EDU20002 Early Mathematical Thinking Report

Running head: EDU20002
EDU20002: Mathematics in Practice Assignment 2
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note

EDU200021
Areas of early mathematical thinking:
1. Counting.
2. Measuring.
Age Range: 0 – 5 years with specific focus on 3 – 4 year old children.
Resources for mathematical thinking:
1. Counting (ICT) – A YouTube video (29 minutes and 34 seconds in length).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwZRE_T0Q9Q
2. Measuring (non ICT) – Hand Measurement game
(https://www.education.com/activity/article/how_big_is_your_hand/)

EDU200022
Resource 1
Bishop’s category: Counting
Title (YouTube): My Magic Numbers - Learn How to Count with My Magic Pet Morphle (+
shapes, colors and phonics)
Channel – MorphleTV
MorphleTV. (2019, October 20). My Magic Numbers - Learn How to Count with My Magic Pet
Morphle (+ shapes, colors and phonics) [Video file]. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwZRE_T0Q9Q
Fig 1: Screenshot (Shows the morphed red pet in the shape of number 4)

EDU200023
Resource Explanation
In this YouTube video, the children are shown an animated girl and her pet which can
morph into any shape it is asked. In the video, the pet morphs into the numbers. The girl is also
asked by her daddy to help him find ten lost magical animals. Every time the girl finds an
animal, the pet morphs into the corresponding number (like shown in the above screenshot). For
age group 3 - 4 years, this is an appropriate activity, not only because it enforces numeracy and
counting skills, but also because it engages the children in a gripping cartoon episode. It also
adheres to Bishop’s (1988) category of counting among the four categories listed in the choices
for this assignment.
Analysis
The selected resource is both engaging and appropriate for the selected child’s age group
and mathematical thinking category. It helps the children in the age group of 3 – 4 years to
develop their counting skills and thereby also works upon their numeracy skills. The age group is
selected as such because the children would already have had some basic experience with
numbers. The resource uses numbers in both audio and visual format within a story driven
context to allow the children to practice their numeracy skills and retain the knowledge in their
schema.
Numeracy skills in early childhood are considered to be paramount for the development
of the child. However, given that the cognitive and attentive aspects of a child in the specified
age group are still developing, the resources need to be creative and engaging as well and
therefore, this resource fits both the appropriateness as well as the relevance with mathematical
concepts (AITSL, 2014). One more aspect that is prevalent in the video is the repetition of