Introduction​

(Although listed as Introduction, these can be used again and again to develop and practise skills)​

• Let’s have a look at the poster and think about what we see​
• Allow 2-3 minutes for children to look at the poster individually. If necessary, remind them ‘Thinking is quiet. First let’s think about what we see, then we’ll share’. ​
• In pairs, take turns telling your partner what you see in the picture.  Try not to repeat something your partner has said. ​
  Each time you tell something new that you see, take a counter from the pile in the centre and add it to your​ (shared)tower. Each partner uses a different coloured cube.  If you cannot see anything new, say ‘Pass’, and your partner continues. ​
• During this time the teacher should try not to prompt by asking questions, but encourage children who are stuck by thinking aloud.​
• Group all the children with their towers. Comment on the height of each tower, to focus on height (measures) or on how many cubes are in each tower, to focus on numbers. ​
• Ask each pair in turn to tell one thing they saw.  Acknowledge any others who saw/listed the same item. As a child names one item, he/she takes one cube off the tower and returns it to the centre pile. Each pair who saw/mentioned the same thing does the same.  Continue until all towers have been depleted. ​

• At a later stage, if reasonably proficient writers, might be asked to list what they see in writing, either individually or as pairs, with each partner using a different coloured pencil. 

You can use this poster to explore maths with children. Playing games with children will help them develop a positive attitude towards maths. This can help develop mathematical thinking such as counting, comparing, sorting and spatial relations. Here are some suggestions:

Counting: How many of each animal can you see?  How many bananas can you find?

Matching: Can you find animals that are the same?

Comparing: For example, are there more giraffes or more monkeys?

 Spatial Awareness – Measures Talk about the animals. Which ones are tall / Short / Long / Big / Small.

Can you see an animal that is taller / shorter / bigger / smaller than a chosen example?

Spatial Awareness – Positional Language: Talk about where different object are. For instance in a tree / above another animal,/etc.

Ask where a particular animal is located.  Children must tell where the animal is by using positional language.  For example using above / between / behind / on the left/ at the top /etc.

Describe where a particular animal is and ask the children to identify it.  For example, “I’m thinking of an animal.  It is behind a tree. “