Professional Learning Modules
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Adult Learning Activity
Sorting & Sorting Again◉ To do this activity, you need to find 8 to 10 small objects.
◉ You will need to touch and move the objects, so don’t choose anything that might break.
↓ For each slide, please press play for audio
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Adult Learning Activity
Sorting & Sorting Again◉ Sort your collection of objects into groups in some way that makes sense. (One example is hard things and soft things.)
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Adult Learning Activity
Sorting Stuff & sorting again◉ Now re-sort your collection of objects into different groups, using a different rule.
◉ How many ways can you think of to sort the collection?
Make a list of all the ways you come up with to sort your stuff.
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Adult Learning Activity
Sorting & Sorting AgainNow we are going to try sorting & re-sorting using pictures.
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Adult Learning Activity
Sorting & Sorting Again[one_third]
How could we sort this collection?
Take a few minutes to write down some ways you can think of.[/one_third]
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Adult Learning Activity
Sorting & Sorting Again
We could sort by using a yes/no question…
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[two_third_last]How could we re-sort this collection?
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Adult Learning Activity
Sorting & Sorting Again
We could sort by considering the function of the objects…
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How could we re-sort this collection?
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Adult Learning Activity
Sorting & Sorting Again
We could sort by looking at the shape of the objects…
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How could we re-sort this collection?
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Adult Learning Activity
Sorting & Sorting AgainWe could sort by looking at the color of the objects…
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Can you think of other ways to re-sort this collection?
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Ways to Sort a Collection
◉ Binary sort – something & not something
◉ Color
◉ Shape
◉ Material type
◉ Use
◉ Size – length, weight, etc
◉ Texture
In open sorts, we often mix schemes…
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What is mathematical about sorting?
Take a few minutes to write down some of your thoughts about this question.
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Big Ideas of Sets
Topic
Big Ideas
Examples
Sets and Sorting Attributes can be used to sort collections into sets. The same collection can be sorted in different ways.
Sets can be compared and ordered.
Color, size, shape, type of object, etc. Red bears vs. blue bears; big bears vs. little bears
There are more red bears than blue bears. (compare); small bears, medium bears, large bears (order)
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What are the Big Ideas of Early Mathematics
Key mathematical concepts that are
◉ Mathematically central & coherent
◉ Consistent with children’s thinking
◉ Generative of future learning
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What are the Big Ideas of Early Mathematics?
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Big Ideas are tools for adults to understand foundational math & to notice & plan for children’s learning.
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Brain booster: Which of the figures below are the same
Take a moment to look closely & write down your answer.
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Same & Different
Take a moment to look closely & write down your answer.
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Video Analysis: Focus on the Child
As you watch these video clips, consider:
What evidence of children’s thinking can you see or hear?After each clip, take a moment to write down notes about what you saw & heard.
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Sorting Rocks with Child 32 (3-year-old)
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Sorting Rocks with Child 14 (5-year-old)
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Sorting Commercial Manipulatives with Child 33 (4-year-old)
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Video Analysis: Focus on the Child
What evidence of children’s thinking did you see or hear?
◉ All three children used attributes to sort a collection into different sets.◉ “Sorting Commercial Manipulatives” with a 4-year-old
❍ needed some support to understand the task (English is second language)
❍ color is a more salient attribute than shape
❍ pairing similar objects seems easier than making groups
❍ child was able to re-sort the collection of keys by shape -
Development of Thinking about Sets & Sorting
◉ By age 4, children can sort objects according to a given attribute and form categories.❍ They may switch attributes during open sorting.
◉ By age 6, children can independently sort by a single attribute and re-classify by different attributes.
◉ Children aged 5, 6 & 7 are still building their understanding of overlapping sets and hierarchical categories.
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Research Lesson: People Sort
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Video Analysis: People Sort
◉ What evidence do you see of the children’s thinking?
❍ children label attributes
❍ children define attributes
❍ children make sets◉ What evidence do you see of the teacher’s thinking?
❍ teacher does activity with small group of children
❍ teacher focuses children on observable attributes
❍ teacher labels the set created◉ How might this experience connect to other math?
❍ builds understanding of the concept of attribute, which is key to all areas of mathematics. -
Attribute: A key concept in all areas of mathematics
Number & Operations
◉ What kind of thing are we counting?
◉ What is the unit? What is the set?
◉ Number is an attribute of a set.
◉ Subitizing is seeing small sets.
Geometry
◉ What kind of shape is it?
◉ We use shape as an attribute to sort.
◉ We define shapes by their attributes.
Measurement
◉ What kind of big is it?
◉ We use size as an attribute to sort.
◉ Each type of measurement corresponds to a particular attribute.
Data Analysis
◉ What kind of question are we trying to answer?
◉ We collect & analyze data by classifying, sorting & making sets.
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Stop and Jot
Read (or review) chapter 1, “sets,” in the Big Ideas book before making plans about sharing this content with others.
Slide of .