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LearningNumeracy

With Family

‘I remember when I was younger my Aunty showed me how turtle eggs are found, dug and divided into groups of 5. She taught me the Yolngu way of counting them. Watching, listening and imitating parents and other family plays a very important role in our children’s learning. Parents can demonstrate why maths is important. Remember parents, you are your children’s first teachers.’

Yalmay Yunupingu.

License Agreement: Based on the Early Learning Resources by the Australian Government, Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, with content by Monash University (Professor Marilyn Fleer, Professor Sue Willis and Marie Hammer), the university of Melbourne (Professor Bridie Raban),Early Childhood Australia (Pam Cahir and Judy Radich), Curriculum Corporation (Jenni Connor, Marilyn Platek, Margery Hornibrook, Louise Poultney and Helen Smith), published in Australia in 2006, republished in 2008. Used with permission of the Department.For enquiries regarding reproduction of any part of this publication, please contact Families as First Teachers, Department of Education and Training, PO Box 4821 Darwin NT 89993520

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Counting Counting tells how many.

Ideas for families • Countfingersandtoes.“1,2,3,4,5toes!”

• Countattheshop.Talkabouthowmanythings you have in the basket.

• Countthecrayonsasyoudrawwithkids.“Youhave2crayons.”

• Countthefruitasyougetreadytoeat.“1,2,3,4,5oranges.”

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Matching Kids learn that when things are the same they go together.

Ideas for families• Collectsticks,stones,leavesorshells.Sort

into different piles with kids. Match the ones that look the same.

• Playmatchinggamesusingstonesorcolored bottle tops.

• Whenyougivekidsfoodonaplate,ask“Whichonesarethesame?”

• Putthingsthatarethesameintoacontainer. Talk about things that are the same.

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Big and LittleWhen kids hear and use the words ‘big’ and ‘little’ they are learning about size.

Ideas for families• Talkaboutthethingsyousee.“Lookatthatbigcowwithherlittlecalf!”

• Playfindinggameswithkids.“Canyoufindabigtruckandalittlecar?”

• Talktokidsaboutsize.“Youcancarrythelittleone.”

• Talkaboutsizewhileyouareoutinthebush.“Weneedtofindsomebigsticksforthefire.”

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Learning Number Names Kids learn the names of numbers by hearing and saying them.

Ideas for families• Countwithkidswhenyouareplayingwith

them.

• Singsongswithnumbersusingyourfingerstocount.“1,2,3,4,5.OnceIcaughtafishalive.”

• Countthestepswhenyouwalkupstairs.“1,2,3,4,5steps.”

• Saythenameofnumberswhenyouseethem.

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SharingKids learn about division by sharing.

Ideas for families • Cutfoodintopiecesandshareit.Talkwith

kids about what you are doing.

• Talktokidsasyousharefish,goannaorwatermelon with family.

• Shareouttoystoplaywith.“Oneforyou,oneforme.”

• Talktokidsasyousharelunch.“Asandwich for you, one for your brother and oneforme.”

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MoreUse the word “more” to help kids learn about quantity.

Ideas for families• Askkidsiftheywant‘more’atmealtimes.

• Poursomedrinkintoacup.Askkidsiftheywant more.

• Talktokidsastheyplayinthesand.“Putsomemoresandinthecontainer.”

• Playwiththehoseandcontainers.

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ShapeLearning about shapes helps kids describe things in their world.

Ideas for families• Drawwithkids.Talkaboutthedifferent

shapes you draw.

• Collectsquareorroundplasticcontainersfor kids to practice stacking. Talk about the shapes.

• Makeshapesoutofplaydough.“Thisoneisround.”

• Talktokidsaboutshapeswhenyoueat.“Doyouwantawatermeloncircleorawatermelontriangle?”

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Sorting Kids learn that things can be sorted into groups.

Ideas for families• Talkaboutfoods.Tellkidswhichfoods

come from the land and which come from the sea.

• Lookatthedifferentfoodsintheshop.“Themeatisinthefreezerandthefruitisinthefridge.”

• Talkwithkidsaboutpeopleandfamily.Talkabout moiety and skin names.

• Playwithkids.“Putallthebigshellstogetherandthelittleonesinthemiddle.”

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PatternsSeeing patterns helps kids learn about order and what comes next.

Ideas for families• Showkidsthepatternsinpaintings.Talk

about the different patterns.

• Talktokidsaboutpatternsasyoudraw.“Abig circle, then a little circle, then a big one again.”

• Makepatternsinthesandwithkids.Kidswill make their own patterns.

• Talkaboutdifferentpatternswhenyouseethem.“Look,thereareanimaltrackshere.”

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Full and EmptyTalking about ‘full’ and ‘empty’ helps kids learn about capacity.

Ideas for families • Talkwithkidsasyougetthebillyready.“Thebillyisempty.Let’sfillitup.”

• Playwithwater.Talkaboutfullandempty.

• Playinthesandwithkids.“Thejugisempty!Nowit’sfull.”

• Talktokidsatmealtimes.“Yourbowlisfull.”

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Up, Down and Next ToTalking about up, down, and next to helps kids learn about position.

Ideas for families• Lookatthepossumupinthetree.Lookatthelizarddownontheground.

• Askkidstoputthecupuponthebenchorputthematdownonthefloor.

• Talktokidsaboutwhoissittingnexttothem.“Grandmaissittingnexttoyou.”

• Askkidstohelpfindthingsintheshop.“CanyougettheWeetbix?It’snexttotheSultanaBran.”

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In, Out, Over and UnderTalking about in, out, over and under helps kids learn about position.

Ideas for families • Useeverydaywordstodescribeposition.“Let’sallgetinthepoolnow.”

• Talktokidsattheshop.“Let’sgetthemelonoutofthefridge.”

• Talktokidsatthepark.“Climboverthebar.Climbundertheslipperydip.”

• Askkidstohelpwhenyoucleanup.“Let’sputtherubbishinthebin.”

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Heavy and LightLearning about heavy and light helps kids understand mass.

Ideas for families • Getkidstohelpattheshop.“I’llcarrytheheavybagandyoucancarrythelightone.”

• Showkidsthescaleswhenyouareattheclinic.“Thescalesshowushowheavyyouare.”

• Talkwithkidsasyouplayinthesand.“Canyoupickupthisheavybucketofsand?”

• Talkwithkidsabouteverydaythings.“Thatbagoforangesmightbeheavy.”

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TimeLearning about time helps kids to understand when things happen.

Ideas for families • Talktokidsaboutdayandnight.“Thesun

moves in the sky during the day and the starscomeoutatnight.”

• Talkaboutseasons.“It’sthewetseasonnowandthestormsarecoming.”

• Showkidsaclock.“It’s8o’clocknowandit’stimetogo.”

• Showkidspostersincommunitythattellusabouttime.“Theclinicopensat9o’clock.”

1 2 3 4 5 • 1 2 3 4 5 • 1 2 3 4 5 • 1 2 3 4 5 16ProducedbytheBatchelorInstituteofIndigenousTertiaryEducationfortheNorthernTerritoryDepartmentofEducationandTrainingAboriginal people should be aware it is possible some people in this resource may have since passed away. 16