vocabulary when they talk with adults or
other children about their math
experiences.
Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona
A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
25
Q&A
Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona
A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
26
The Arizona Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Office
and STG International thank you for joining our webinar today!
Please contact Mary Kramer Reinwasser at
mary.reinwasser@stginternational.com for more information.
This presentation, and all 2010 Summer Webinar Series
presentations can be accessed at
http://www.azheadstart.org/AHSA_TTA.html
Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona
A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
27