Count, order and compare with Bottle Top Bugs.
To play the game you need:
A set of Bottle Top Bugs
A feely bag, box or cloth
Put your bottle top bugs in a feely bag or a box or under a cloth. Each player takes one bug out, puts it in front of them and says how many spots there are. The player with more spots captures both bugs.
Keep playing until all the bugs have been used. The winner is the player who has captured most bugs.
Ensure learners are using correct mathematical language.
Ask:
Who has more spots? Who has fewer spots?
Who has more? Who has less?
Say:
I have more spots. I have fewer spots.
I have more. I have less.
Make sure that learners practise using fewer/less as well as more.
Practise subitising (saying how many spots there are without counting in ones). Seeing patterns and arrangements of objects is an important skill that helps with rearranging, combining, breaking up and putting together amounts in number.
When you turn over a bug, say how many spots there are without counting in ones. How do you know how many spots there are? Calculating Cat knows she has 7 spots because she saw 5 plus 2 more.
Match the numeral
Say how many spots you have and find that number on a number line.
Say how many spots you have and find a digit card to match that amount.
Extend the game
Ask Who has more spots? How many more?
Who has fewer spots? How many fewer?
I have …..spots. I have ……. more spots than my friend.
I have …….. spots. I have …….. fewer spots than my friend.
Vary the game
- Change the rules so that the player with fewer spots wins.
- Players take two bugs and add the number of spots together. They then compare their totals. The player with the greater total captures all four bugs.
- Players take two bugs and find the difference. They then compare their differences. The player with the greater difference captures the four bugs.
Digit Dog Challenges 