One of my favorite things about teaching younger students is that life is their classroom and everything can be a learning experience. Snack time is no exception! Next time your student is munching on goldfish, gummy bears, or any other small item, try this trick: Draw boxes or circles on a napkin and write a number in each section. Then ask them to count out the number of snacks that go in each box. Ask which group they would rather eat (and why!). If you have students who are learning to write, you can have them number the boxes at the start as well. The best part- they get to eat their math when they’re done! This simple activity is teaching number recognition, counting, one-to-one correspondence, and comparison. Snap a picture, add it to our photo work sample template, and have your student dictate a sentence or two about what they are doing and you have your math work sample!

By Rebeka Heath