TPF3703
Assignment 3
PORTFOLIO 50
DUE AUGUST 2025
,TPF3703
Assignment 3: Exceptional Answers
PORTFOLIO 50
DUE AUGUST 2025
Foundation Phase Mathematical Progression: Counting Numbers
This section outlines a progressive approach to teaching counting numbers,
encompassing ordinality and cardinality, from Grade R to Grade 3, using age-
appropriate resources and a narrative-driven introduction.
Grade R: Developing Ordinality and Cardinality
Teaching and Learning Resources
For Grade R learners, tactile and familiar real objects from their daily lives are crucial
for concretizing abstract numerical concepts (Piaget, 1952). The chosen resources aim
to facilitate both list-making (ordinality) and quantity association (cardinality).
• Marbles: A collection of colourful marbles provides a clear visual for one-to-one
correspondence and can be easily grouped for set-size description.
• Small toy cars: These are highly engaging for young children and can be lined
up to represent a list or grouped to form sets.
• Buttons: Various sizes and colours of buttons offer diverse tactile experiences
for counting and sorting.
• Building blocks: Interlocking blocks allow for the creation of towers (lists) or
distinct groups (sets).
• Fruit pieces (e.g., apple slices, grapes): These are edible, engaging, and can
be easily counted and grouped.
,Introduction Story: "The Little Red Bus Adventure"
The story will introduce the concept of counting in a relatable and engaging manner,
setting the stage for the practical counting activities.
"Once upon a time, there was a bright little red bus that loved to go on adventures.
Every morning, the bus driver, Mr. Thabo, would carefully count the passengers as they
got on. First, one sleepy little apple slice rolled onto the bus. Then, two colourful
marbles bounced in. Three shiny buttons followed, and soon, four clever toy cars
drove on board. Finally, five sturdy building blocks hopped on, ready for a grand
journey! Mr. Thabo always made sure he counted everyone carefully so no one was left
behind."
Lesson Presentation: Counting as Lists and Quantities
The lesson will seamlessly integrate the story with hands-on activities, guiding learners
to grasp both ordinality and cardinality.
1. Counting as a List (Ordinality):
o Activity: Learners will re-enact the story, lining up the resources as they
are mentioned. "Let's help Mr. Thabo count the passengers in order!"
o Teacher Guidance: The teacher will model counting aloud, emphasizing
the sequence: "First, one apple slice. Second, two marbles. Third, three
buttons..."
o Resource Use: Learners will physically arrange the apple slices,
marbles, buttons, toy cars, and building blocks in a line, reinforcing
the idea of numbers as a sequence.
2. Counting as Associated with Quantity (Cardinality):
o Activity: "Now, let's see how many of each passenger Mr. Thabo had on
his bus!" The teacher will then guide learners to create distinct sets for
each type of passenger.
, o Teacher Guidance: "Here are all the marbles. Let's count them together:
one, two. So, there are two marbles on the bus." The teacher will
emphasize the final number as representing the total quantity of the set.
o Resource Use: Learners will group the marbles, toy cars, buttons,
building blocks, and apple slices into separate collections and count the
items within each collection, focusing on the cardinality of each set.
Assessment: Stable Order Principle
The assessment will specifically target the learners' understanding of the stable order
principle, ensuring they consistently use number words in the correct sequence
(Gelman & Gallistel, 1978).
• Assessment Activity: "Mr. Thabo needs your help again! He wants to make
sure all his passengers are lined up correctly. Can you help him count them?"
The teacher will present a mixed group of the story's resources (e.g., three toy
cars, two apple slices, four buttons) and ask individual learners to count them
aloud in sequence.
• Teacher Observation: The teacher will observe if the learners consistently use
the number words in the same order (e.g., "one, two, three..." not "one, three,
two...").
• Recording Method: A simple checklist or rubric can be used to note whether the
learner demonstrates consistent stable order in their counting (e.g., "Consistently
uses stable order," "Sometimes deviates from stable order," "Needs further
support with stable order").
Assignment 3
PORTFOLIO 50
DUE AUGUST 2025
,TPF3703
Assignment 3: Exceptional Answers
PORTFOLIO 50
DUE AUGUST 2025
Foundation Phase Mathematical Progression: Counting Numbers
This section outlines a progressive approach to teaching counting numbers,
encompassing ordinality and cardinality, from Grade R to Grade 3, using age-
appropriate resources and a narrative-driven introduction.
Grade R: Developing Ordinality and Cardinality
Teaching and Learning Resources
For Grade R learners, tactile and familiar real objects from their daily lives are crucial
for concretizing abstract numerical concepts (Piaget, 1952). The chosen resources aim
to facilitate both list-making (ordinality) and quantity association (cardinality).
• Marbles: A collection of colourful marbles provides a clear visual for one-to-one
correspondence and can be easily grouped for set-size description.
• Small toy cars: These are highly engaging for young children and can be lined
up to represent a list or grouped to form sets.
• Buttons: Various sizes and colours of buttons offer diverse tactile experiences
for counting and sorting.
• Building blocks: Interlocking blocks allow for the creation of towers (lists) or
distinct groups (sets).
• Fruit pieces (e.g., apple slices, grapes): These are edible, engaging, and can
be easily counted and grouped.
,Introduction Story: "The Little Red Bus Adventure"
The story will introduce the concept of counting in a relatable and engaging manner,
setting the stage for the practical counting activities.
"Once upon a time, there was a bright little red bus that loved to go on adventures.
Every morning, the bus driver, Mr. Thabo, would carefully count the passengers as they
got on. First, one sleepy little apple slice rolled onto the bus. Then, two colourful
marbles bounced in. Three shiny buttons followed, and soon, four clever toy cars
drove on board. Finally, five sturdy building blocks hopped on, ready for a grand
journey! Mr. Thabo always made sure he counted everyone carefully so no one was left
behind."
Lesson Presentation: Counting as Lists and Quantities
The lesson will seamlessly integrate the story with hands-on activities, guiding learners
to grasp both ordinality and cardinality.
1. Counting as a List (Ordinality):
o Activity: Learners will re-enact the story, lining up the resources as they
are mentioned. "Let's help Mr. Thabo count the passengers in order!"
o Teacher Guidance: The teacher will model counting aloud, emphasizing
the sequence: "First, one apple slice. Second, two marbles. Third, three
buttons..."
o Resource Use: Learners will physically arrange the apple slices,
marbles, buttons, toy cars, and building blocks in a line, reinforcing
the idea of numbers as a sequence.
2. Counting as Associated with Quantity (Cardinality):
o Activity: "Now, let's see how many of each passenger Mr. Thabo had on
his bus!" The teacher will then guide learners to create distinct sets for
each type of passenger.
, o Teacher Guidance: "Here are all the marbles. Let's count them together:
one, two. So, there are two marbles on the bus." The teacher will
emphasize the final number as representing the total quantity of the set.
o Resource Use: Learners will group the marbles, toy cars, buttons,
building blocks, and apple slices into separate collections and count the
items within each collection, focusing on the cardinality of each set.
Assessment: Stable Order Principle
The assessment will specifically target the learners' understanding of the stable order
principle, ensuring they consistently use number words in the correct sequence
(Gelman & Gallistel, 1978).
• Assessment Activity: "Mr. Thabo needs your help again! He wants to make
sure all his passengers are lined up correctly. Can you help him count them?"
The teacher will present a mixed group of the story's resources (e.g., three toy
cars, two apple slices, four buttons) and ask individual learners to count them
aloud in sequence.
• Teacher Observation: The teacher will observe if the learners consistently use
the number words in the same order (e.g., "one, two, three..." not "one, three,
two...").
• Recording Method: A simple checklist or rubric can be used to note whether the
learner demonstrates consistent stable order in their counting (e.g., "Consistently
uses stable order," "Sometimes deviates from stable order," "Needs further
support with stable order").
