# data[].attributes.body
Cooking and outdoor activities help introduce temperature concepts. To teach these concepts use words like hot and cold.

# data[].attributes.body
- a quality curriculum provides a rich environment and developmentally appropriate activities to help children explore key concepts.
- children should learn to count and recognize numbers and understand the concepts of space, size, volume, and time

# data[].attributes.body
- encourage the children by providing an active, stimulating environment to foster mathematical thinking.
- provide the children with a variety of 3D objects that promote physical and mental activity.
- Include items for counting, observing, creating, sorting, discussing, construction and comparing.

# data[].attributes.body
- determine children's skill levels before planning math activities.
- two common forms of assessment:
- observation assessment
- specific task assessment
- observation involves formal viewing of a child during self-selected activities.
- specific behaviors to watch for:
- identifying colors and shapes
- sorting and classifying objects
- counting objects
- setting a table correctly
- pouring liquids and carefully watching the amount poured
- constructing patterns
- writing numerals
- specific task assessment involves giving children set activities to determine skill and/or needs.

# data[].attributes.body
- color is considered a math concept since it helps children learn to discriminate among objects.
- using color, children can classify, pattern, and sequence.
- identifying color can also help language development. It requires the skill to recall a name and associate it with a visual image.
- children learn to identify colors before shapes. It is also common for a preschool child to confuse color and shape.
- color blindness can be discovered through careful observation of children as they try to learn colors.
- color blind children see shades of green and red as grayish brown.
- they may even see all colors as gray.
- the director will usually discuss this problem with the child's parents. Then, the parent decides if their child should be tested for color blindness.
- color concepts can be taught formally or informally.
- color recognition can be taught at transition times.
- sorting objects by color will help with recognition.

# data[].attributes.body
- numerals: the symbols that represent numbers.
- children gain these recognition skills as they are continually exposed to numerals.
- there are many easy ways to expose children to numerals, like taking a walk or looking at a number line.

# data[].attributes.body
- counting is a key problem-solving tool.
- one-to-one correspondence: the understanding that one group has the same number as another.
- most basic part of the concept of numbers.
- finger counting is helpful and fun for children.
- cardinality: the last number of the counting sequence tells how many objects exist in a set.
- children are often exposed to counting by listening to adults count objects.
- after they know the names of the numbers, they can identify them and make the connection between the word and the numeral.
- the ability to count occurs in two stages:
- rote counting
- rational counting
- rote counting is learned before rational counting.
- rote counting is recitation of numbers in order. This involves memory, not understanding.
- rational counting involves attaching a number to a series of grouped objects.
- children should always be exposed to rational counting using concrete objects.

# data[].attributes.body
- children develop size concepts only through experience.
- use words like: big, little, large, small, long/tall, short, wide, thin, big, bigger, biggest, small, smaller, smallest, inches, feet, pounds, smaller than, bigger than, thick, thin, high, low, large, larger, longer, taller, and shorter.

# data[].attributes.body
- sand tables and water tables are useful for offering children many opportunities to explore volume.
- provide many containers of varying volumes and shapes for measuring.
- introduce volume concepts such as: empty, full, little, much, a lot, and some.
- when children use these concepts, they think about their world in terms of quantity.

# data[].attributes.body
A set is a group of objects that belong together because they are alike in some way. A key objective of early math activities is to have children learn how to organize. Some sets may have many members but a set without members is called an empty set. Children best learn sets in small groups. Teach the concept of an empty set during snack time when the child has eaten their "set" of snacks.

# data[].attributes.body
Well planned settings provide developmentally appropriate experiences and help promote math skills. The math experiences should promote: observing and describing concrete objects, recognizing colors, patterns, and attributes, classifying sets of objects, comparing objects, copying patterns, recognizing shape concepts, recognizing and writing numerals, using logical words, using one-one correspondence, estimating quantity and measurement, and developing problem-solving skills.

# data[].attributes.body
Time is difficult to understand for children because time can stand for so many situations. Young children only have a vague concept of time. Children usually can't read the time on a watch or clock until age 7. You can use routines to teach time concepts to young children.

# data[].attributes.body
Classification is the process of mentally sorting and grouping objects or ideas by a common attribute. Matching is a form of classification where it involves putting like objects together. Sorting and sequencing are also examples.Recognizing is the simple form of classification. Classroom experiences should start out with only one feature such as color, and then add more features as others are mastered.

# data[].attributes.body
A child will normally confuse circles and squares when first learning shapes. Children tend to be able to identify shapes before they are able to draw them, which doesn't happen until around age 4. For learning shape concepts, using a variety of activities that involve touching, holding, and matching. One way to teach shapes is the use of parquetry blocks which are: blocks that are geometric pieces that vary in color and shape. Do not teach color and shape at the same time though.

# data[].attributes.body
Children's literature has become an important strategy to teach math. Books enhance the child's curiosity about math. They are a tool for exploring. thinking. and exchanging math concepts.

# data[].attributes.body
Spatial relationships refers to the position of people and objects in space relative to each other. Describing the positions of objects is important.  To learn prepositions, children should be shown concrete examples.