Gratnells Learning Rooms- What’ s in My Tray?
area. Fill the tray sections with maths manipulatives, pattern blocks, stones, seeds, shells, buttons, different shaped blocks, bobbins, pom poms, plasticine, rulers, measuring tapes, lolly pop sticks, air flow balls, dice, pattern blocks, playing cards, weights, egg boxes, beakers, clothes pegs, coins, number and sign cards and any other items to inspire counting and measuring. Finish it off with a balance scale or some weighing scales, a stop watch or two and a simple clock hung on the wall behind and let the investigations begin! Use of practical apparatus in maths teaching is associated with improved outcomes for pupils.
Always follow your usual risk assessment procedures prior to undertaking any of these activities with children.
Gratnells Learning Rooms has developed an exciting range of activities and ideas for children, with the“ What’ s in my Tray?” A series of practical, enjoyable projects taking the humble storage tray and making it a thing of wonder.
As providers of classroom storage solutions to the education sector in over 65 countries, Gratnells has developed the Learning Rooms concept which offers a mix of advice, ideas and content for classrooms, social spaces and the great outdoors, to empower teachers and enrich the lives of children.
Trays can be used to engage children in activities, encouraging them to use their imagination and absorb the information provided by the teacher to learn in a more diverse yet effective way. Here are a few ideas on how to use trays when teaching Maths to children:-
Counting trays – a great way to keep all beads, blocks or counters together during activities. Half-fill( use a tray divider) each tray with counters and a set of printed number and sign(+,-, x, ÷, =) cards. Working in the other half of the tray challenge your students to create and work out number bonds using the counters and cards, building the complexity to suit age and ability. If using one tray per small group working around a table, add shallow beakers / pots or plastic / wooden rings to the other half of the tray so the students can use these to keep their counting beads together while working directly on the table instead.
Maths manipulatives tray – never mix up pattern blocks again! Place the pattern blocks trays and challenge cards in the centre of the table for easy access. Can the children buildup the complex patterns and shapes and get all the colours in the right place? Choose or create appropriate challenge cards to suit the age and ability of the children. Use tray dividers to help sort the pattern block out again at the end of the activity.
Maths investigation area – use a variety of coloured shallow trays with different dividers and inserts to create an engaging maths investigation
Have you been inspired by this article? We would love to hear from you, see pictures of you and your students having a go at some of the activities and hear your ideas for new ones. Tweet us @ Gratnells # whatsinmytray.
Author Dr Katherine Forsey @ DrBiol
Education & Outreach Consultant and Gratnells Learning Rooms Panel Expert. Keynote speaker at the 2016 National Technicians Conference and presenter of the Gratnells Science Technician of the Year Awards.
DR. KATHARINE FORSEY
20 | Mar- Apr 2017 | | Class Time