Montessori Elementary Course Aug 25 – Sep 26 Casa Mathematics

1. Numeration from 1 to 10

1.1 NUMBER RODS

Material Description:
These rods are similar to Red Rods/Long Stairs, but are made countable. The shortest rod is
10 cm long, red in color and represents the unit. In subsequent rods, 10 cm long sections are
coloured in red and blue simultaneously. The longest rod is 100 cm or one metre long.

(Number Rods)

(Red Rods)

Display: In the Casa Mathematics shelf or by itself on its table nearby

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Montessori Elementary Course Aug 25 – Sep 26 Casa Mathematics

Purpose:
Direct Aim:
● Introducing the number system
● Recognizing quantities
● To have a view of the sequence of numbers from 1 to 10

Indirect Aim: To prepare for the decimal system

Prerequisites: None
Done in Casa or early Elementary

Group: 3 to 5 members

Invitation: (Call the child/ren to the place of display)

See, we have something here that we can count. Let’s see how we can do that. Why don’t you
bring that to the table and you can invite your friends also to come. If you want my help, you
can call me.
Show them how to carry the rods - one hand at the beginning of the rod and one hand at the
end of it.

Presentation:

1st Period: (Giving the Names )

Separate the rods of 1 to 5 from rest of the rods

To DO To SAY

● Touch the rod of 1 Say

Count each segment as you count ● ‘One, this is the rod of 1’.
● ‘One, two, this is the rod of 2’.
● ‘One, two, three, this is the rod of 3’.
● ‘One, two, three, four, this is the rod
of 4’.
● ‘One, two, three, four, five, this is the
rod of 5’.

For the elementary children, do all the rods till 5 at the first sitting.

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Count the segments, trace the hand over the length of the rod, from the beginning to the end,
and then give the name.

2nd Period: Give interesting commands to the children around the names introduced during the
1st period.
This is to hear the name many times over and associate the name with the rod and quantity.
Give the commands, first in order, then at random and end up in order again.
● Give me the rod of 5
● Keep the rod of 3 on my lap
● Hide the rod of 1.
● Give your friend, the rod of 2
● Put the rod of 4 far away
● Count the rod of 5

The child does as the ‘command’, carrying the rod in the right way.

3rd Period: This is the time to ask the child to give the name asked for. Till now it is only the
adult who is giving the names.
Ask the questions, around the names introduced in 1st period, expecting the child to reply
● Pick the rods in order first 1,2,3,4,5 ● This is the rod of __?
● Pick any rod 3,5,1,2,3,4,1 ● What do we call this?

Make sure the child gives names in succession before you wind up.

Then, on another day, take rods from 6 to 10 and present similarly. Both times bring the whole
set of ten rods to the mat or table.

Exercises:
Ask the child to pick up a rod longer than 5. Once the child chooses one, you may ask in the
similar way as long as the child is interested. For e.g., Please give me a rod shorter than 4,
please give me a rod just shorter than 5 and so on. Place the rod, one less than two here.

Control of Error: When arranging the rods in order, the control is visual as they strike the eye
if placed out of order. Social control of error is also there.

Follow-up Activities:

1. Build 1–10, secretly remove a rod, child identifies the missing length by sight/space.

2. Show two rods: “Which is greater? Which is less?” Add language cards: >, <

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3. Build the 10-rod. Invite the child to find two rods that make 10 (7+3, 6+4…). Record
with number tiles if ready.

4. Place 9-rod. Cover last 4 segments with a strip (or remove space using 4-rod), reveal
the remainder: 5.

Notes:

Observation Area
Handling of rods Carries with care; balances correctly
Alignment Aligns ends independently
Counting Counts accurately to 5; skips 6–10
Concentration Maintained focus for full presentation
Three-period lesson Recognizes 1–3 confidently
Independence Requested to repeat activity
Next step Introduce rods 4–6; follow up with Sandpaper Numbers

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1.2 SANDPAPER NUMBERS

Material Description: There are ten rectangular plaques of wood, all of the same dimensions.
The figures are cut out of sandpaper and pasted over the middle of the plaques. The colour of
the background is a light grey. The plaques have numbers 1-9 and 0. To prevent the child
from keeping the figures upside down there is a yellow line at the base of each number. These
ten cards are found in a box with a lid.

A blindfold can be brought too.

Display: In the Casa Arithmetic Shelf

Age: Casa/Early Elementary

Group: 3 to 5 Children

Purpose:

Direct aim: To give the child the correct symbols for each quantity.

Indirect aim: To prepare the child to write numbers in the decimal system ((base 10).
Only 10 symbols 1-9 & 0 are needed to write any number.

Prerequisites: Number Rods

Invitation: Shall I show you how we write the numbers?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

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Presentation:

We can do a three period name lesson.

1st period: Trace the number, pointing to where one starts. ‘This is one’.

Show the tracing of the number, with the child repeating after you. Give the names for 1-5.

To DO To SAY

● Trace the Sandpaper number card of ● This is 1. Would you like to trace it
1. Indicate where to start. too? Trace it lightly!

● Trace the Sandpaper number card of ● This is 2. Here it is for you to trace.
2. Indicate where to start. Trace it as lightly as you can!
Move your fingers lightly over the Shall I show how lightly you could
child’s arm to indicate how lightly the trace?
Sandpaper number can be traced.

● Trace the Sandpaper number card of

3. Indicate where to start. ● Three. This is 3. Do you want to use a
Bring out the blindfold. Place the blindfold and trace it? This is where
child’s fingers at the place of starting. we start.

Trace all the numbers and name them.

2nd period: Giving interesting commands around these numbers starting with 5

Give commands in order from 1 to 5. And ● Give me 4

then at random. Finish once again in order. ● Keep 2 under the chowki
● Put 3 behind your back
● Show 5 to your friend
● Trace 4

3rd period: Ask the child the names in succession once and then at random.

● Pick any Sandpaper Card ● What do we call this?

● How do we say this number?
Control of Error:

The control of error lies with the adult.

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Follow up Activities:

 After tracing on boards, offer a sand or salt tray. Child traces the number from memory,
saying the number aloud. Builds muscle memory and pre-writing control.
 Mix Sandpaper Numbers with printed numerals in different fonts.

1.3 NUMBER RODS AND NUMBER CARDS

Material Description:

This material consists of cards which have figures painted in black on a white background.
The numbers are from 1-9 (all of the same size) and 10.

Display: In the Casa Arithmetic shelf

Group: 3 to 5 Children

Purpose:

Direct aim: To help the child associate symbols to the quantities along with the names of the
numbers.

Indirect aim: To help the child be prepared for the Decimal system of numeration.

Prerequisites: Number Rods and Sandpaper Numbers

Invitation: Shall we see how we can match the numbers to the Number Rods?.

Presentation:

Ask the child to pick the card of ‘1’ and you can show him how to place it against the rod. (The
cards are stacked in order). Count the rods and then match the Number Card to the Number
Rod.

Go on with the rest of the rods and once the child reaches the rod of ten, you introduce the
card with 10 and say “This is how we write 10”.

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Exercises:

1. Rods are mixed on one mat and the adult sits with a child on another mat with the
Number Cards. Show the card of 4 and ask him for the respective rod. Go on till you
finish the numbers and ask him to arrange in succession.

2.

● Jumble the Number rods and Number ● We have done it in order now, let’s do
cards. Turn the cards upside down it in a different way. I’m going to mix
and place them randomly. them all and you have to match it.

● Read the number picked by the child. ● Who will go first? Arya?
(Ex : 2) Pick up one card.
It’s 2.
Allow the child to match the number Now find the rod of 2, and put the
card with the respective number rod. card against it.

Similarly do till 5.

3. Suggest to the child to make all the rods equal to 10. 9 and [Link] him to count
as he does the combinations. Similarly he can do combinations of 9, 8, and so on.
These exercises can be done with rods kept in succession on the mat and also mixed
up.

Control of Error:

This lies with the adult. Counting of rods also acts as a control of error.

Follow up Activities:

Notes:
After each session, jot down:

 Which numerals introduced.

 Which ones the child recognizes confidently.
 Directional control.
 Hand dominance observed.
 Interest level: “high,” “moderate,” or “low.”
 Next step: repetition / introduce new numerals / move to tracing tray.

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