Number Rods

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Materials

  • Ten wooden rods, painted in alternating red and blue sections
  • Each rod increases by 10 cm, from 10 cm (representing 1) to 100 cm (representing 10)
  • Mat for presentation

Prerequisites

  • Red Rods (Sensorial)
  • Ability to work with care and concentration
  • Approximately 4 years old

Direct Aims

  • To introduce the concept of quantity from 1-10
  • To establish the concept that each number is composed of separate units
  • To develop the child's concept of quantity as related to length

Indirect Aims

  • Preparation for addition and subtraction
  • Development of mathematical mind
  • Coordination of movement
  • Refinement of visual discrimination

Presentation

First Presentation: Building the Stair

  1. Invite the child to work with the Number Rods
  2. Carry the rods one at a time from the shelf to the mat, holding horizontally with both hands
  3. Place rods randomly on the mat
  4. Select the longest rod (10) and place it at the top left of the mat, horizontally
  5. Find the next longest rod (9) and place it directly below, aligning at the left
  6. Continue building the stair in descending order
  7. Run hand along the stair to feel the gradation
  8. Return rods to shelf one at a time, starting with the shortest

Second Presentation: Introduction to Quantity

  1. Build the stair with the child
  2. Isolate the rod of 1, touch and say: "This is one"
  3. Isolate the rod of 2, touch each red section separately while counting: "one, two"
  4. Isolate the rod of 3, touch each section while counting: "one, two, three"
  5. Give Three Period Lesson with 1, 2, and 3
  6. Continue with subsequent numbers in groups of three, reviewing previously learned quantities

Third Presentation: Counting the Rods

  1. Build the stair with the child
  2. Starting with 1, count each rod by touching each section
  3. Emphasize the last number: "one, two, three, four... FOUR"
  4. Continue through all ten rods
  5. Mix the rods and invite the child to count them

Control of Error

  • Visual: gradation of length
  • The ten rods when built correctly form a stair
  • The teacher during early presentations

Points of Interest

  • The beautiful color alternation
  • Building the stair
  • The increasing length
  • The counting activity

Extensions

  • Find specific quantities: "Bring me 7"
  • Compare quantities: "Which is more, 5 or 3?"
  • Simple addition with two rods: place 3 and 2 end to end, count total
  • Simple subtraction: "What is 5 minus 2?" (break off two sections mentally)
  • Games: child closes eyes, teacher removes a rod, child identifies which is missing











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