Mount Frere, Eastern Cape
Join us over the next few weeks as we share some playful lessons using Six Bricks from around South Africa! 🤗
Doubling and Halving
The teacher began the lesson with a song. The learners were captivated with the movement the teacher demonstrated and the catchy lyrics about bricks. They eagerly joined in and laughed as they danced and sang.
The teacher had captured their attention. Then she presented a series of printed and laminated numbers. The learners used their bricks to display the number. The teacher showed a range of numbers, and the learners concretely worked with their bricks as they interacted with the abstract numbers.
Then the teacher introduced the concept of doubling numbers. She skilfully incorporated a combination of bricks and bottle tops brought from home by the learners. These manipulatives helped them create a visual representation of the doubled numbers. This hands-on approach, designed to enhance understanding of numbers engaged the learners.
The teacher then demonstrated examples of halving numbers. The learners used their bricks and bottle tops to create groups, effectively representing the halved numbers.
Throughout the lesson, the teacher was playful and fostered good connections with her learners. She effectively scaffolded the lesson, ensuring that struggling learners received the support during the process. Some learners did not have their own bottle tops, and so joined others to work in groups.
The teacher provided clear instructions and deliberately encouraged learners to discuss their thought processes and approaches. Ample time was allotted for the learners to explore their own solutions, fostering a sense of autonomy and discovery. Although the learners primarily worked individually, there was a sense of active engagement and deep concentration throughout the classroom.
The teacher demonstrated a good understanding of manipulatives and playful pedagogy. By skillfully intertwining engaging activities with meaningful instruction, she created an environment that nurtured curiosity and collaboration among the learners.
Watch the video to see an example of a mathematics lesson incorporating bottle tops and other manipulatives from Mount Frere!