Eggs and Jelly Beans are Ovals

Image by Dineanddish.net

Today
Create a matching game using the following materials:
-1 Egg carton
-6 plastic eggs
-Glue
-2 each of 6 small objects (for a total of 12 objects) such as penny, pencil eraser, bottle cap, cotton ball, paper clip, bingo token, etc.

Separate egg halves.  Glue one half egg shell in each of the spots in the top row (towards the fold) on the egg carton.

Insert a different object into each of the six spots in the top row.  Snap on coordinating egg shell half.

Gather remaining objects.  Open one plastic egg, locate its match, and put the match in the empty egg spot below the plastic egg.  Repeat with remaining objects.

Alternatively, play Plastic Egg Memory.  Mix twelve objects up on the floor.  Cover each object with half of a plastic egg.  Gently mix up the eggs/objects by sliding them on the floor yet containing the object inside.  It is helpful to arrange them in rows.

The first person picks up an egg shell half, sets it aside, and identifies the object underneath.  He then repeats with a second egg shelf half.  If they are the same, he wins!  He gets to pick up the objects he uncovered and set them aside next to him.

If they are not the same, simply replace the egg shell halves, and the second person plays in the same way.

When you get a match, you get to keep playing until you do not get another match.  Then it is the other person's turn.

Tomorrow
Define oval:  According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, an oval is "having the shape of an egg, also broadly elliptical".

There are many, many kinds of eggs.  Some of them look like a traditional oval, but some of them do not.

Read:  An Egg is Quiet by Dianna Hutts Aston

There are so many sizes of eggs:  small, medium, large and every place between.  Use measuring cups to demonstrate how smaller objects fit into larger ones.  Allow the child to explore taking the set of cups apart and putting them back together in order.

What else can you find in your home for which the sizes "nest" in this same way?

Measuring spoons?  Nesting bowls?  What kinds of toys have this task built in?

Little Ones Additional Read:  Disney's Big Egg, Little Egg by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld

Next Time
Fill your hand with jelly beans.  Encourage the child to estimate -or guess- how many jelly beans are in your hand.  Write down the guesses.

Empty jelly beans from your hand to a towel (so they won't roll away).  Allow your child to count the jelly beans.

Were your estimates right?  Or did you guess too high or too low?  Try again.  Did you get closer this time?

Encourage the child to fill his or her hand with jelly beans.  Repeat as above.  How was the number different?

Fill a jar with jelly beans.  Repeat as above.  How close or far was your guess?

How many jelly beans would be too little to eat?  How many would be too much?  Choose the number that would be just right, observe your child as she counts them out.  If the number counted is correct, she gets to eat all her jelly beans!