Mathematics · Senior Infants

Active learning ideas

Sharing Equally

Active learning works for sharing equally because young children build fairness concepts through touch and movement. Handling objects lets them test ideas like 'same amount' in real time, turning abstract rules into clear evidence. Movement between groups also strengthens one-to-one matching, a foundation for later division skills.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• NCCA: Junior Cycle - Number - N.2
• NCCA: Junior Cycle - Number - N.4

• 15–35 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Experiential Learning
• 25 min · Pairs

Pair Share: Counter Circles

Give each pair 10 counters and numeral cards (2, 5, or 10 friends). Children form equal groups around the card, count each share, and draw it. Pairs compare results and explain their sharing method to the class.

Can you share these 6 counters equally between 2 friends?

Facilitation Tip

During Pair Share, circulate and ask each pair to explain their count aloud so children practice verbalizing their thinking.

What to look for

Present the student with 8 counters and ask them to share them equally between 2 dolls. Observe if they can distribute one counter at a time to each doll until all counters are gone. Ask: 'How many counters does each doll have?'

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

Activity 02

• Experiential Learning
• 35 min · Small Groups

Small Group: Toy Shop Fairness

Provide small groups with 12 toy animals and customer cards (3 or 4 customers). Groups share animals equally among customers, use linking chains to check equality, and role-play selling fair shares. Record with simple tallies.

How many does each person get if we share fairly?

Facilitation Tip

In Toy Shop Fairness, assign roles like shopkeeper and customer to give purpose to the division task.

What to look for

Show a picture of 6 apples shared between 3 children, where one child has 3 apples and the other two have 1 each. Ask: 'Is this sharing fair? Why or why not? How could we make it fair?' Listen for explanations related to equal amounts.

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

Activity 03

• Experiential Learning
• 20 min · Whole Class

Whole Class: Storytime Shares

Read a story about friends sharing sweets. Display 9 large sweets on the board. Class votes on friend numbers (3 or 9), then shares by chanting counts and holding up fingers for each share. Discuss fairness.

Is the sharing fair , does everyone have the same amount?

Facilitation Tip

During Storytime Shares, pause after each share to let children predict totals or check fairness before turning the page.

What to look for

Give each student a small bag with 4 small objects. Ask them to draw a picture showing how they would share these objects equally between themselves and one friend. They should then write or state how many objects each person gets.

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

Activity 04

• Experiential Learning
• 15 min · Individual

Individual: Draw Your Share

Each child draws 8 apples and a line for 2 or 4 friends. They colour equal shares in each section, label the number each gets, and share their drawing with a partner for a fairness check.

Can you share these 6 counters equally between 2 friends?

Facilitation Tip

For Draw Your Share, provide dotted paper to support neat representations of equal groups.

What to look for

Present the student with 8 counters and ask them to share them equally between 2 dolls. Observe if they can distribute one counter at a time to each doll until all counters are gone. Ask: 'How many counters does each doll have?'

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

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers focus on concrete materials first, then link these actions to spoken words and written symbols. They avoid rushing to symbols before children can physically demonstrate equal shares. Research shows that repeated hands-on practice with the same small totals builds confidence before introducing larger numbers or remainders. Movement between groups helps students notice patterns in how totals change when more people share.

Successful learning looks like children using materials to create equal groups without prompting, explaining their process in simple terms, and correcting unequal shares independently. By the end, students should recognize that fairness means identical amounts per person, not just physical arrangements.

---

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Pair Share, watch for children arranging counters in rows but not checking if each row has the same number. Redirect by asking, 'Does each friend have the same amount? Count them to check.'

  After Pair Share, if a child says sharing failed because 'there were too many people,' hand them counters and say, 'Let’s try again with 6 counters for 2 friends. Give one to each friend each time until all are shared.'

• During Toy Shop Fairness, watch for students giving extra items to customers who complain first. Say, 'Fairness means the same amount for everyone, so let’s check each customer’s share together.'

  During Toy Shop Fairness, if a student insists a remainder means sharing failed, ask them to show how many full shares each friend received and how many are left over before deciding fairness.

• During Storytime Shares, watch for children assuming a bigger group automatically gets more items. Pause and say, 'Look at the picture: if 4 friends share 8 blocks, how many does each get? Now imagine 8 friends share 8 blocks.'

  After Storytime Shares, ask students to compare two story shares side by side and describe what happened to the amount each person got when the group size changed.

---

Methods used in this brief

• Experiential Learning