We used the fruit from our Kitchen Disco. Yoshi learnt about ‘symmetry’ and Finny worked on ‘pattern’. Then they taught each other what they’d learnt.
Resources
- Bowls of sliced fruit
- Plates
- Pencil for line of symmetry
- Mirrors (optional)
Method
As the boys washed their hands, I set up the first example for them to work through.
Ioan explaining what symmetry is to Finn.
Finn explaining what a pattern is to Ioan.
Then they had a go making their own examples of symmetry and pattern.
As always, there was lots of counting, and unprompted they started discussing doubling and halving. We looked at symmetry and pattern at Christmas and the boys remembered that they needed twice as many fruit to have an image and a reflection.
DfES Early Learning Goals (2017)
Physical development
ELG 05 – Health and self-care:
Children know the importance for good health of physical exercise, and a healthy diet, and talk about ways to keep healthy and safe. They manage their own basic hygiene and personal needs successfully, including dressing and going to the toilet independently.
Mathematics
ELG 11 – Numbers:
Children count reliably with numbers from 1 to 20, place them in order and say which number is one more or one less than a given number. They solve problems, including doubling, halving and sharing.
ELG12 – Shape, space and measures:
Children use everyday language to talk about size and position to compare quantities and objects and to solve problems. They recognise, create and describe patterns. They explore characteristics of everyday objects and shapes and use mathematical language to describe them.
