Objective:
The students will count and complete number sentences using acorns as manipulatives.

Materials

• 100 acorns hidden around the classroom.  (If real acorns are unavailable, use the Acorn Shape Worksheet to print and cut out 100 acorns.)

• Acorn Math Worksheet

Procedure

1. Hide the 100 acorns around the classroom when the students are not present.

2. Upon the students' return, instruct them to quietly look for and collect the acorns.

3. When the students are unable to find any more acorns, gather together as a class.  Ask the students to brainstorm ways for easily counting all the collected acorns.  Try some of their ideas, such as placing them in piles of 5's or 10's.

4. Work as a class to count all the acorns.  If any of the 100 were not found, have the students figure out how many acorns are missing and then find them.

5. Pass out the Acorn Math Worksheet and have the students complete the sheet for reinforcement.

Other Lesson Ideas

1. If students brought in their own acorns, have a lesson on sorting.  The students may work as a whole class to sort the acorns by different attributes, such as color or whether they have a cap.

2. If the students brought in their own acorns, have them work as a class to count how many acorns were collected in all.

3. Make addition story problems involving squirrels and the number of acorns they've collected.  Make subtraction story problems involving the number of acorns on a tree and the number that have fallen off.