- camera or cell phone with video camera
- cardboard tube
- clipboards
- markers or crayons
- masking tape
- paper
- paper cup
- piece of wood
- plastic (or toy) bat
- rock
- small brick
- small piece of cement
- stick
- building
- materials
- structure
MA Standards:
English Language Arts/Language/L.PK.MA.5.a Demonstrate understanding of concepts by sorting common objects into categories (e.g., sort objects by color, shape, or texture). Mathematics/Counting and Cardinality/PK.CC.MA.5Use comparative language, such as more/less, equal to, to compare and describe collections of objects.
Head Start Outcomes:
Approaches to Learning/Persistence and AttentivenessThe ability to begin and finish activities with persistence and attention.
PreK Learning Guidelines:
English Language Arts/Language Engage in play experiences that involve naming and sorting common words into various classifications using general and specific language.Mathematics/Patterns and Relations Sort, categorize, or classify objects by more than one attribute.
Materials Sort
© Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Early Education and Care (Jennifer Waddell photographer). All rights reserved.
Skill Focus: Categorizing and Sorting, Vocabulary, Listening and Speaking
Educator Prep: Before setting out materials, scrutinize them to be sure there are no sharp edges or protruding parts that could scratch or cut children. Tape two large squares on the floor to use as sorting areas. Tape a picture of a big house or building in one square and a picture of a toy house in the other square.
Place the building materials in a pile and draw children’s attention to the pile. Tell children they are going to place each object in the correct category area on the floor. Explain that the square with the building on it is where they will place the materials that they think are good for building a house. Then explain that the square with the toy house on it is where they will put the materials that they think are not good for building a house. Before you begin, hold up and name each material and review the materials children identified as they were exploring building outside. Encourage children to describe each material before they sort. Prompt the use of words such as heavy, strong, and light.
English Language Learners: To help children understand the name of each kind of material, have them hold up the material and repeat the name directly after you.