Page 23: 5 ways to use Numicon

 Page 23: 5 ways to use numicon 

This week I have decided to delve straight into some lesson ideas. Today I am sharing with you 5 ways to use numicon planned for a high ability nursery class with progression for the week (their second week on the topic). This can simply be adapted and differentiated to meet the needs for all learners - I am more than happy to do another post breaking this down as maths planning is definitely my favourite for me!!

The aim for all of my lessons are to be as fun and practical as possible. I found this is what worked best for my class especially when focusing on engagement and participation. Through teaching like this, pupils are also developing many other vital skills such as working together as well as sitting and waiting for their own turn. In the EYFS much more learning takes place than the actual main lesson content - these pupils are so young and impressionable and it is our responsibility to pack as much fun and exciting learning opportunities in as possible!  The most successful teachers and ways to do it, is when pupils do not even realise they are learning.

(New) Development Matters Outcomes for the activities:

Mathematics: 3 and 4 year olds will be learning to ....

* Recite numbers past 5

* Say one number for each item in order (cardinal number)

* Develop fast recognition of up to 3 objects, without having to count them individually (subitising developed with the numicon)

ACTIVITY 1 - Image Matching

After initially recapping and sharing the numicon pieces with the Numicon pieces, I printed and laminated numicon flashcards, and flashed through these getting pupils to recite, become quick and familiar. After this, I hid the flashcards around the classroom and provided each pupil with their own piece of Numicon. Pupils had to find their corresponding card to piece. This can be repeated numerous times with pupils having different amounts. When pupils found their matching card and came back to the circle, we went around and they had to share with the group the amount they had and place the Numicon on the card.

ACTIVITY 2 - 5 Frame Matching

Again, started with recapping the Numicon pieces (for this activity only up to five), and follow this by recapping 5 frames and how we use to subitising. Demonstatre and model that although they look vert different they still represent the same number. For example in the image of the 4 numicon and representative dots on the 5 frame look very different. I placed numerous pieces of Numicon up to 5 in the middle of the circle and provided each child with a 5 frame (to adapt to their needed I carefully picked their 5 frame amount) and placed it face down in front of them. We went around the circle and each child had to turn their 5 frame, state their amount and then identify a same amount from the numicon in the middle and place it next to it. Some learners picked the direct Numicon amount, but for some of the high flyers if they had a 3 five frame, they were able to identity a 2 and 1 piece of Numicon also represented the 3.

ACTIVITY 3 - Hidden Bag

After as always recapping all Numicon pieces, in a blind bag I placed many pieces and pupils had to pull one out and state their Numicon piece. This simple activity session allows for a lot of talk and adapted for your specific class need. We did lots of talk about size and how we new if the Numicon was a bigger/smaller amount by looking at size of the pieces and we could tell that without 'counting the dots'. When all pupils pulled a piece and kept it (when pupils have their own things to hold this really helps with preventing fiddling and distraction) they can compare who have bigger/smaller amounts with their neighbours.

ACTIVITY 4 - Numeral Matching

Again, as you can most properly assume, start by recapping the Numicon pieces as a group, (repetition is key ALWAYS in the EYFS!), explain how our amounts represent the same numbers we use when we recite numbers and recognise numerals. Similarly to above and the numicon matching,  I hid the classes numeral flashcards around the classroom and provided each pupil with their own piece of Numicon. Pupils had to find their corresponding card to piece. This can be repeated numerous times with pupils having different amounts. When pupils found their matching card and came back to the circle, we went around and they had to share with the group the amount they had and place the Numicon on the card. This is great progression from extending further than matching to the Numicon cards linking to numerical number recognition  learning.

ACTIVITY 5 - Identifying Hidden Numicon (foil)

This is a super fun activity that all pupils I have completed this with loved! Start by recapping and sharing the numicon amounts (normal not covered). After this explain how you have some Numicon hidden in foil and we have to work put how many there is. Before starting try and install some discussion with the pupils and how we could workout their amounts. Give each pupil a piece, a chance to identity it and they they can unwrap it themselves to check if it is correct. This can easily be adapted to make more challenging by linking to some of the above activities such as matching the hidden foil numicon to five frame, then unwrapping to check if it is correct. Pupils love this type of self assessment and taking control of their learning.

I have really enjoyed sharing some fun numicon activity ideas today and hopefully your pupils will find them fun and learn lots too! If you use any of these I would love to know how they went and your students responded.

Over the next few weeks sharing my EYFS experiences, I will end each post with a little advice on some of the invaluable things/tips I have learnt:

2. When planning for progression within the EYFS ensure your first lesson has plenty of formative assessment opportunities where you can make quick observations and have structured questioning so at the end you can reflect the levels your students are at and make any vital large adaptations that might be needed throughout the week. (You should always review the next days planning after the session before when planning progressively, but for the first of the topic, it easy to completely pitch the wrong level and this takes time and practice, so ensuring lots of assessment opportunities in your lesson allows you to be able to adapt your planning and really tailor the future sessions)!

- Miss Yeoman