- “Fish Swish” (PEEP game)
- fish
- float
- how many
MA Standards:
Speaking and Listening/SL.PK.MA.2: Recall information for short periods of time and retell, act out, or represent information from a text read aloud, a recording, or a video (e.g., watch a video about birds and their habitats and make drawings or constructions of birds and their nests).
Mathematics/Counting and Cardinality/PK.CC.MA.4: Count many kinds of concrete objects and actions up to ten, using one-to-one correspondence, and accurately count as many as seven things in a scattered configuration.
Head Start Outcomes:
Social Emotional Development/Self-Regulation: Follows simple rules, routines, and directions.
Language Development/Receptive Language: Attends to language during conversations, songs, stories, or other learning experiences.
PreK Learning Guidelines:
English Language Arts/Language 2: Participate actively in discussions, listen to the ideas of others, and ask and answer relevant questions.
Mathematics/Number Sense 2: Connect many kinds/quantities of concrete objects and actions to numbers.
Play Together: “Fish Swish” #1 (PEEP game)
© Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Early Education and Care (Jennifer Waddell photographer). All rights reserved.
ELA Focus Skills: Active Viewing and Listening, Follow Directions, Number Concepts, Vocabulary
Gather children at the Technology Center to play the game “Fish Swish.” First, ask children what they recall from the PEEP and the Big Wide World show “Fish Museum.” Say, In this game, Quack wants to give his friends balloon rides. Do you remember why Quack’s fish friends like the balloon rides?
Explain that in the game, Quack needs to find how many balloons he needs so each fish will have a balloon. Say, When the fish swim by, let’s count them to let Quack know how many balloons he needs for his friends.
- Help children as needed. Point to the fish as they swim by, then point to the three number choices. Say, How many fish did you see: 1, 2, or 3?
- Help children click on that number. For younger children, help them by placing their hands on the mouse or trackpad and gently pressing their finger down.
Play long enough so children understand that they move onto a more difficult level with each correct answer. The fish swim by faster and change formation. Say, You may have to estimate, or make a guess that makes sense, if the fish move too quickly for you to count. If players do make an error, they remain at the same difficulty level for the next round. In this way, the game keeps children in their comfort zone, giving them more challenging levels only when they’re ready.
Encourage children to work together to play the game. Give help as needed, or pair a young child with an older child who can help.
Adaptation: Groups with varying ages may wish older children to note the patterns of balloons in the water. For example, 5 balloons may float in groups, such as 2 balloons and 3 balloons or 1 balloon and 4 balloons. Guide children to count the balloons in each group and say, for example, “2 and 3 are 5” or, “1 and 4 are 5.”
Adaptation: Have younger children play with supervision until they become thoroughly familiar with the routine. Then let them play with others on their own.
