9. Kindergarten: Picking Apples!

Hello everyone and welcome! My name is Alexis!

I am a college student at ASU. I want to become an Elementary school teacher. I’ve always had a passion for education and can’t wait to get into the classroom and start this journey.

Students will identify whether the number of objects in one group is greater than, less than, or equal to the number of objects in another group, e.g., by using matching and counting strategies. The game “Picking Apples – is it More, Less or Equal Math Game” will help them achieve this goal. This apple themed game is a fun way for kindergartener to learn to compare quantity

This will meet the Arizona Common Core standard (K.CC.C.6), by teaching students to identify whether the number of objects in one group is greater than, less than, or equal to the number of objects in another group, e.g., by using matching and counting strategies.

What you will need:

● Provided template 

● Piece of cardboard 

● Clear tape 

● Glue 

● Scissors 

● String/yarn ● Pencil

• Tree Shaped Play Mat (Done in Felt or Colored Paper)
• Apple Shaped Plastic Pieces (These can be found in arts and crafts stores, but small apples cut and colored out of paper work just as well!)
• Two cups
• Number Die
• Glue

Directions:

1. To make this simple math game, first you’ll need to make the tree mat. I made a felt mat by freehand cutting a green cloud-like shape out of green felt. The tree trunk can be cut out of brown felt. If you do not have access to felt, you can draw a tree onto a piece of paper, or use colored construction paper to make it!

2. Then use hot glue or craft glue to attach your tree to a larger piece of paper or felt. Don’t glue any apples on though!

3. Once the tree mat has dried you can set up the game! Place at least a dozen red plastic apples on the tree mat with two cups on either side. Don’t forget the number die and the game is ready to play!

4. To play, roll the die once and pick that number of apples off the tree and place them in one cup. For example, if I rolled a 2, I would pick two apples off the tree and put them in my cup! Then the other player can roll the die again, taking turns as necessary and pick that number of apples off the tree and place them into the other cup.

5. The game ends when all of the apples are picked off the tree. Each player counts the apples in their cups. Whoever has the most apples wins!

Your student should now have a fun and cute game that will help them learn the basics of counting! Feel free to customize this game further by increasing the difficulty! One way is to add way more apples or other objects so your student can count to higher numbers. Another way is to use a die that has more than six sides so your student will count higher than 6 in one game session!

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