Benchmark Videos

Counting Crackers

• Video & Background
• Transcript
• Benchmarks Met

Video & Background

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Children in this mixed-age early childhood center are taking part in open snack. The snack bar is open for about 45 minutes. Children prepare their snack at the snack bar (a table) and then carry it to a designated snack table to eat it. Pitchers of drinks, cups, napkins, and utensils are available at the snack table. Sometimes there are bowls of additional food set out on the snack table with a rebus instruction card. The children in this clip discuss the rebus instructions about the number of crackers to take. After Clare demonstrates counting out four crackers, others follow suit.

Snack time can be a wonderful time for conversation. In this case, it is also a great opportunity for math and literacy experiences.

Transcript

Travis (4.4 years old): Do you have 5? You get 4 (standing and pointing to cue card). Do you get 4?

Clare (4.11 years old): I know how to count to four—1, 2, 3, 4 (transfers a cracker from the serving bowl to her napkin for each number she says).

(Justin, 3.7 years old, takes 4 crackers from the serving bowl and lines them up to the right of his bowl as Clare counts.)

Travis: (To Clare.) Hey, you took it! (Slides the bowl back toward his place and begins to count out crackers.)

Benchmarks

Benchmark	Benchmark Description	How Benchmark Was Met
Language Arts 1.A.ECa	Understand that pictures and symbols have meaning and that print carries a message.	The children use the rebus card to determine how many crackers they may take.
Language Arts 1.A.ECc	Identify labels and signs in the environment.	The children knew that the rebus symbols stood for crackers.
Mathematics 6.C.ECa	Explore quantity and number.	Children discussed and counted crackers.
Mathematics 6.C.ECb	Connect numbers to quantities they represent using physical models and representations.	Children used crackers to count with one-to-one correspondence.
Mathematics 8.B.ECb	Begin to order objects in series or rows.	Justin and Clare organized their crackers in rows.
Social/Emotional Development 31.A.ECd	Show some initiative and independence in actions.	Children independently prepared their snack and came to the snack table. Claire volunteered to demonstrate counting.

This video clip was made possible by STARnet Regions I & III with funding from the Illinois State Board of Education.

This section of the Illinois Early Learning Web site links to activities related to the Benchmarks in the Illinois Early Learning Standards. We expect that early childhood professionals and parents will use these ideas in ways appropriate to their children and their setting. We are sure that you will find many ways to adapt these activities into themes, projects, and units in your program or at home.

An Illinois Early Learning link to a Web site does not imply an endorsement by the Illinois Early Learning Project or the Illinois State Board of Education of any product, resource, or service on that Web site.

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Spanish: Contar galletas

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