Foundations of Mathematical Thinking · Senior Infants

Active learning ideas

Sharing and Grouping

Active learning with concrete objects helps young children grasp early division concepts because it connects abstract ideas to their lived experience. When children physically move items into groups or share objects, they build mental models of fair distribution and repeated subtraction, which are foundational for later arithmetic understanding.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• NCCA: Junior Cycle - Number - N.7

• 20–40 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Stations Rotation
• 40 min · Small Groups

Stations Rotation: Grouping Stations

Prepare four stations with objects like buttons, counters, sticks, and beads. At each, children form specified groups, such as groups of 2 from 8 items, and draw or record results. Groups rotate every 7 minutes and share findings with the class.

Can you put these 8 buttons into groups of 2?

Facilitation Tip

For Grouping Stations, place identical containers at each station to ensure children focus on equal counts rather than visual spacing of items.

What to look for

Provide each child with 10 counters. Ask: 'Can you put these into groups of 2? How many groups did you make?' Observe their ability to form equal groups and count them.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Activity 02

• Experiential Learning
• 20 min · Pairs

Snack Sharing Pairs

Give pairs 12 pretend snacks like raisins or cubes. They share equally between two people, then try sharing among three by partitioning first. Pairs explain their method to another pair nearby.

How many groups of 3 can you make with 9 counters?

Facilitation Tip

During Snack Sharing Pairs, provide real snacks so children can see and taste the results of their sharing, reinforcing the concept of fairness.

What to look for

Give each child a card with a picture of 6 apples. Ask them to draw lines to share these apples equally between 3 teddy bears. Then ask: 'How many apples does each teddy bear get?'

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 03

• Experiential Learning
• 30 min · Small Groups

Hoop Grouping Challenge

Lay hoops on the floor outdoors or in the hall. Scatter counters inside a large area; small groups collect a set number, like 10, and sort into hoops for equal groups of 2 or 5. Record with photos or drawings.

Share these stickers equally , does everyone get the same?

Facilitation Tip

In the Hoop Grouping Challenge, use hula hoops to create clear boundaries for groups, helping children visualize and count their divisions.

What to look for

Present a scenario: 'I have 12 stickers to share with my friends. If I share them with 2 friends, how many does each get? What if I share them with 3 friends?' Facilitate a discussion comparing the results and using vocabulary like 'share equally' and 'groups of'.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 04

• Experiential Learning
• 25 min · Whole Class

Storytime Sharing Circle

Read a sharing story, then pass around objects like 9 teddies. Whole class decides how to share into groups of 3, acting it out and counting aloud together.

Can you put these 8 buttons into groups of 2?

Facilitation Tip

During Storytime Sharing Circle, pause frequently to ask children to predict what will happen next when sharing items, building their reasoning skills.

What to look for

Provide each child with 10 counters. Ask: 'Can you put these into groups of 2? How many groups did you make?' Observe their ability to form equal groups and count them.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach sharing and grouping by starting with small, manageable numbers of objects so children can see patterns without becoming overwhelmed. Avoid rushing to formal division symbols; instead, use plenty of talk to connect actions to language, such as 'We made three groups of two counters.' Research shows that children need repeated, varied hands-on experiences before abstract symbols make sense, so rotate activities often to reinforce ideas through different contexts.

Successful learning looks like children confidently using manipulatives to divide objects into equal groups, explaining their process with vocabulary like 'share equally' or 'groups of', and recognizing when items cannot be split evenly without leftovers. They should also compare different strategies with peers and adjust their approach based on feedback.

---

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Grouping Stations, watch for children who stop dividing when they see a remainder, believing the task is incomplete.

  Prompt them to describe what they see with questions like, 'You have two counters left. What could we do with these? Can we make smaller groups or share one extra?' Encourage peer discussion to explore flexible solutions.

• During Hoop Grouping Challenge, watch for children who arrange groups to look equal visually but count unequal numbers in each group.

  Ask them to recount each group using identical containers, modeling how to line up items for an accurate count. Have them explain their count to a partner to reinforce the importance of quantity over appearance.

• During Snack Sharing Pairs, watch for children who distribute items one by one in a round-robin fashion, even when grouping would be more efficient.

  Demonstrate grouping first by bundling items into sets before sharing, then ask the class to compare which method was faster. Encourage students to reflect on why grouping might be useful in real-life situations.

---

Methods used in this brief

• Stations Rotation
• Experiential Learning