Activity
Number Review with a Porcupine
Subject
Math, Science & Technology
Grade Levels
Elementary, Kindergarten
Description
This activity can be done to review numbers for early kindergarten students. This game should be done in small groups of less than ten students. The porcupine needs to be made by the teacher prior to the lesson. It takes a little time but is well worth it.
Materials
Pencil, Scrap Paper, Porcupine
Create Porcupine
Prior to lesson, create the porcupine. Using a foam block, shave down the material until it resembles the body. Paint the foam to resemble a porcupine. Then use a marker to number one end of the popsicle sticks. Insert the sticks, number down, into the foam randomly to make the quills.
Procedure
- Pass out the sheets of paper to the students and ask them to put their names at the top.
- Describe that this is one smart animal! Tell them that all of our porcupine quills have a number on them.
- Describe that we are going to play a game and here are the rules:
- One by one, each student will get the opportunity to pick a quill from our
porcupine.
- If the student can identify the number correctly, allow the student to keep the quill. Also, each time the
student gets the correct answer, have them make a tally mark on their paper. (Reminding them that the
fifth tally mark goes diagonal over the other four.) Go to the next student.
- If the student gets the number incorrect, help them to figure out the number. They cannot keep the quill,
but assure them that they will be able to try again.
- The object of this game is to earn the most quills. Have the students count their quills and tally marks
to make sure they have the same number.
