Which Is Greater?

WHAT YOU NEED

• Which Is Greater? (print, copy)
• Date cards (print, copy, cut up) One set per pair of children
• 31 connecting cubes per pair of children

1. On the chalkboard draw the Less than/Greater than chart shown on Which Is Greater?. Ask two children to pick a number from the cut-up date cards in your hand. Write these two numbers on the board, but not in the chart.

2. Use connecting cubes to build each number (you might want to prepare several trains of 10 cubes in advance), emphasizing the use of tens and ones. Place each number model on the board ledge below the two numbers.

3. Discuss with children which number is greater and which is less. Children should refer to the models if they need help deciding. Write the numbers in the correct part of the chart on the board, "greater than" or "less than."

4. Have children work in pairs. Place a set of cut up, shuffled date cards facedown between the children. Each pair also receives a Which Is Greater? sheet and connecting cubes.

5. Each child picks a number off the top of the deck and builds the number shown using connecting cubes. Then the partners compare their two numbers and decide which number is greater than and which is less than the other number. Children then paste the number cards under "Greater than" or "Less than" on the Which Is Greater? sheet.

6. Repeat this activity three times, or as long as time allows.

You may wish to have children do a similar activity using three numbers and models. Emphasis could be on ordering the numbers from smallest to largest.