Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Ladybug Math Mats and Counters

Assalamu alaikum,

The ladybugs have really caught hold here. Ideas to explore ladybugs in a cross-curricular manner just keep popping up alhamdulillah!

This activity uses ladybugs to explore addition concepts in math insha'Allah (I'll try to post pictures soon insha'Allah).

This is the 1s mat (click on the image to see a larger view insha'Allah)


This is a row of the counters that students use to solve the math problems on their mat insha'Allah (you would need to cut them out insha'Allah so each little ladybug is a circle counter).

There are activity mats for the addition facts 0 thru 9 and students use the ladybug counters to help them solve the problems on their mat insha'Allah. You can use these with up to 10 children because you can give each child a mat and give them enough counters to use or you can put these in a math centre and allow children to work on them during centre time insha'Allah (I also recommend laminating the mats and counters if you can insha'Allah). You'll notice that two of the math problems repeat on each mat. This is intentional. I want to give the children a chance to review and not become accustomed to or rely on the pattern to solve each equation.

This is one of the things in Montessori education that I like. Following the child does not mean that the child's interests prevent them from learning a range of materials from the curriculum, quite the opposite. This method allows a teacher or parent to introduce many subjects but working along with the child's interest gives each activity an appeal that will draw the child to it insha'Allah. So if a child likes ladybugs but does not like math, use the ladybugs to help overcome that aversion to math insha'Allah!

Here is the file if you'd like to use this with your child(ren) insha'Allah.

More ladybug activities coming soon insha'Allah. Oh yes! I will also try to make some worksheets to go with each math mat insha'Allah. So check back insha'Allah!

Enjoy insha'Allah!

8 comments:

  1. Masha Allah so nice.
    Sister I can help you create your site, like www.(name).com
    What you thing about this? You have very interesting materials for education muslims child.
    Sory for my bad english.
    Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah

    ReplyDelete
  2. Assalamu aliakum wa rahmatullah,

    Jazakillahu khayr dear sis Iman. I actually have a site (that I have been neglecting...opps!..hehe): http://ummannuman.weebly.com/ but most of my materials are here on the blog.

    ReplyDelete
  3. wa iiaki uhti, hair if you want i do it bismillah, tell me if you want.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Assalamu aliakum wa rahmatullah,

    Jazakillahu khayr dear sis. I used to have the link to my website on the side bar of my blog but when I changed templates I forgot to add it. I put it back. Do you do web design dear sis?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wa alaikum assalam warahmatullah!
    Wa iiaki! Sis I'm not web designer. I can something simpl, but not proffesional.

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  6. assalamualaikum Umm Nu'man
    I just did this activity with my son. He loves it, but I had to make up stories for each equation :) These ladybugs are going swimming, so how many swimming suits do we need altogether? He doesn't like doing additions but with a story for each equation he wants to do this again and again. I also glued magnet strips behind each ladybug and did this on an upside down cake pan. It's easier to manipulate the ladybugs.Jazakillah khair for this! You saved me a LOT of time! :D
    Nadia

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    Replies
    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    2. Waalaikum assalam wa rahmatullaahi wa barakatuh

      Jazakillaahu khayr dear sis Nadia for your comment. Alhamdulillaah your son enjoyed the activity.

      Your idea for using magnetic strips on the ladybugs is wonderful! Barak Allaahu feki.

      Umm An-Nu'man

      Delete

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