Snack: Snack Time with Loops!: Preschool CT Activity

Summary

During snack time, children will prepare their plate for a snack by following a sequenced set of direction cards with a numeral on one and food on the other. The set of cards provides children an instruction with a loop (e.g., “three oranges” instead of “orange, orange, orange”). As children engage in this activity, they will be able to practice counting and comparing quantities.

CONTEXT: Snack time

LENGTH: 10 minutes

MATERIALS:

• Number cards 1-5
• Snack cards that match snack options (see examples below)
• Corresponding snack food items

In this activity, children will engage in:

Computational Thinking

• To understand that sometimes the same instruction/action needs to be or can be repeated a number of times i.e., done over again a certain number of times (looping).

Mathematics

• Understand quantity and the name associated with that quantity.
• Compare quantities (more/less).

Activity Steps

1. Explain and define algorithms.

• Algorithms involve laying out a step-by-step plan or procedure to meet an end goal or to solve a problem.

2. Choose a snack that allows children to serve themselves a set number of each item, such as orange slices and crackers. Place a bowl of these items on each table.

3. Show number cards and snack cards to indicate what items and how many of each that children should take for a snack. Note: Example images are provided below. You may use these to create images/cards for children or make up your own.

4. Explain the activity:

• During snack time today, we are going to follow special directions about what to eat for a snack. The directions will tell us how many pieces of each food we will put on our plate at a time. Let’s look at these cards (show number and snack cards). We want to have [three orange slices] and [two crackers] for a snack. How could we use these cards to give the directions for our snack? Can someone show me? Invite children to choose the cards that show [three orange slices] and [two crackers]. How about a different way? Guide children to show different ways to choose cards (see below for example).

5. Compare the different examples and emphasize how adding the numeral (loop) card shortens the directions.

• Which set of directions has fewer cards or pictures?

6. As children are getting their snack, discuss how many pieces of each food they are putting on their plate and call attention to the cards.