Numeracy Activities 1

Shape Hunt Relay

Age Appropriateness: Junior and Senior groupings with variations

Materials required: Shape Hunt Relay cards, clipboards, pencils, paper (Optional: Puzzle pieces, the nets of 3D shapes)

Introduction:
The children are divided into relay teams based on numbers of children and ability. Mixed ability groupings within the age categories can be used for this activity. Each team is provided with a number of 'shape hunt' clue cards/riddles e.g. ‘I am a four sided shape but not all my sides are the same length. Can you find three of me in the Short Loan Section?’

Development:
Once the first clue is deciphered the children will go in pairs to find the shapes described. The children must list different objects of the shape described e.g. window, book, shelf. Once the children return, the next pair can search for the next shape. While the pairs are searching the other children must try and decipher the clues.

Extension:
Early finishers could be provided with further riddles that relate to specific shapes that can be found in the library. Puzzle pieces/ the nets of 3D shapes could be attached to these shapes. The children must collect these and complete the puzzles/ nets.

Differentiation:
Junior groups can complete a simplified version of this activity in which a shape description is provided. In pairs they will search the library for the shape, document it on their clipboard and report back.

 

Orientation Challenge

Age Appropriateness: Junior and senior groupings with variations

Materials required: Page Stepping Stones (These could be made from laminated sheets, old pieces of lino or children’s foam puzzle pieces etc)

Introduction:
The children will complete an orientation activity in which they must complete a variety of numeracy challenges set in the library. Facilitators will have created junior and senior orientation problem sheet which can be cut out and placed in different areas around the library. A large map of the library can be displayed showing the different markers.

Development:
The children will complete the orientation challenge under the supervision of the facilitators. It is recommended that the children start at different starter points so that not too many children are gathered at one station.

Conclusion:
The children will return to the large group where they will discuss and share their results.

Differentiation:
Orientation problems are designed for different ability levels and age groups.

 

Page Leap Frog

Age Appropriateness: Junior and senior groupings with variations

Materials required: Page Stepping Stones (These could be made from laminated sheets, old pieces of lino, children’s foam puzzle pieces etc)

Introduction:
The children will gather in the area which the activity will take place.

Development:
The children will work in teams. Each group is given a number of page stepping stones. For junior groups these can be numbers from 1-20. For senior groups, the numbers could be higher and more sporadic e.g. 157, 268, 331 etc. The children are told that they must travel from one part of the library to the other without touching the floor.  They must place the pages on the ground in numerical order and cannot touch the ground when crossing from point A to B. The first team to cross the area in the correct order without touching the ground wins.

Conclusion:
Children discuss the results and the techniques they used during the activity.

Differentiation:
Senior groups can be further challenged by providing them with the stepping stones that have number problems printed on them. The children must first solve the number problem and then use them in numerical order to cross from point A to B. This activity can be completed following the initial activity described above.

 

Yes/ No Page Number Game

Age Appropriateness: Junior and senior groupings with variations

Materials required: sticky labels, marker, children’s encyclopaedias

Introduction:
The children are told that they have become the pages of a very interesting book. This book contains a lot of facts and information. In order to discover these facts they must first identify their page number. Each child is provided with a number sticker which is stuck on their back.

Development:
The children must work with the other children to find out what their number is. The children can only ask each child one question that has a yes/no answer. For example ‘Is my number even? Does it have 2 digits? Is there a 'three' in my number?

Conclusion:
Once the children have discovered their page number they must use it to locate a fact on the corresponding page number of the children’s encyclopaedia in the library. The encyclopaedias can be laid out in an area for the children to use as they discover their page number.  The children will gather back in the group and will share the information that can be found on their page of the encyclopaedia

Extension:
While the children can complete this activity on an individual basis, teams could also be incorporated into the activity by seeing which team can discover all their numbers first. Once the children have discovered the numbers, they are challenged to place themselves in numerical order without speaking to one another. 

Differentiation: 
Children in the junior groups could use picture books and must describe the picture on their corresponding page to the rest of the group.

 

Creating a Story Carpet

Age Appropriateness: Junior and senior groupings with variations

Materials required: Homemade clipboards, variety of old books, magazines etc. used for measuring, architect’s plan (drawing of area to be carpeted on large sheet) A3 sheets, crayons, colouring pencils, markers etc.

Introduction:
The children are told that a new story carpet needs to be built in the children’s section of the library. The children will discuss what materials they could use to measure the area for the carpet. The children are provided with some old books, magazines, building blocks that are in the library. The children will work in pairs to choose materials they think would be best used to measure the area. The children will explain their choices to the group.

Development:
The children will measure the area using their chosen materials. The children will meet back and share their findings with the group. Once the area has been decided, the children are divided into groups to design a section of the story carpet.

Conclusion:
The children share their work with the group and place their sheets on the floor to create the story carpet. The children can discuss and identify any patterns that occur in the design. 

Differentiation:
Junior groups can use the sheets to measure the area required. The area to be measured can be tailored according to ability and group size. The junior groups can measure a smaller area.

 

Bookmark Challenge

Approx. time: 20 minutes

Age Appropriateness: Junior Group but can be made more challenging for senior groups

Materials required: bookmark template (link below), crayons, pencils, markers

Groups of Children:
Children each have own bookmark but can work in pairs to offer assistance to each other

Introduction:
The children are provided with the bookmark template. The facilitator will explain that the children have to solve the number problems in order to colour the bookmark correctly.

Development:
The children are given the bookmarks and provided with the different materials to colour the bookmarks. The children are provided with the number problems. The children will solve the problems and colour them accordingly.

Conclusion:
The children can share their bookmarks with the rest of the group.

Extra Numeracy Activities

• Number trail: This activity can be incorporated into the library tour. The children are told to be on the lookout for different numbers during the tour. The facilitator can ask the children questions during the tour or when it is completed.  E.g. what time does the library open at? How many chairs are in the children’s area?
  
   
• Silence in the Library Game: The children must solve different number problems and arrange the answers in numerical order in silence. A strike can be given each time a person talks. The team with the least strikes wins.
  
   
• Book Sort: Children are challenged to put the books in order of the Dewy Decimal System.
  
   
• Dewy Numbers Game: Children are organised into pairs and each given a card with a ‘project’ written on it (e.g. ‘You need to find out what worms eat’, ‘You need to find a recipe for cupcakes’). Their task is to find the classification numbers for the books which provide the answers.