Spider Catapults

 

Spiders continue to be a popular topic of exploration in our classroom! To infuse this interest with math and fine motor work we introduced clothespin catapults to the children this week. Wooden catapults are easily made by securing a clothespin to a steady base (like a wooden block) with an elastic. 

They require concentration and perseverance for children to operate. As children become more confident using them they are able to use strategy to aim the catapult in a specific direction or apply pressure to further or reduce the launch power. 

Small plastic spiders (ours were from the local dollar store in the Halloween section) are light and perfect for playing with. We offer 'webs' made from wrapping a shallow basket with yarn. Children are encouraged to fire the spiders into the webs.

    

Once children master launching the spider into the web additional math tools can be offered to enhance the experience. A five or ten frame or hundreds chart are easy tools for children to use when tracking how many spiders they have landed in the webs.   

                   

Additional targets can be provided for children to play with (e.g., alphabet chart, number chart, printable web with points). The possibilities are endless! 

Matching Objects to Numbers

To help our children learn mathematical concepts we use a number of hands-on manipulatives. Children learn in different ways - seeing concepts in action, listening to verbal instructions and key words, manipulating objects in various ways. In order to help our students learn that written and oral numbers can represent a certain set of objects, we use five and ten frames in our small group activities.

A five frame is a grid of five squares.

A ten frame is a grid of ten squares.

You can use them to represent numbers.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

We have been using the frames to help children count out math chips for various numbers from 1 to 10.  We hold up a card with a certain number written on it, orally say the number, and invite the children to represent the number on their frames.

In order to challenge children, we encourage them to think of the various combinations of numbers that compose new numbers (beginning addition). For example, the five and three on a ten frame equal 8.

5 + 3 = 8

You can help your child practice counting, representing, and adding at home by using your own five and ten frames available at these websites Five Frame PDF and Ten Frame PDF.