Red Rods & Number Rods

Description

The Kit includes:
1. Activity Name: Red Rods (Montessori Name) which is a Visual Discrimination Activity of Length.

• Aim of the activity: Understanding of the dimension of length. Application & Constructive work.
• Steps: Arrange all the red rods randomly at right top corner side of the table or mat. Make sure your child is setting beside you on the left (avoid opposite direction setting arrangement). The aim is that the child arranges all red rods – shortest to longest. Disassemble the entire activity so that the child can control his mistake and rebuild the activity again because it has to be self-corrected. The red rod material is self-corrected material, the child by himself will understand the arrangement mistake, if any. Let the child explore with the material for more applications and constructive work, the child can even build a different figure. This activity is the foundation for developing mathematic skills.

2. Activity Name: Number Rods (Montessori Name) which is a counting activity.

• Specification of Material: Number rods have division of red and blue lines. The child can understand visually that the numbers of units make one whole quantity.
• Aim of the activity: Quantity Application (Counting). Display all the rods (material) on a mat as per the picture or as per your availability. Introduce rods to child, saying each rod has red & blue color division. Because of colour division on rods it is very clear for each child to count.
• Steps: Take 1st three rods (1,2 & 3) and count along with the child. At the beginning, introduce only 3 rods. As the child begins to understand the concept, gradually introduce rest of the rods. As the child gets connected and starts counting well, you can place the rods randomly on the floor and ask the child to recognize one particular rod (example: Parent: “Give me rod # 3”, and child will give you the same).
When the child gets aware about Number symbols, let the child keep number rods along with number card. You can complicate a little by keeping number rods randomly and then asking child to count the rod and match respective cards.
Additionally, once the child is clear with the concept of number and quantity, you can teach addition by joining two number rods and asking them to count it all together. Then the child can further work with its own discoveries. Parents need to allow the child to figure out own addition combinations.