Multidisciplinary Unit
By: Kim Buseman
Description: This MDU has been designed for a Kindergarten or Preschool classroom. The goal of this unit is to help young children understand how numbers are needed in everyday life. Through this unit the students will recognize numbers and relate number concepts to areas in their own lives. Youngsters will search for numbers all around them and gain an understanding of how important numbers are in the world we live in.
Goals and Objectives:
- Students will name uses of numbers in everyday life.
- Students will appreciate literature and nursery rhymes involving numbers.
- Students will state their age and birthday.
- Students will use verbal clues to identify numbers 1-10.
- Students will use verbal clues to write the numbers 1-10.
- Students will count to ten.
Time Line: This unit is designed for a two to three week time period. The lengths of the lessons will be approximately thirty minutes. Some lessons will require two days to complete. Times in both unit and lesson lengths will vary depending on the attention span of the students.
Assessment: A pre and post assessment will be given. Through a rubric and observation checklist, skills and knowledge, as well as participation can be evaluated. See the Assessment attachment at the end of the unit.
Lesson One
The number unit will be introduced with the book, Five LittleMonkey’s Jumping on the Bedby Eileen Christelow. The students will get in groups to act out the story.
We will talk about the number of people in our family and make a picture of our family to add to our kindergarten journal.
We will Email a message to EileenChristelow.
Sing the following song to the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.
Numbers numbers here and there
Numbers numbers everywhere.
Large ones and small ones are here for you
To give you help in the things you do.
Numbers numbers here and there.
Numbers numbers everywhere.
Source: A Kim Buseman original!
Lesson Two
Numbers are all around us! The kids will understand how numbers are involved in birthdays. The kids will make birthday hats while coloring a birthday cake. They will make candles to match their age. They will trace over their birth date, which will have been previously written on individual papers.
Lesson Three
We will review our birth dates and wear our created hats.
We will eat birthday cake while watching the video, Clifford’s Fun with Numbers. (Clifford’s Birthday Surprise)
Clifford’s Fun with NumbersVideo description:
“Not understanding numbers can cause big problems when you’re throwing a birthday party and you need candles, presents. Balloons, favors and guests! But don’t worry, Clifford…help is on the way!”
Executive Producer: Deborah Forte
Producers: Patrick Loubert, Michael Hirsh and Clive A. Smith
Scholastic Productions, Inc. 1988 ISBN 1-55658-951-4
Lesson Four
We will discuss calendars and count how many months are in a year.
We will count how many days are in each week.
We will sing the song, “There are Seven Days In a Week”
We will write our birth dates on a calendar and put a ribbon on each student’s birthday. The calendar pages will be displayed in a monthly order around the classroom. This will be used as our birthday chart for the school year.
Lesson Five
We will discuss the numbers involved in our birth such as: date, time, weight, number of siblings etc. Parents will fill out a form with this information.
We will make a growth chart with the students height and weight and graph the difference in present weight and birth weight.
This will be repeated in January and May to chart kindergarten growth.
We will make painted handprints and count our fingers.
Lesson Six
Numbers are used in recipes. We will talk about what happens if we use the wrong numbers in a recipe. We will measure ingredients and make play dough. (Some play dough will be made previously so all students will have the opportunity to play with the finished product)
Play Dough Recipe:
2c. Flour2T. Baby Oil
1c. Salt2c. Boiling water
2tsp. Powdered alum
Boil water and Baby Oil together. Combine flour, salt, and alum together and add to water and Baby Oil. Knead well. Add desired food coloring. Store in plastic bags.
The students will play with the play dough and feel the difference in temperatures between the play dough that was previously made and what was just prepared in the classroom.
The kids will illustrate the project and the page will be added to their kindergarten journal.
Lesson Seven
A power point will be shown on numbers and number rhymes. The number power point displays numbers, number words, pictures, and number rhymes. The rhymes will help the students remember how to form their number.
We will use clues from the number rhymes to form numbers out of the play dough that was made in the previous lesson. (Kids could also create numbers in sand, shaving cream on slates etc.)
Lesson Eight
We will review the number rhymes.
By listening to verbal clues, the kids will practice writing numbers on slates.
We will play the train game. One student will hold up a number, the kids will form a train by having the correct number of kids join the line.
Lesson Nine
We will sing the Fish Story nursery rhyme
Display paper fish on an overhead projector. Have the students count and write the number of fish that are shown on the screen. Immediate feedback on forming the numbers should be given by the teacher.
The students will use watercolors to paint a colorful fish or the kids could create a fish.
Lesson Ten
When is it bedtime? The kids will bring something special that they like to sleep with at night. Read the nursery rhymes, Hickory Dickory Doc and Wee Willie Winkie. Click here for Nursery Rhymes.
Display a clock and discuss the importance of time. Talk about the numbers on the clock.
Give each child a small clock. Read the number Rhymes and have the kids point the small (hour) hand to the correct number. (The goal is number recognition, not telling time)
Click here for related activities on Wee Willie Winkie.
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Lesson Eleven
The students will use the Kid Pix computer program to review number On the Kid Pix program, students could roll the dice, count the dots and type in the correct number or numbers could be typed in and the students could stamp the correct number of objects under the number.
As an at home activity, the kids will go on a number hunt. With the help of their parents, the kids will make visual pictures of things they see at home that involve numbers. They may choose one object from their number hunt to bring for our number sharing day.
Lesson Twelve
Unit closing: the students will share the objects found on the number hunt.
The kids will make a picture of something that involves numbers. The pictures will be put in a classroom book called Numbers AllAround Us. Our book will be put in our classroom library.
Learning Centers
Learning centers involving numbers will be used throughout the Number unit to reinforce number concepts. The following is a list of possible Learning Centers:
Computer – number power point
Fishing game – Kids Fish for numbers to match the number in the tackle box.
File Folder number games
Number word puzzles
Legos – sort a set number of each color and create something with the lego blocks.
Kitchen corner – Kids use pretend recipes to make lunch
Beauty Shop – make appointments to have your hair fixed
Listening Corner – listen to stories involving number concepts
Art Center – use number sponges to paint a picture
Additional follow up activities:
- Kid Pix number stamp – Using the Kid Pix program, students will type in numbers and stamp in the correct number of pictures
- Rainbow number book – Students will reinforce numbers and colors by creating a number book. Kid Pix Program may be used for book development or sponge paints could be used to create number books.
Materials and Equipment Needed for Number Unit:
- Art supplies: colors, scissors, glue, paper, paint
- Bathroom scale and measuring stick
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Playdough ingredients: flour, salt, alum, baby oil, water
- Hot plate and pan
- Zip Lock bags
- Calendar
- Bows
- Slates – chalk – erasers
- Judy clocks
- TV
- Computer
- Overhead projector
Unit Resources:
1. Five Little Monkeys by Eileen Christelow
2. Clifford’s Fun With Numbers Video
Executive Producer: Deborah Forte
Producers: Patrick Loubert, Michael Hirsh and Clive A. Smith
Scholastic Productions, Inc. 1988 ISBN 1-55658-951-4
3. Fish Story -
4. Fish Creations -
5. Cyndy Szekers’ Mother Goose Rhymes ISBN 0-307-15560-9
6. Nursery Rhymes -
7. Number Rhyme Power Point by Kim Buseman
8. Kid Pix Computer Program Program
Units relation to South Dakota Kindergarten Content Standards
Math
Measurement Standards: 3,5,6,7
Number Sense Standards: 1,3
Statistics & Probability Standards: 1,2
Science
Physical Science Standards: 1,3,5,9
Nature of Science Standards: 7
Science, Technology, Environment, and Society Standards: 1,2,6
Language Arts
Reading Standards: 7,8,10,16
Writing Standards: 3, 11,12,14
Listening and Viewing Standards: 2,5,7,8,9,12
Speaking Standards: 1,2,3
Social Studies
History Standard: 3
Civics Standard: 1
Pre and Post Assessment – Numbers All Around Us – TTL MDU