sorting rocks with children

A kindergarten student organizes a collection of rocks into unique sets. Simple questions can result in explorations in core math concepts such as grouping. In this case, some very unusual groups are created.

First Watch: Sorting rocks with Children by the Erikson Institute

• Watch: Erikson Institute: Early Math Collaborative. (June 11, 2015). Sorting Rocks with Child 14, Explorations in Core Math Concepts. https://earlymath.erikson.edu/sorting-rocks-with-child-14-explorations-in-core-math/ (copy and paste link)

Respond to the following prompts after watching the video:

• What specific mathematical understandings and/or confusions were indicated by students’ work, talk, and/or behavior?
• How did students communicate their own understandings and their sense making of the thinking of others (e.g. did they provide justifications, explanations; did they respond to questions, written work, representations, manipulatives, models, gestures, etc.)
• What resources of knowledge (e.g. mathematical, cultural, community, family, linguistic, students’ interests, peers, the teacher) did students draw upon to understand and solve the mathematics task?