RDF2601
Assignment 3 PORTFOLIO 2025
Unique number: 617606
Due Date: 19 September 2025
This document includes:
Helpful answers and guidelines
Detailed explanations and/ or calculations
References
Connect with the tutor on
+27 68 812 0934
,© Study Shack 2025. All rights Reserved +27 68 812 0934
, QUESTION 1
1.1
Advantages of Natural Materials:
1. Sensory Engagement: Natural materials such as pebbles, leaves, twigs, and
sand provide tactile experiences, enhancing kinaesthetic and sensory
learning. For example, learners can use stones to group and count, or leaves
to sort by size or shape.
2. Cost-effective and Accessible: These materials are freely available in most
environments, making them ideal for under-resourced schools.
3. Support Concrete and Kinaesthetic Learning: As per DBE (2011:13),
learners move through kinaesthetic and concrete stages before semi-concrete
representations. Natural materials support the first two stages effectively.
4. Environmental Awareness: Using natural materials fosters environmental
consciousness and appreciation for the natural world.
5. Creative and Versatile Use: Items like sticks and seeds can be used for
counting, measuring, constructing patterns, and building 2D/3D shapes, which
promotes cross-curricular integration and higher-order thinking.
Limitations of Natural Materials:
1. Durability: Natural items can break, rot, or deteriorate over time, making
them less suitable for long-term or repeated classroom use.
2. Safety Concerns: Some items (e.g., sharp sticks, small seeds) may pose a
choking hazard or cause injuries if not carefully selected or supervised.
3. Inconsistency: Natural materials vary in size, shape, and colour, which might
confuse learners when trying to understand standard units or categories (e.g.,
measuring or patterning).
4. Limited Standardisation: In activities like comparing volume or shape
properties, inconsistencies in size may hinder accurate learning outcomes.
5. Weather Dependence: Some materials may be unavailable during certain
seasons or in specific environments.
Example:
Using pine cones for counting promotes sensory engagement, but due to size
variation, learners may struggle with concepts like "equal groups" in multiplication.
1.2
© Study Shack 2025. All rights Reserved +27 68 812 0934
Assignment 3 PORTFOLIO 2025
Unique number: 617606
Due Date: 19 September 2025
This document includes:
Helpful answers and guidelines
Detailed explanations and/ or calculations
References
Connect with the tutor on
+27 68 812 0934
,© Study Shack 2025. All rights Reserved +27 68 812 0934
, QUESTION 1
1.1
Advantages of Natural Materials:
1. Sensory Engagement: Natural materials such as pebbles, leaves, twigs, and
sand provide tactile experiences, enhancing kinaesthetic and sensory
learning. For example, learners can use stones to group and count, or leaves
to sort by size or shape.
2. Cost-effective and Accessible: These materials are freely available in most
environments, making them ideal for under-resourced schools.
3. Support Concrete and Kinaesthetic Learning: As per DBE (2011:13),
learners move through kinaesthetic and concrete stages before semi-concrete
representations. Natural materials support the first two stages effectively.
4. Environmental Awareness: Using natural materials fosters environmental
consciousness and appreciation for the natural world.
5. Creative and Versatile Use: Items like sticks and seeds can be used for
counting, measuring, constructing patterns, and building 2D/3D shapes, which
promotes cross-curricular integration and higher-order thinking.
Limitations of Natural Materials:
1. Durability: Natural items can break, rot, or deteriorate over time, making
them less suitable for long-term or repeated classroom use.
2. Safety Concerns: Some items (e.g., sharp sticks, small seeds) may pose a
choking hazard or cause injuries if not carefully selected or supervised.
3. Inconsistency: Natural materials vary in size, shape, and colour, which might
confuse learners when trying to understand standard units or categories (e.g.,
measuring or patterning).
4. Limited Standardisation: In activities like comparing volume or shape
properties, inconsistencies in size may hinder accurate learning outcomes.
5. Weather Dependence: Some materials may be unavailable during certain
seasons or in specific environments.
Example:
Using pine cones for counting promotes sensory engagement, but due to size
variation, learners may struggle with concepts like "equal groups" in multiplication.
1.2
© Study Shack 2025. All rights Reserved +27 68 812 0934