The Number Rods - Exercise 2

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The teacher takes the one, two, and three rods to the floor mat with the child and proceeds to teach the names, using the three period lesson.

Period 1

The teacher keeps the rods to one side.  She places the one rod in front of the child and names it several times. "One...one...this is one."

She takes away the one rod and places the two rod in front of the child.  She names it several times.  "Two...two...this is two."  She then counts the segments once, "One, two," touching the center of each segment with her forefinger as she does so, being careful not to hide the rod with her hand.  Touching the second segment, the teacher again says, "Two...two...this is two."

The teacher puts the two rod to one side and places the three rod in front of the child. She names it several times. "Three...three...this is three." She then counts the segments, "One...two...three."

 

Period 2

The teacher puts the three rods in front of the child in mixed order.  Each rod is parallel to the others and the rods are a short distance apart.  The teacher names the rods in turn, and the child indicates that he knows the correct rod by pointing to it or by giving it to her.  If he is successful, he has made the association between the name and the quantity.

Period 3

The teacher puts the rods to one side.  She places a rod in front of the child and asks him to name it.  For example, she places the three rod in front of him and asks, "How much is this?"  If he says "Three," then she asks him to count it.  He counts the segments, "One, two, three."  This is repeated several times with each of the rods.

Summary

The teacher arranges the rods in sequence with red ends even on the left.  She counts the rods, "One...two...three."

On subsequent days, one or more rods are added to those already learned, until the child can count all the rods.  The material is kept on a shelf and the child takes it out as often as he likes.  He counts the rods and arranges them in their correct sequence from one to ten.