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Karla Lopez

Professor Gray

ECE 151

24 March 2016

ECE 151: Math In The Preschool

Theme: Seriation

Age and Number of Children: 4 four year olds

Content Standards: Content Standard 3.0: Measurement, 3.PK.1 Compare objects by size to

determine smaller and larger.

Process Standards:

7.1 E/L Discuss and exchange ideas about mathematics as a part of learning.

7.2 E/L Use inquiry techniques (e.g. Discussion, questions, research, data gathering) to solve

mathematical problems.

8.8 E/L Ask questions to reect on, clarify and extend thinking.

Objective:

1. Describe the contrast between objects.

2. Order three objects from biggest to smallest and/or vice versa.

3. Able to self-correct when ordering three objects.

Materials: A set of five same or similar objects that can be lined-up from biggest to smallest or

smallest to biggest. For this activity I choose to use five different size corks.

Activity: Begin this activity by handing children three of the corks (biggest, medium, and

smallest) talk to the children about the features that they can distinguish from each cork. When

one of the children mentions big or small grab that opportunity to talk about the corks size. If
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none of the children mentions size ask the following, Can one of you show me which cork is the

biggest? Once the children are engage continue the activity by asking children if they can line

up the corks from biggest to smallest. If the children are able to easily line up the three corks;

hand the children the other two corks. When handing them the two new corks ask, Where can

you place this to keep your corks in a line from biggest to smallest? Before ending the activity

ask children if they can line up the corks from smallest to biggest.

What Happened: After handing the children the corks I asked, Are these corks all the same?

The children responded and I followed by asking, Can you tell me how are they different?

Sahara jumped up, with the biggest cork in her hand and said, This one is bigger. I answered

saying she was correct and asking if any of them could think of anything else. Kendra mentioned

that one of the corks was tiny. I continued with the activity by asking if they could line up the

corks from biggest to smallest. Cynthia quickly said, We do this at my school with all the toys.

Lining up three corks from biggest to smallest was quickly done by all the children. I handed

each two more corks and asked if they could line all five of the corks from biggest to smallest.

The children easily lined up the forth cork in the correct place, but struggled to place the fifth

cork. Kendra placed one of the corks in front of another while having the others side by side. I

asked Kendra why she had put one in front of the other and she answered, See, they are the

same tall.

What Next: Children demonstrated a struggle when doing seriation with four or more objects.

For that reason I would continue to reinforce seriation by size using more and different objects.

As well as create activities where children can use other features (weight, volume, etc.) to put in

chronological order.
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Related Preschool Book

Title: The Littlest Matryoshka

Author: Corinne Demas Bliss ISBN: 978-078680153-4

Use of Math Concept: The story is about six nesting dolls. The story as well as the illustrations

demonstrate seriation as the dolls are order from smallest to biggest and vice versa. Each doll has

a name and when they are stacked each name is called. Repetition of the name and order reminds

readers that the dolls are stacked from smallest to biggest.

Recommendation: This is a book worth reading. The story is unique and very interesting. It also

introduces readers to seriation without even mentioning any math concept. The illustrations are

not vivid however, they flow well with the story and focus on important details.