Objective
By the end of this lesson, the toddler will be able to understand basic arithmetic concepts related to dinosaurs.
Materials and Prep
- Toy dinosaurs
- Counting cards (1-10)
- Large piece of paper or whiteboard
- Markers or crayons
Prior knowledge required: Basic counting skills (1-10).
Activities
- Counting Dinosaurs: Lay out the toy dinosaurs and ask the toddler to count them one by one. Repeat this activity a few times to reinforce counting skills.
- Matching Numbers: Show the counting cards and ask the toddler to match the correct number of dinosaurs to each card. For example, if the card shows the number 3, the toddler should place 3 dinosaurs next to it.
- Dinosaur Addition: Draw a simple dinosaur on the paper or whiteboard. Ask the toddler to add more dinosaurs to the picture by drawing or placing toy dinosaurs. Count the total number of dinosaurs together.
- Dinosaur Subtraction: Start with a certain number of dinosaurs and ask the toddler to remove a specific number of dinosaurs. Count the remaining dinosaurs together.
- Dinosaur Patterns: Create a simple pattern using different colored dinosaurs (e.g., red, blue, red, blue). Ask the toddler to continue the pattern by placing the correct colored dinosaurs in the sequence.
Toddler Grade Talking Points
- "Dinosaurs are big and interesting creatures that lived a long time ago."
- "We can count how many dinosaurs we have using numbers."
- "When we match the right number of dinosaurs to the counting cards, we are learning about numbers."
- "We can add more dinosaurs to a picture and count how many there are in total."
- "Sometimes we need to take away dinosaurs and count how many are left. This is called subtraction."
- "We can make patterns with dinosaurs by using different colors in a specific order."