Beginning Math Concepts: How Many Apples?

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To start introducing math concepts to the girls I came up with Beginning Math Concepts: How Many Apples? These activities are a fun way to help kids start conceptualizing the math concepts counting, quantities, patterns, graphing, similarities, differences, and greater than, less than, or equal to. Beginning Math Concepts: How Many Apples? also helps them to start thinking critically and problem solving. I included some questions to ask before, during, or after each activity.

Terms to define to the kids:

• Most/Least
• Total
• Smallest/Largest
• Greater than/Less than/ Equal to
• Same/Different
• Pattern

Beginning Math Concepts: How many apples?

Supplies Needed:

• 3-4 different color apples (red, yellow, green, pink)
• Large bowl/basket
• Colored index cards
• Poster board
• Small Chalkboard or dry erase board
• Chalk or dry erase markers
• Paper and pencils

Activity 1: Sort and Count

1. Place all apples together in a large bowl or basket.
2. Label an index card for each color of apple using.
3. Have the kids sort the apples into groups by color.
4. Then have them count each group of apples.

Questions to ask:

1. Which color has the most apples?
2. Which color has the least apples?
3. How many apples total?

Activity 2: Count and Simple Graph

1. On a poster board or the table have the kids assemble the apples in columns like a bar graph.

Questions to ask:

1. Which kind of apple has the most?
2. Which kind of apple has the least?

Activity 3: Bar Graph

1. Mix up the apples adding additional apples or taking some away to change the quantities of each color.
2. On a chalkboard or dry erase board have the kids draw a simple bar graph.
3. Next have them sort and count the apples.
4. Then have them fill in the graph for each color of apples.

Questions to ask

1. Which color has the most apples?
2. Which color has the least apples?
3. How many more apples does the smallest group need to equal the largest group? They can use the bar graph to count up.
4. How many apples do you need to remove from the middle group to equal the smallest group? They can use the bar graph to count down.

Activity 4: Greater Than, Less Than, or Equal To

1. Add back the apples you took out earlier.
2. On a sheet of paper, compare each group of apples.
3. Write down the total number of red apples and the total number of yellow apples. Then write whether red is >, <, or = to yellow.
4. Compare each color of apples to each other.

Questions to ask

1. Which color has the most apples?
2. Which color has the least apples?
3. How many more apples does the smallest group need to equal the largest group?
4. How many apples do you need to remove from the middle group to equal the smallest group?

Activity 5: Same and Different

1. Make a list of all the ways the apples are the same.
2. Then make a list of all the ways the apples are different.

Activity 6: Patterns

1. Create a pattern with a few apples.
2. Have your child finish the pattern.
3. Have your child create their own pattern.

Activity 7: The Tower

1. Have the kids build a tower out of the apples.
2. See how many apples they can stack before it falls over.
3. Try building the tower with a small apple on the bottom.
4. Then try it with a big apple on the bottom. Which one worked better? Why do you think it worked like that?
5. Try stacking the apples steam to bottom.
6. Then try stacking them steam to steam.
7. And finally try bottom to bottom. Which way allowed you to stack the highest? Why do you think it worked like that?
8. Try building other structures with the apples like a pyramid. How does that compare to building the tower?

Be sure to stop by my Math and Science page where I will be linking all our math and science resources. And if you are looking for more homeschool activities, make sure you check out my Homeschool page which contains links to our sensory bins, crafts, and language arts including book lists.

What’s your favorite beginning math concept from the activities above? Share them in the comments below!

Have a great day!

Brandi

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