Grouping

1st Grade – Mathematics (Bulgarian educational system)
Based on lesson “Grouping”.
In Mathematics school book of 1st Grade

ballon

Materials for the class

  1. Balloons with helium of different shape, size and color. The balloons should be as many in numbers as the children in the class.

  2. Sweets – which have been placed in the balloons.

Layout of the classroom

The pupils help the teacher to prepare the room during the break before the lesson. The desks are arranged in the shape of the letter П. The balloons are put into the room. The pupils are at the door of the classroom.

Phase 1

The teacher says to the pupils:

“Welcome to Balloon City. The Balloon city has been enchanted by an evil magician. To break the spell, you must meet all the challenges. There will be three challenges. You need to be quick and careful. “

CHALLENGE 1 :

The pupils will be grouped according to the colour of the balloons

CHALLENGE 2:

The pupils will be grouped according to the shape of the balloons

CHALLENGE 3:

The pupils will be grouped according to the size of the balloons

The teacher invites the children to come into the classroom.

Each pupil has to choose a balloon and to stand under it.

 Phase 2

The pupils should jump slightly to catch their balloons.

The teacher starts to give the different challenges.

First challenge
The teacher says aloud:

“All the children with balloons of the same colour should make a circle.”

All the pupils with the green balloons make a circle. The pupils with the red balloons make another circle and etc.

When the pupils have completed the challenge, they start walking freely in the classroom. When the teacher says “balloons” the pupils have to stand quickly under a balloon. In this way the children change the balloons.

Second challenge
The teacher says aloud:

“All the children with balloons of the same shape make a circle and squat ”

All the pupils with the heart balloons make a circle and squat. The pupils with the oblong balloons make another circle and squat, etc.

When the pupils have completed the challenge, they start walking freely in the classroom. When the teacher says “balloons” the pupils have to stand quickly under a balloon.

Phase 3

Third  challenge
The teacher says aloud:

“All the children with balloons of the same size make a circle and jump.”

All the pupils with the bigger balloons make a circle and jump. The pupils with the smaller balloons make another circle and jump. etc.

The pupils stay where they are after the last challenge.

Phase 4

The teacher tells the pupils that they have managed to break the spell and the Balloon City is saved.

The pupils pull down their balloons and eat the sweets.

The pupils help the teacher to put the classroom back to its normal order.