Presentation
Recommended Age: Around 4 years OR after the child has worked with the number rods and cards.
Purpose: Work with the spindle boxes introduces zero as the absence of quantity or the empty set. The Spindle Boxes introduces the concept of numbers as a quantity of separate objects together and reinforces the natural sequence of numbers from 0 to 9.
Level of Parent Involvement: Medium, the adult must present this exercise to the child, once they have been shown, they may work independently.
Prerequisites
- The child must have worked with the number rods and cards and be able to count accurately from 1-10
- The child must be able to identify numerals 1-10
Materials
- 45 icy pole sticks (see resource pack)
- Numerals 0 – 9
- Plastic cups (see photo)
- A place mat (Optional)
- Small basket for the icy pole sticks (Optional)
Preparation
- Stick numerals 0 – 9 onto plastic cups
- Set the cups up on a table from 0 – 9
Presentation
Steps
- Invite the child, letting them know that you will be showing them a version of the Spindle Boxes
- Let the child know they will need to bring a placemat, go with the child to their table where the cups are set up
- Put the placemat on the table in front of the cups, show the child the icy pole sticks, letting them know they will be using them as spindles
- Put the icy pole sticks in a pile (if they are not in a basket)
- Confirm the child can identify each number, randomly and individually, leaving out 0, pointing to each asking them “what’s this?”
- Point to the one on the cup and ask the child “what’s this?”, then pick up one icy pole stick, holding the icy pole stick in your hand, say to the child “this is one”
- Place the icy pole stick in the cup labelled 1
- Point to the cup labelled 2, asking the child “what’s this?”
- Take 2 icy pole sticks, one at a time from the basket (or pile) and place on the placemat
- Gather up the icy pole sticks with your hand, saying “two icy pole sticks, this is two”
- Place the two icy pole sticks in the cup labelled 2
- Repeat for remaining icy pole sticks, using two hands to gather and pick up the icy pole sticks from the placemat as the amount of icy pole sticks increase
- At the end look in the basket, notice there are no icy pole sticks left (or notice there are no more icy pole sticks in the pile)
- Notice there is a cup labelled zero that doesn’t have any icy pole sticks
- Tell the child that “0 means we don’t put any icy pole sticks here”
- Place the icy pole sticks back in the basket
- Invite the child to count and place icy pole sticks in the cups
Variations
- When the child can count accurately show the child how to use binders. Binders can be made from pipe cleaners, Velcro strips, ribbon, elastic etc.,)
The child can use the binders to physically group the quantities 1 – 9 together.
