The Joy Of Learning

Vertical and centred

Control Charts

Materials:
Pink Cubes
Floor rug

General Presentation:
1.Invite the child or group of children.
2.Go over to where the floor rugs are kept.
3.Choose a rug and take it over to the floor and unroll it as you have been shown before.
4.Go over to where the Pink Cubes are kept.
5.The teacher should name the material for the child, “Pink Cubes”.
6.The teacher should demonstrate how to carry the cubes one at a time by placing one hand on top and one on the bottom.
7.Invite the child to carry the cubes (largest one first) over to the rug.
8.Place the cube on the rug.
9.Continue placing the cubes (not in order) until the smallest cube has been placed on the rug.
10. Pick up the largest cube with both hands and move it to the bottom left-hand side of the rug. 11.Continue to select the next largest cube and place it next to the cube placed before, left to right, in a horizontal line.
12.After the cubes have been graded largest to smallest, slide your hand, palm side down, over the tops of the cubes, from left to right. Say, “Largest to smallest cube”.
13.Invite the child to do the same.
14.Next take the smallest cube and move it up the top of each cube in turn, pausing to note that every other cube becomes level with the smallest cube.
15.Now, take the smallest cube and move it down the “stairs” pausing to note that every other cube becomes level with the smallest cube.
16.Return the cubes to the shelf carrying them properly and starting with the smallest cube.
17.Roll your rug as you have been show and return it to its place.

Second Presentation – Vertical and Centered:
Follow the General Presentation through Step #9. Then, grade the cubes vertically, one at a time, and center each cube as you go. When you are finished, take each cube in turn and place it on the rug in a horizontal line and then continue to put it away (see General Presentation).

Third Presentation – Vertical and Edged:
Follow the General Presentation through Step #9. Then grade the cubes vertically, one at a time, making sure that one corner and two sides are even with the cube before. When you are finished, take your fingers and stroke the cubes from bottom to top on each side that is edged (even). Take the smallest cube and go down and up the stairs showing that there is only one unit of increase in every cube.

Variation #1 - Memory:
Follow the General Presentation through Step #9. Then, roll out a second rug some distance away from the first one. Carry the largest cube over to the second rug and build the horizontal tower exactly the same way as you did on the first rug. This is the first memory exercise called order to order. The second memory exercise should be mixed order to order. The last one should be mixed order until you get to the middle cube and then grade toward the largest cube.

Variation #2 - Blindfolded:
After the cubes have been carried to the rug and are in mixed order, have the child use a blindfold. The first blindfolded exercise has the child grade horizontally as in the General Presentation. The second blindfolded exercise has the child grade vertically and centered. The last one should have the child grade vertically and edged.

Variation #3 – Horizontal & Matching Cards: