Product Summery
Note to Parents and Teachers
Welcome to this Bear’s Counting and Numbers Activity Book! With the large, medium, and small bear counters and counting and numbers activities, young mathematicians (ages 4 to 7) will:
Learn how to count and write numerals.
Identify, create, and extend patterns.
Sort objects by attribute or property.
Collect data and analyze the information in simple charts and graphs.
Ask and answer mathematical questions.
Through performing these mathematical processes, they will be able to:
See mathematical relationships and make connections.
Develop number sense and mathematical expression.
Build bridges between concrete and abstract mathematical thinking.
Feel successful.
Have fun!
The Counting and Numbers Activities
The activities in this book range from easy to challenging, and they build upon skill development and success. Earlier activities ask children to identify number quantities and match bears to a variety of numbers. Children are also asked to count different amounts and record them with numerals. Later activities ask children to match, sort, and count higher numbers of bears. Children will also compare number quantities, group and order number sets, create and extend number patterns, distinguish more and less, and much more to develop mathematical thinking.
Materials Needed
Pencils
Paper
Crayons or markers
Set of 80 bear counters or 4-6 photocopies of page 31, Cutout Bears
How to Use These Activity Pages
The activities in this book can be completed independently, with partners, in small or large groups, or in stations. Their easy-to-read directions set clear expectations for each of the activities. Engaging questions and data collection tools help encourage higher levels of mathematical thinking and expression. Note: On some pages, bears have been labeled with letters to indicate the bear needed (i.e., R for red, B for blue, G for green, and Y for yellow). Make sure children understand this coding system before doing the activities.
More Activity Ideas
Continue the counting and numbers fun with these extension activities. You may also want to create some of your own. Use the bear counters to:
Fill different-sized jars with bear counters. Have children estimate how many bears are in each jar. Use benchmarks or small amounts (e.g., a handful or small cup) to help. Discuss how estimates are never wrong.
Count by twos, threes, fives, and tens with the bear counters. Use them to count to 100 on a hundred number grid.
Make the shapes of the numerals (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.) with the bear counters. Or, draw pictures of the numbers and fill them in with the counters. See how many counters you need to make a 5 or 10, etc.
Mark every day in a month on a calendar with the bear counters. Use the bears to count out the days of school or the date on the calendar.
Read books that picture bears. Match the bear counters to each bear that you see.Count them when the books are done.
Write a number or counting story or song with a bear theme. Have children use the counters while telling the story or singing the song.
Extend the bear patterns from pages 7 and 28, and have children create and extend their own patterns. In the classroom, have children trade so they can extend each other’s patterns. Ask them to label their patterns with letters (R for red, B for blue, etc.).
Discuss the counting and numbers results with your children. Ask them questions like:“What do you notice?” or “How do you know that?” Have them record their answers and thinking strategies in a special counting and numbers journal.