I KNOW ANOTHER OLD LADY!

YES! I do know another old lady that will make number recognition fun as children rhyme and sing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ep0LneDIPmU

Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a One
(Tune: “I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly”)
I know an old lady who swallowed a one. (Hold up 1 finger.)
She said it was fun to swallow a one.
She’s just begun.

I know an old lady who swallowed a two— (Hold up 2 fingers.)
What a thing to do, to swallow a two!
She swallowed the two right after the one;
What number fun!

I know an old lady who swallowed a three; (Hold up 3 fingers.)
By gosh, golly, gee, she swallowed a three!
She swallowed the three right after the two—
She swallowed the two right after the one.
What number fun!

I know an old lady who swallowed a four; (Hold up 4 fingers.)
Her throat got sore from sharp-cornered four.
She swallowed the four right after the three…

I know an old lady who swallowed a five; (Hold up 5 fingers.)
That jumped and jived and did a dive.
She swallowed the five right after the four…

I know an old lady who swallowed a six. (Hold up 6 fingers.)
I think she’s sick; she swallowed a six.
She swallowed the six right after the five…

I know an old lady who swallowed a seven. (Hold up 7 fingers.)
It wasn’t an eight, nine, ten, or eleven.
She swallowed the seven right after the six…

I know an old lady who swallowed an eight. (Hold up 8 fingers.)
She cleaned her plate and ate all of eight.
She swallowed the eight right after the seven…

I know an old lady who swallowed a nine. (Hold up 9 fingers.)
I don’t think she’s fine—she swallowed a nine.
She swallowed the nine right after the eight…

I know an old lady who swallowed a ten. (Hold up 10 fingers.)
She giggled and grinned and swallowed a ten.
And that’s the end. 

You'll definitely want to let your children make this visual for the "Old Lady Who Swallowed Numbers."
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljV29USGdlMkJyb00/view?usp=sharing&resourcekey=0-JXQPcEK5NKOOfP7C2j5e6w

 

Hint!  If the children each had their own they could use it for numeral recognition, “one more,” “one less,” story problems, and other math activities.

WRITING NUMERALS

Oh, my! Those little hands may not be ready to write numerals, but the curriculum says they should. Believe it or not, 20 years ago we didn't even teach children to write numbers in kindergarten. We saved that for first grade. Now, we are expecting pre-k children to write numbers. I can't change your curriculum, but I can give you some songs and activities that may make it a little more positive and meaningful.

The Numeral Song

Click to View Video

This song goes to the tune of "Skip to My Lou." Have children stand and use their index finger to write in the air. Everybody's writing will look "good" when you do it in the air!

Come right down and that is all.
Come right down and that is all.
Come right down and that is all
To make the numeral one. (Hold up 1 finger.)

2 – Curve around and slide to the right…
3 – Curve in and around again…
4 – Down, over, down some more…
5 – Down, around, put on a hat…
6 – Curve in and around again…
7 – Slide to the right and slant it down…
8 – Make an “s” then close the gate…
9 – Circle around then come right down…
10 – Come right down, then make a zero…
We can sing the “Numeral Song”…
And make numerals all day long!

*Let children do air writing with other body parts, such as their elbow, foot, etc.
They can also practice writing on their palm or a friend's back.

*Squirt shaving cream on a safe surface so the children can practice making numbers.

*Have children practice writing numbers in salt, sand, and other sensory materials.


Number Chant

Children can associate numbers with the amount with this song and video. Encourage them to hold up the appropriate number of fingers as you sing.

Click to View Video

Theme Books (Beth Cordier)
Let children make books for whatever theme you’re studying. Make a word wall with words from the theme. (Put magnetic tape on the back so children can take them off and copy them.) Children choose a different word for each page and illustrate it.

*Older children could write sentences with the words.

For example: Fall Theme
Page 1 “Pumpkin”
Page 2 “Leaves”
Page 3 “Squirrels”
Page 4 “Footballs”

Here's another song where children can stand and practice writing numerals without getting frustrated.

Chant and Write

(Children echo each line.)

Zero is where it all begins- (Slap thighs to the beat.)
Curve down around and up again.
Number one is so much fun—
Pull straight down and you’ve got a one.
Number two is easy to do—
Up around down and across makes two.
Number three is simple to see—
Draw two humps sideways and that’s a three.
Number four I do adore—
Go down, across, then down some more.
We’ve reached five, now let’s not stop—
Pull down, circle round, put a hat on top.
Number six is easy to fix—
Big curve, small loop will give you six.
Number seven is really sizzlin’—
Straight across, slant down, and that’s a seven.
Number eight isn’t very straight—
Make “S” then back up for an eight.
Number nine I think you’re fine—
A loop on top of a long straight line.
Number ten we’ve reached the end—
Put a one by a zero and count again:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10!

Click to View Video

COUNT, SING, AND MOVE!

Counting is a basic strand across math standards. There’s even research that suggests counting with pre-k children can build math concepts they will use later on in kindergarten and primary grades. Counting will have more meaning if you tie it into finger plays, songs, and movements.

Macarena Count to 100
1 (Right arm out palm down.)
2 (Left arm out palm down.)
3 (Right palm up.)
4 (Left palm up.)
5 (Right hand on left shoulder.)
6 (Left hand on right shoulder.)
7 (Right hand behind head.)
8 (Left hand behind head.)
9 (Right hand on left hip.)
10 (Left hand on right hip.)
(Clap two times.)
That is one ten. (Hold up one finger.)
11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 (clap clap)
That is two tens.
21-100

View Video

Pump Up to 100
Pretend to hold weights as you count.
1-20 - bicep curls (Elbows in, pretend to hold weights in fists with palms up as you bring forearms up and down.)
21-40 - for overhead press (Fists face forwards as you start at your shoulders and push the weights overhead.)
41-60 – side raises (Elbows at 90% angles as you raise them out to the side.)
61-80 – upright rows (Fists together close to the body and raise elbows out and up until fists are at your heart.)
81-100 – frontal raises - (Fists together and arms stiff as you raise them in front of your body to eye level.)
Whew! (Wipe brow!!!)

View Video

Little Red Number Box (Sarah Wilson)
Put magnetic numbers in a metal tin and then sing the song as you pull out a number. Then count to that number.
For example: I wish I had a little tin box to put a 6 in. I’d take it out and count 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and put it back in.

Move and Count
Have children count as they jump, hop, and do other movements.

*Count the steps to the lunchroom.
*Count how long it takes everyone to sit down quietly.
*Count the number of chairs in the room, tables, toys, girls, boys, dragons (that's a joke!) etc.


Giant Number Line
Attach a piece of tape to the floor in a prominent place in your classroom. Let children walk on it forwards, backwards, hop, etc. After playing with the line, ask them to sit on the floor. Explain that you’re going to turn it into a number line as you demonstrate writing numbers (0-10) on the tape.
*Ask one child at a time to walk on the number line as they say each number.
*Call out different numbers and ask random students to stand on those numbers. What is one more? What is one less?
*Give students dot cards (0-10) and ask them to match their card with the number on the line.

View Video

Country Countdown 1-20

Tell the kids to put on their cowboy and cowgirl boots and hats before you begin.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 (Heel tap left and right as you count.)

Turn around and count back down. (Turn around.)
20 19 18 …..

*Why should you ask children to count forwards and backwards? This will help them understand one more, one less, and so forth.