The Long Rods

MATERIAL:

Ten, red wooden rods. The height and width are constant. The lengths

increase by ten centimeters from the shortest rod, which is one

decimeter, to the longest which is one meter. Ten of the shortest rods

would equal the length of the longest rod. The difference in length

between any two consecutive rods is the same as the length of the

shortest rod which is ten centimeters or one decimeter.

PURPOSE:

Further study of size. This time, size varies only along one dimension.

The child judges by sight and touch. This enhances awareness of length

in the environment.

AGE:

2 and 1/2 to 5 years

PRESENTATION:

The long rods are more difficult than the pink tower or broad stair, and

should only be offered after the pink tower and broad stair are being built

easily by a child.

 

The teacher spreads a dark green mat on the floor and lets the child

help carry the rods to the mat. The teacher lays the rods at random on

the mat but parallel to each other.

 

The teacher sits next to the child and shows him how to judge the

lengths by sight and touch by taking the first two fingers of the

dominant hand, and feeling the entire length of the larger ones in turn

from one end to the other. Then, the teacher selects the longest by

sight and touch and places it nearly at the top of the mat. The teacher

then selects the next longest rod by touch and sight and places it

touching the longest, making sure the left ends are even. The teacher

continues to select rods in order of length, arranging them with even

ends on the left.

 

If the child joins in and obviously understands the exercise he can

continue alone. Otherwise, the teacher completes the exercise.

 

The teacher lets the child look at the result for a minute with her,

then mixes the rods and leaves him to work alone if he would like to.

The teacher repeats the demonstration if the child prefers.

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES:

A developmentally delayed child should be given 5 rods, every other

one, at first. The difference between the rods is then 20 cms. He should

be able to make a success of the exercise with 5 rods. After a time, he

will be ready to work with all ten rods.

EXERCISE 1

The child places the rods parallel to each other, but in random order,

on the mat. With the first two fingers of the dominant hand, he feels

the entire length of the rods. He then selects the longest rod and

places it at the top of the mat. Judging by sight and touch he lines up

the rods with the left sides even.

EXERCISE 2

When the child is doing Exercise 1 easily, the teacher lets him build

the sequence and then takes the smallest rod and shows how the

difference in two consecutive rods is the length of the shortest rod.

SELF-CORRECTION:

The child can see or feel mistakes.

VOCABULARY:

Long - Short

Long - Longer - Longest

Short - Shorter - Shortest

 

 

 

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