Grades 3–5 Math Activities

People frequently think that numbers and numerals are the same thing, but they are actually quite different. Numbers are quantities or amounts, such as four Popsicles or four rabbits. There always needs to be a number of something. Numerals are the symbols that stand for numbers, such as the numeral “4.”

In this activity, your child can gain a deeper understanding of numbers and the basics of arithmetic by exploring different ways that quantities can be arranged, put together, and taken apart.

	Paper

	Glue

	Other materials for making “portraits,” such as: beans, dried macaroni, squares of colored paper, colored beads, or seashells

	Any other good “portrait” materials you can find in your home or neighborhood

	Grid paper (optional: make your own paper with little squares using a centimeter ruler)

Ask your child to choose a number to count out by using the materials and then arrange them in different ways.

Here are some questions you can ask:

	Can you make your number into different shapes? Square? Triangle? Circle? Staircase?

	Can you put your number into pairs (2 equal rows)? Can you make 3 equal groups? Ten equal groups?

	What patterns can you make using squares of 4 different colors? Five different colors?

Have your child record her findings in “portraits” or on a chart. After she has explored several numbers, ask her to make some comparisons. Encourage her to explore such questions as:

	What similarities and differences can you find among the numbers?

	Which numbers can make pairs? Why?

	Which numbers can make squares? Stairs? Why?

	Which numbers can make many different equal groups? Which numbers can’t make any equal groups? Which number makes the most groups?

After your child has had experience exploring different numbers and coming up with ideas about them, you can help him link these ideas with familiar operations, such as adding, subtracting, and multiplying. Ask him to write number sentences to go with different portraits, or ask him to come up with a problem situation that one of the pictures could show.

For example, a portrait of 12 in pairs has the number sentence: 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 12. It also illustrates the problem, “Twelve people had to break into couples for the dance. How many couples would they make?” Encourage your child to explain how the number sentences and problems match the portraits. With many of these kinds of experiences, your child will gain a strong sense of the sizes and characteristics of different numbers.

 Grades 3–5 Math Activities