Looking Back at What We LearnedActivities & Teaching Strategies
Active learning works especially well for Senior Infants when they revisit foundational maths concepts because movement and discussion reinforce memory and build confidence. Hands-on activities let children demonstrate skills they already know while correcting small misunderstandings through peer interaction and teacher guidance.
Learning Objectives
- 1Demonstrate counting skills by accurately reciting number sequences up to 20.
- 2Calculate the sum of two small numbers (up to 10) using manipulatives or drawings.
- 3Identify and name at least three 2D shapes (e.g., circle, square, triangle).
- 4Explain the steps taken to solve a simple, familiar problem using mathematical language.
- 5Compare two sets of objects and state which has more or fewer.
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Gallery Walk: Favourite Maths Moments
Children create posters showing their favourite maths activity, like a counting game or shape drawing. Display posters around the room. Pairs visit each display, explain the activity to peers, and try it out briefly. Conclude with whole-class shares of new learnings.
Prepare & details
What is your favourite maths activity from this year — can you show me how to do it?
Facilitation Tip: During Gallery Walk, place photos or real objects at child height so children can move freely and discuss without crowding.
Setup: Wall space or tables arranged around room perimeter
Materials: Large paper/poster boards, Markers, Sticky notes for feedback
Maths Memory Chain: Counting and Adding
Sit in a circle. One child starts by counting five objects and adding two more, passing a beanbag. Next child repeats and adds their example. Continue until all contribute. Record the chain on chart paper for reference.
Prepare & details
Can you count and add numbers — show me what you remember.
Facilitation Tip: For Maths Memory Chain, have children stand in a circle to pass the counting forward smoothly and encourage clapping to mark each step.
Setup: Tables/desks arranged in 4-6 distinct stations around room
Materials: Station instruction cards, Different materials per station, Rotation timer
Shape Showdown: Draw and Name
Provide drawing materials. Children draw three shapes from memory and label them. In small groups, they present drawings, name shapes, and sort by properties like sides or curves. Groups vote on the most creative shape story.
Prepare & details
What shape can you draw and name for me?
Facilitation Tip: In Shape Showdown, provide large sheets of paper and encourage children to trace real objects or their own hands to explore shape properties.
Setup: Tables/desks arranged in 4-6 distinct stations around room
Materials: Station instruction cards, Different materials per station, Rotation timer
Problem-Solving Replay: Everyday Challenges
Revisit unit problems with props like blocks or toys. Individually, children pick a problem, solve it, and explain steps to a partner. Partners ask one question to check understanding. Share one strong example per pair with the class.
Prepare & details
What is your favourite maths activity from this year — can you show me how to do it?
Facilitation Tip: During Problem-Solving Replay, offer familiar classroom items like pencils or blocks to help children visualize and solve problems.
Setup: Tables/desks arranged in 4-6 distinct stations around room
Materials: Station instruction cards, Different materials per station, Rotation timer
Teaching This Topic
Experienced teachers approach this topic by balancing whole-group reflection with small-group or individual tasks to meet diverse needs. They avoid rushing through content and instead use guided questions to draw out children’s thinking and correct misunderstandings gently. Research shows that revisiting concepts in playful, low-pressure contexts strengthens retention and reduces maths anxiety in young learners.
What to Expect
Successful learning looks like children confidently counting aloud, explaining addition strategies, naming shapes accurately, and solving everyday problems without hesitation. They should share ideas with peers, use materials independently, and show pride in revisiting their favourite maths moments.
These activities are a starting point. A full mission is the experience.
- Complete facilitation script with teacher dialogue
- Printable student materials, ready for class
- Differentiation strategies for every learner
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
Common MisconceptionDuring Gallery Walk, watch for children who skip numbers or rush through counting while describing their favourite moments.
What to Teach Instead
Pause the walk and ask the child to recount with you slowly, pointing to each object as you go together. Encourage them to trace the numbers in the air with their finger to reinforce the sequence.
Common MisconceptionDuring Maths Memory Chain, watch for children who recount the whole set from one instead of building on the previous total.
What to Teach Instead
Model adding by saying 'I had 3, now I add 2 more, so 3 and 2 is 5' while touching the objects. Invite the child to repeat the process with you using counters.
Common MisconceptionDuring Shape Showdown, watch for children who draw only perfect circles or squares, ignoring irregular shapes.
What to Teach Instead
Provide a basket of mixed shapes, including irregular ones, and ask the child to sort them by corners. Praise their attempts and ask them to explain why a shape belongs in a group.
Assessment Ideas
After Gallery Walk, present each child with 7–8 small objects and ask them to count aloud. Note if they touch each object, use one-to-one correspondence, and can state the total without recounting.
After Maths Memory Chain, give each child a card with '4 + 3' and ask them to draw a picture showing the addition and write the answer. Collect cards to assess if they use counting on or number bonds.
During Shape Showdown, ask each child to name three shapes and describe one property of each. Listen for accurate naming and check if they use terms like 'corners' or 'sides' when explaining.
Extensions & Scaffolding
- Challenge early finishers to create their own shape hunt around the room and draw a map showing the shapes they find.
- For students who struggle, provide number lines or counting frames during Maths Memory Chain to support accurate counting.
- Deeper exploration: Invite children to write or dictate a short maths story using the problems they solved during Problem-Solving Replay and share it with the class.
Key Vocabulary
| Count | To say numbers in order, or to determine the total number of items in a group. |
| Add | To combine two or more groups of objects to find the total number. |
| Shape | The outline or form of an object, such as a circle, square, or triangle. |
| Problem | A situation that requires a solution, often involving numbers or objects. |
| More/Fewer | Used to compare quantities; 'more' means a larger amount, 'fewer' means a smaller amount. |
Suggested Methodologies
Planning templates for Foundations of Mathematical Thinking
5E Model
The 5E Model structures lessons through five phases (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate), guiding students from curiosity to deep understanding through inquiry-based learning.
Unit PlannerMath Unit
Plan a multi-week math unit with conceptual coherence: from building number sense and procedural fluency to applying skills in context and developing mathematical reasoning across a connected sequence of lessons.
RubricMath Rubric
Build a math rubric that assesses problem-solving, mathematical reasoning, and communication alongside procedural accuracy, giving students feedback on how they think, not just whether they got the right answer.
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