Maths Reception Autumn Shapes
Hamilton's Reception Maths planning targets the key characteristics of effective early learning:
- Through Exploring and Playing, children independently engage with their peers and their environment.
- Active Learning group activities promote the motivation needed to be involved and to keep trying.
- Guided Creating and Thinking Critically supports development of problem-solving & reasoning skills.
Maths Out Loud: whole-class counting, repetitive chants, rhymes, songs and a linked story to enjoy together.
Exploring and playing with symmetry (suggested as 5 days)
Active Learning
Creating and Thinking Critically
Maths Out Loud
Counting
Ask 10 children to sit at the front holding numbers 1 to 10. Child holding 1 stands up, then children shout 1! Child holding 2 stands up, children shout 2! Carry on until all ten are standing.
Shout 10! Child holding 10 sits down, children shout 9! Child holding 9 sits down, children shout 8! Carry on until no children are standing. All shout ZERO!
Repeat across the week to include all the children.
Chants/Rhymes/Songs
Sing along with Five little apples, e.g. this animated version at www.bbc.co.uk. Ask children to hold up 5 fingers, then fold one down each time an apple falls from the tree.
Play an I-spy shapes game.
Story
The hungry caterpillar by Eric Carle.
Use this well-known book to stimulate discussion about the symmetrical pattern on the butterfly’s wings.
You Will Need
Exploring and Playing
Peg boards; pegs; mirrors (optional); gummed shapes; paper; mirrors (optional); small building bricks; doors and windows; salt dough/playdough in different colours; modelling tools; mirrors; branches and ribbons (optional).
Active Learning
Symmetrical butterfly template (enlarged and cut out – see example in resources); three paint colours; brushes; large mirror; flipchart and coloured pens; internet access; skipping rope per pair; camera (optional); real flowers, Symmetrical flower pictures (see resources), paint/collage materials, mirrors; folded cards; glue sticks; coloured pens/ pencils.
Creating and Thinking Critically
A small pizza for each child; mayonnaise; toppings, e.g. slices of pepperoni/ olives/ sweetcorn; camera/ phone suitable for children to take photographs; equipment to print photos; paper; paints and brushes; a range of paper shapes – some symmetrical, some not; 2 large sheets of paper.
Exploring 2-D shapes (suggested as 5 days)
Exploring and Playing
Active Learning
Creating and Thinking Critically
Maths Out Loud
Counting
Use the 1-100 grid to support counting to 50, with children all using fingers to match the 1s digit in the count, e.g., holding up 1 finger for 21, 2 fingers for 22, 3 fingers for 23, 4 fingers for 24 and so on. Say the multiples of 5 louder: 5, 10, 15, 20 etc.
Chants/Rhymes/Songs
The shapes song from www.YouTube.com.
Story
When a Line Bends...: A Shape Begins by Rhonda Gowler Greene. Rhymed text describes how shapes are made from simple lines.
Washing Line by Jez Alborough. Use vocabulary relating to shape and size by looking at clothes on the washing line.
You Will Need
Exploring and Playing
Boxes/ packaging; shallow trays of paint; paper; gummed shapes; sandpit; flat shapes (squares, rectangles, triangles and circles); playdough; different shape cookie cutters; boards; plates.
Active Learning
2-D shapes to include squares, rectangles, circles and triangles; 4 skipping ropes; playground chalk; loop of rope/ elastic ~3m long; 2-D shapes: square, rectangle, triangle, circle; clipboards; pencils; camera; Shape cards (see resources).
Creating and Thinking Critically
Cardboard box; several different triangles, rectangles, squares and circles; puppet; large sheet of paper; gummed shapes; flat shapes (square, rectangle, circle or triangle); a feely bag; mini-whiteboards and pens; pipe cleaners.