Number Rods Extension With the Red and Blue Bead Sticks

The Number Rods Extension can be a great project to add in the shelf with the Montessori Red and Blue Rods (or Number Rods) in your Montessori class room environment. But even if you do not have access to this classroom material this particular Number Rods Extension with the Red and Blue bead sticks will help your child to learn the same concept with a different twist.

In the Montessori class room the Red and Blue Number rods are ten wooden rods varying from 1 decimeter to 1 meter, each decimeter colored alternatively red and blue are used to give the children the first introduction to cardinal numbers.Also, children get a grasp of the linear dimension as the rods increase in length just by holding and carrying them.

This particular material – the Number Rods Extension with the red and blue bead sticks is a set of ten sticks as you see in the picture. (I must apologize -while taking the picture I missed the tenth stick. But there are ten sicks in this set, be assured.) The bead sticks (each stick is 3mm long in this case)are meticulously wrapped using the wrapped loop technique explained in the Montessori Math page.

Presentation:

Invite the child. “I'd like to show you a work with the red and blue bead sticks.

Bring the material to a rug or table top and sit next to the child.

Pick up each stick gently and put on the rug /table top all horizontal and parallel to each other.

“Let's make order” and show the child starting with the longest stick from the very left corner on the empty tray. Make sure that they all start with the red and the starting points of all the sticks are exactly in the same vertical line (like the picture)

After a few sticks you may invite the child “Do you want to try?” Let him participate finishing off.

Now take the one red stick and put it on the tray. Trace the whole length and say-”One”

Take the two red and blue stick and put it below the one stick. Trace the whole length say “Two”

Touching with your forefinger the two segments count “One, two”Take the three red and blue stick and similarly introduce “Three” counting all the three segments.

With the Three Period Lesson introduce one, two and three and make sure the child has understood the concept of the numbers.

Depending on the child you may introduce more this very time, bring numerals (sand paper numerals, numerals on hand written cards , magnetic numerals available in stores) 1, 2. 3 to incorporate with the linear measurement concept;or just show him how and where to put it back to the shelf making it just ready for the next time.

I have read all these six books and highly recommend all of them if you want to know more about the Montessori way

Direct Aim of this project:

Introducing numbers, linear counting , providing the basic concept of math and giving more opportunity to practice with the concept.

Indirect Aim:

Concentration, eye-hand co ordination, cultivating the mathematical mind and language development.

Point of Interest:

Colors, Red and blue lines

Aesthetic beauty of the material

Preciseness of the presentation

Vocabulary:One, two, three, numbers, red, blue, sticks, beads, math.

Control of Error:

Child himself. Child will learn at his own pace and observing others.

Age: 3- 6 years.

Note:

Some children who are exposed to the Montessori environment may find out that there is some similarity with the Number Rods or the Red rods (in the Sensorial area) of the class room with this material. Let them find that out. We as teachers(parents are teachers too) are here just to guide not to tell everything.

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