Same And Equal Spinners

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The Same - Not the Same

Count the Objects to Compare

Original spinner-same & not the same

I recently found this spinner that I had used many years ago with a Kindergartener who had difficulty understanding and remembering the meaning of the word ‘equal.’ The student wanted to be involved with our more-less-equal team games but I could see there wasn’t confident yet with the vocabulary.

Original spinner-equal & not equal

Simply cut a circle out of construction paper, draw a line through the center and write the words –Same on one half and Not the Same on the other half. Turn the spinner over and you see the words- Equal and Not Equal. When the student had experiences with the words the same-not the same, we used the opposite side with the vocabulary he would need for all the future skills.

 This was my initial spinner with double sides used. All you need is a paper clip in the middle and a pencil holding the paper clip so it is turned into a spinner. 

Equal & Not equal spinner (2)

Same & Not the same spinner (2)

For this blog, I made a copy of all the spinners for you as well as showing you what I initially made in about 20 seconds.

Both spinners on 1 sheet

Select a couple groups of ‘treasures’ or sorting materials you already have in your classroom. Put a group of those objects each in its own small paper bag. I used key and buttons this time.  

Button treasures

 To ensure success starts with the easiest game—the student puts a hand in and grabs some objects from each bag. Then count the number grabbed. Are both of those numbers the same? If the child needs to count and compare 1 to 1, that’s fine at this stage.

Key treasures

How many ‘keys’ did you grab? How many’ buttons’ did you grab? Are those numbers exactly the same? Is 8 the same as 12?  No, they are not the same, so 8 is not the same as 12? 'Let's count to make sure.'

If you wish, go a step further and ask, how could you make the same number of keys as buttons? That will allow you to assess what the learning is so far and help you see what should be the next developmental step to facilitate the understanding of the word equal.

Are you ready to use the other spinner with words –equal and not equal?  Continue with this very easy start and then move to using the spinner with number cards.

Add a number

There are many ways to do this but I usually start with students selecting a number from the stack. Now student selects one of the sorting treasures to use as objects for counting. If they selected the number 13, they would have to count out 13 keys or buttons. 

Number cards 1-15

Number cards 16-30

Spin the spinner to see whether they have to count out the same or an equal number of the other objects. If they spin not the same or not equal, they have to count either an object less than 13 or more than 13.

Now is a great time to reinforce the vocabulary or more and less, if needed. Keep playing and as you play you will come up with other ways to use this type of spinner in your class. Sooo Easy!

Please check out all the other activities I have in my store at

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Beginning Addition Stick Book

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Beginning Addition Sticker Book

This is one of the easiest small group addition activities you can imagine. All you need is folded copy paper or folded construction paper, whatever manipulative you have on hand and stickers from the Dollar Tree! I like to provide a number line in case a student, at this point is still uncertain about how they make one of the numerals.

Usually, I try to find enough paper in the scrap bin to fold together enough booklets. If nothing available an appropriate size, fold copy paper into 4 parts and staple together enough pages to make the tiny booklets.

Students add a title and their name

Simple blank tiny booklet

See if you can make the cover out of construction paper and perhaps the inside pages from colored copy paper. This puts a bit of a different take on simply folding white paper to make a tiny booklet. It adds a bit of new interest and something different, which children enjoy.

 Decide the addition sum you want the children to manipulate and explore with this project. This blog shows my students when we make addition equations with 5 objects. I was looking for the formation of the numbers, understanding and use of the operation signs + and = as well as correct use and meaning of math vocabulary – add, plus, equal.

Use number lines if needed for identification and
formation assistance.

The main goal is to have a lively discussion about why and what they are doing! If some are having trouble with the vocabulary or identifying a numeral, please take the time to talk through with examples and having the students be actively talking about their thinking.

Take the time now to assess each student’s understanding and fluency. If a student is not clear on something, continue to engage in a positive way. Being able to use correct vocabulary and manipulate the numbers to make 5 (or whichever number you are doing) is basic and fundamental to the next development skill. It may seem like so much trouble, as you are off your schedule, but that extra 5 minutes will better ensure, that student will be ready to move with the class when you go to a deeper level.

Busy worker!

After we did addition facts of 5, we made a new book called, Beginning Family of 5 Subtraction Book. This way they could see the idea of fact families and number bonding. We used the same manipulative so there would be another tie with remembering the prior addition fact family.

Click the video to see the lesson in action

When we have discussed the terms number family and number bonds, this activity leads to a Number Bonds Book for 5 and placed in the math center as an independent or partner activity. Be sure they have had many experiences as a class about building and manipulating the number bond frames before using as an independent activity or at your math center.

Hope you got some ideas from reading this post. Check out more of my ideas on my TPT store. 
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Make-Math-Magicic

Click my Pinterest link to find more easy to make and use ideas.

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Beginning of Year- Build ABCD Bead Patterns

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Beginning of Year Activity

ABCD Bead Patterning Using Recycled Prescription Containers

I love to think of ways to reuse materials and recycling prescription bottles for containers is an easy way to hold small math manipulatives. If you don’t have those bottles, ask your friends, relatives, and fellow teachers to save for you. Since the pharmacy cannot reuse them, even if you thoroughly clean them, it seemed easy to use them for small items.

 

Prescription bottles as containers

If you do not wish to use recycled prescription bottles, another idea is to use small salad dressing containers from The Dollar Tree or 99¢ Store. In fact, all of the materials (pony beads and pipe cleaners) you need to purchase can be found at either of those stores.

Contents of containers

Materials you need to acquire for the bead patterning are: the containers, pipe cleaners, and small pony beads. The pattern cards, labels, numbers for lids and the blank cards are seen at the end of this blog. 

 Your students will like to use this hands-on game and it can be used with several developmental levels. I have introduced the activity and only some of the easiest pattern cards, as AB, ABC, AAB, etc., at the beginning of the year, then reintroduced the activity with the next level pattern cards, later in the year. There have also been years that I have needed both skill levels at the beginning of the year, so easy to then put out both pattern levels. Later in the year, add the hardest pattern cards.

Ideas to use

At the beginning of the year, I put a pattern card, ½ pipe cleaner, and beads into each container. If pipe cleaner becomes too bent, have them available next to the containers. When using 3 different sets, use 3 different colored number circles so students can find and clean up materials.

Place a different pattern of the easy pattern cards in the containers. It is better not to put the same AB pattern card in the same number in each set. This way, students can do the activity several times with varying results at a center. Much more use with same materials!

Use the number circles to glue and cover the pharmacy lids. On other games and uses, I have used happy face and other circle stickers to cover the lids. The Dollar Tree is a great source for these.

                               

The number of small pony beads needed will depend on how many containers you acquire. For each container, you need at least 4 different colors of beads and many of that color since you want students to make that pattern and extend it at least one time.

It is important to remove the label and thoroughly wash and clean the inside of the bottle and the lid since there must not be any residue left from any medication. Also, it is a good idea to cover the top of the lid since it says the name of pharmacy and you don’t want children seeing the label.

Tape or glue the label, ‘Build A Bead Pattern’, to the side of each container, put in the pony beads and ½ pipe cleaner. Glue a number to the top of the container lid. I have been able to collect enough containers that I can now have 2 sets. I color code each number set a different color so students don’t mix them if using at the math center.

If you are using this in a small group or independent math center, select the skill level of the pattern cards you wish to use. Once you explain the directions, this activity can be used as an assessment or in a teacher lead small group.

Each student or partner team gets a set of the containers, crayons and recording sheet. The student selects a numbered container, opens and takes out the AB pattern. Using the beads and pipe cleaner they make, repeat and record that pattern on the recording sheet.

Recording sheet

Have fun!!

Thank you so much for visiting my blog. I hope you can use some of the materials and ideas you have seen. Please visit my store at TPT for this product.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Make-Math-Magic

Everything you need for AB bead pattern fun!