Everyday Math

Math is everywhere - it's just a matter of opening our eyes and identifying what we see. As teachers of young children, we have the challenge and the wonderful opportunity to expose children to mathematical concepts. Creating situations that lend themselves to hands-on math manipulation can excite and stimulate our youngsters' minds.

We know that young children respond best to math activities that are concrete and that they learn through play and exploration.

Below you will find pictures and examples of math manipulatives that help build a good math foundation. Many of these materials promote both individual and cooperative play. Many other common math materials should be part of an early childhood classroom and are easy to collect - see side bar.

There are five math strands supported by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). These strands are infused in the math curriculum throughout grades Pre-K to 12!

Number Sense & Operations
Algebraic Thinking
Geometry & Spatial Sense
Measurement
Data Analysis & Probability

Number Sense & Operations

Algebraic Thinking

Geometry & Spatial Sense

Measurement

Data Analysis & Probability

Thanks to Violet McNamara for the content of this page.

Everyday Math in Action

(To view the slideshow in Internet Explorer, click link above, choose "open", and click to turn the pages. Give it a minute or so to open on a fast connection. Use the back button on your browser to return to this page.)

Pre-K math skills checklist

Math materials purchase list for Pre-K

Materials to collect for an enriched math classroom:

Mixable, measurable, pourable and explorable materials to use with measuring cups, funnels and droppers like:

• water
• rice
• sand
• clay
• dough
• beans

Pegboards

Thermometers

Coins & bills

Dominoes

Beads

Number generators (dice)

Memory game

Rulers, yard sticks, meter sticks

Kitchen timers

Clocks - digital & numeric

Calculators

Decks of large playing cards