Purpose: Demonstrate the Knowledge a Pictograph Shows and Introduce Early Math Vocabulary

No Bows! Pictograph Activity

by

Shirley Smith Duke

Purpose: Demonstrate the knowledge a pictograph shows and introduce early math vocabulary.

Materials: No Bows!;colored bows, laminated and a small tab of Velcro attached to the back; flannel board; several pairs of the items from the story; pictures of the paired items from story with Velcro on the back.

For example, I use the bunny and bear. I have a stuffed bunny and bear, plus a small picture of each. Other pairs that lend themselves easily to the activity are crayons/paints, soap/bubbles, drum/piano.

Activity:

1. Distribute one bow to each child in the group.

2. Place the pictures from one pair on opposite sides of the flannel board.

3. Hold up one of the items from the pair.

4. Ask who like to color with the crayons.

5. Then ask who likes to paint.

6. In some orderly fashion, have the children come to the flannel board and vote for their favorite of that pair by placing the bow under the appropriate choice.

7. The children return to their seats.

8. Ask which one was the favorite of the pair. The children can tell immediately because they have created a pictograph. Tell them the purpose of a pictograph and relate it to collecting data and its use for math.

9. Count the two examples to prove which has more. Depending on the level, ask questions relating to math about the pictograph. Include greater than, less than, how many more, fewer, all together. The librarian can use the bows to recreated simple story problems, as well.

10. Redistribute the bows and repeat with another pair from the story.

11. Read the story, No Bows!, to find out which of the pairs the child in the book prefers. (The librarian can introduce prediction and have the children guess before each page turn.)

Notes: The bows take some work, but they are reusable and end up in your possession again after the final vote. I leave the pictograph up while I read the story to remind the children what their group voted for.

This method of voting can be adapted for other votes. The concrete act of bringing up a bow keeps interest high and prevents the preschool age children from voting for everything when voting by raising hands.