Marble Game

An Educator's Reference Desk Lesson Plan

Date: May 20, 1997

Grade Level(s): Kindergarten, 1

Subject(s):

• Mathematics/Arithmetic

Description:

Students will improve their counting skills by playing a simple game that requires them to be able to count to six or higher for more advanced students.

Goal:

Students will learn to count out groups of objects up to six or higher for more advanced students.

Objectives:

1. The student will learn to count to six.
2. The student will count to create an equivalent set between the dice and marbles.

Background information:

This activity can be used for students with different abilities but is designed for students just begging to learn numbers and developing counting and grouping skills.

Concepts:

Students will be able to:

1. Determine who has the most marbles.
2. Determine how many marbles are needed to fill up a row.

Materials:

1. 2 ice cube trays with one half inch round holes
2. enough marbles to fill both trays
3. 2 melon scoops
4. 1 or 2 standard dice

Procedure:

1. Tell the students they can use the manipulatives and observe to determine which students are using counting and which are using one to one correspondence.
2. While supervising the activity, ask plenty of questions. How can I tell if I have as many marbles as you do? How many marbles do I need to roll to fill up this row?
3. Once students have become adapt at counting out the proper number of marbles for one die have them advance to two dice.
4. Set up a station for students to practice.  Students could have races to see which can fill his or her tray first.

Assessment:

1. Determine the counting skills of students.
2. Let students use as a play station.