Math Tubs: Numbers

One thing that I have done that is easy and cheap is to get abunch of small white paper plates and write numbers on themwith a marker. Then I had the children try to fill the plateswith the correct number of manipulatives. For example, onechild couldn't count out more than 3 things accurately. So Igave him 10 paper plates with a big 4 printed on them with afat magic marker. His job was to count out four things andput them on each plate. When he mastered quantities of four,he got a new set of plates with the number five on them.
My kids also enjoyed putting unifix cubes together, so Iprinted the numbers 0-10 (or more) on them with a fine tippermanent marker and put them in a zip bag. The children hadto connect the cubes and put them in the correct order. Allof the cubes in each bag were the same color, so as to not getthem mixed up with the next child's cubes.
Another thing that is fun to do is find pictures in amagazine, and cut them out. Glue them in certain quantitiesonto a paper. For example, the children would trace and thenwrite a number five on a paper, and then find five objects ina magazine, cut them out, and glue them onto the paper.
Another thing that we did with cubes is build towers of acertain number. The children had to make ten towers that eachhad five cubes. The towers should all be the same size whenthey are done. They can then put the towers on a paper withthat number printed on it several times, so there should be atower of five under each number five.
They can also make a tower of one, then two, then three cubes,etc., and stack them up in order on a paper that has thosenumbers written on it.
We also use matching sets cards a lot. You take some indexcards, and print the numbers 0-10 on them individually. Thentake some stickers and put them on other index cards. So youhave a card with a zero and another card with no stickers. Then you have a card with number one printed on it, andanother card with one sticker, etc. The children have to putthe numbers in order and match the correct number of stickersto each numeral card. I kept these sets in baggies and usedthem quite a lot. Some kids at the beginning of the year might need to have just 0-5 at first.


http://www.childcareland.com/
Shelly Lovett always has so many good ideas - this is her home site - look at the numbers and other activities on the left side you could adapt to tubs easily

Our kindergarten teachers used clear VCR tape covers/holders to make their number boxes (filled with small items, of course). Just another idea! :-)

This is such a good idea. Have you checked out the ideas in Math Their Way? The newsletter is available online which gives a wonderful synopsis of each chapter and blackline mastera for you to use. You really need to check this out if you have not already! I did the sort of the same thing last yer only my whole class worked on the same number at one time and I just set up number stations. It ws actually kind of hard to manage and to see who was getting what. The way you describe is interesting. When in the year will you start this? Will you work on numeral writing first or at the same time? I ws thinking you might want to go to 5 (or six) first and when the children have really internalized these, then do 6 -10. Maybe even another unit(patterning) first.
I would try to include lots that had invariance of number, that is the best for number sense to me. I did the toothpick activities described in the link. Also, if you have geoboards they can make deigns with that numer of bands. GET THEM TO DESCRIBE THEIR DESIGNS TO A BUDDY. "I made an F. One up, 2 across. One and two is three." Also get little solo cups and have their partner hide small objects under the cup. They count how many are out (2), then have to say how many are in (1). Do you know how to do the bean toss with lima beans? Spray paint beans on only one side (whatever color you like) then make cups of beans with whatever number you need. They toss and say " Three is 2 green and 1 white." Toss again " Three is 3 green 0 white." Toss again is "# is 1 green 2 white." etc. There are even nice recording forms for this activity.
The adress to the REALLY GOOD math their way newsletter is:
http://www.center.edu/NEWSLETTER/newsletter.shtml

CHECK THIS OUT. Lots of recording sheets for number combination activities including the beans:
http://www.hubbardscupboard.org/number_journals.html

Here is a link to the math their way page about number stations.
http://www.center.edu/pub/docs/chapter10.pdf

Math Their Way has great ideas, free printables, & pictures.My kids fav number activity was the Number Dice Roll. They roll those numbers and write them. Later, they rolled the numbers and stamped them.
This is an old link:
http://maththeirway.com/NEWSLETTER/newsletter.shtml

This is a new link: (click on Newsletter)
http://maththeirway.com/

Math Their Way original ideas from the 70's have been incorporated into so many of the math programs you see today. The activities are all tried and true! This teacher went home every evening figuring out ways to teach her kids in hands-on ways. She died young, but her husband continues the work. I learned about it in the early 90's from the veteran teachers I worked with & have used it every since though have tweeked it from time to time.
If you click on the newsletter, you'll see lots of activities with materials you already have on hand. They are explained in detail with pictures. I used to keep all my junk in video cases, then switched to the dollar store containers that have the lid that is connected. They are the perfect size for teddy bears, beans, dice, keys, buttons, paper pattern block cut outs, etc.
I use print outs for my calendar & you'll see the links - weather graph, tooth graph (cut out your own shapes), tally marks (u make on plain paper each month), place value (printable cards), number line (adding machine tape) you generate as a class every day. I'ved used these on my calendar every year of teaching. They are generic & kid appropriate.
I have the birthday cakes that my kids colored my first year of K above the numberline, but you can't see them on my math page. You can see them on my birthday page though. They color a candle the first week of school & I put them up on the cakes.
The opening shows using a balloon every day and popping it for yesterday. I don't do that, because it is not earth friendly to me.
I use the 100's printable for homework folders for counting. I print them on tag, then laminate them & they last in the MOOSE folder all year. (p44 blackline link) There is an assessment link that is very helpful, too.
My kids also like the bean recording sheets for addition/sets. You throw out beans (mine are half orange and half brown - painted - u can buy these now, lol)& put into 2 groups. You color in the orange beans on the bean sheet, then the brown beans on the bean sheet. Later, students can write the equations. Such as 4-2=6 (which is 4 orange beans plus 2 brown beans equals 6). For many years, I had my beans in film canisters, then realized the kids just needed to toss them gently from their hands & that makes bean storage easier in baggies.:o)

Math Their Way in the K Classroom

The early weeks of school can be used for setting guidelines & exploration of the manipulatives you'll be using! It's a good time for observation to see what you children know & how they work together in groups. Depending on the level of the students, I do exploration for 2 to 3 weeks. Believe it or not, I start it the first day/first week of school with small tubs of multilinks, number puzzles, pattern blocks, & unifix cubes. They are easy to put out & simple to monitor!