Cards and Counters--on the rocks :0)

Cards and Counters is a traditional Montessori material that is used early on in the math curriculum.  Very specifically, it is usually the third math material presented to young children, following lessons with the Red and Blue Rods, the Sandpaper Numbers, and the Spindle Box. 

In my Montessori training, I was particularly amazed and impressed by the Montessori math materials.  A perfect example of the ingenious way in which Maria Montessori designed her materials is these first three math lessons.  Typically, in a non-Montessori setting, young children are introduced to the concepts of number and quantity by being asked to count loose objects.  As those of you who work with very young children know, a child's ability to use one-to-one correspondence (i.e. point and count at the same time without losing track, recounting, etc.) develops gradually and is often difficult for the child at first. 

In Montessori education, the child's first introduction to quantity and one-to-one correspondence is with the Red and Blue Rods.  This material was designed specifically to address a young child's difficulties with this skill by making the quantities fixed.  Instead of counting "loose" objects which are easier to miscount or recount, the child counts "fixed" objects by touching the red and blue portions of the rod and counting. 

After the child has mastered this material and learned to pair the quantities with the corresponding numerals (through use of the Sandpaper Numbers), he is introduced to the Spindle Box.  This material is the reverse of the Red and Blue Rods in that the numerals are fixed (i.e. they are already printed on the box in correct order) and the quantities (spindles) are loose.   NOTE:  In addition, the Spindle Box is designed to introduce the concept of "zero".

After the child has mastered the Spindle Box, he is ready to put it all together with the Cards and Counters.  In this material, both the numerals and the quantities are "loose".  The child must first place the numerals in correct order, then use correct one-to-one correspondence to count the appropriate number of items for each quantity represented by the numerals.

In addition to the traditional Cards and Counters, I like to put out many variations of this activity throughout the year.  Oftentimes, these variations are seasonal (i.e. counting snowflakes on numbered mittens in January).  Below is a photo of my Cards and Counters On the Rocks.  As soon as I saw the bags of smooth stones at my local discount store, I knew I would use them to create a counting activity.  I think the children will enjoy the weight and feel of the stones.  Below are a few photos of this finished work.

On the left is a photo of the activity as it will be presented on the shelf.  I really wanted all parts of this work to be from natural materials, thus the two baskets and the wooden bowl.  The photo on the right shows a set of number cards I considered using.  They are (obviously) very bright yellow and made from plastic.  I rejected them in favor of the wooden number tablets pictured at left.  I will admit, however, that I am not completely happy with those either.  I am seriously thinking about making a set of laminated number cards using natural colors of cardstock cut into stone shapes. 

Here is the activity laid out on a floor rug, just like the children will do.  A built-in control of error is the fact that there are exactly 45 stones.

Comments

[Dissertation Writing]

I love your blog so much, and there are just some differences with others'. Hope there will be more wonderful things in your blog. Happy every day!

[Laura]

Lori,
Thanks so much forwriting. Im glad you are enjoyingthe blog. I dont mind atall if you link to me via your blog. Thanks for asking though!
Take care,
Laura

To: [email protected]

[Lori LLS]

I just found your blog and am really enjoying it. I have some limited Montessori experience and am anxious to keep learning.

I posted the last photograph of this post over on my blog to illustrate the general use of rugs in the classroom, and I cited your blog as the source. (If you are not comfortable with this, I will certainly take it down.) You do such a great job documenting your ideas, and they are plentiful! Wow.

[Lindart]

My training (AMI) used this material to show odd and even, and to do that the children need to set the stones (I use the glass stones) in pairs, with the extra stone (for odd numbers) below in the middle. Then we use s finger to push up between the stones, which pushes up all the even numbers, but leaves the odd (because of the single stone blocking the way)numbers.

[Mary]

I love your blog. Your posts are so helpful. I loved your point of interest description and this math post is great! Thank you.

[Steph]

Thank you for this excellent post. I've never seen the math activities explained so logically before. I'm planning on introducing the math activities to Tatum soon and this will help for sure!

I love your blog, I think I star every post in my google-reader! Keep them coming!!