"Ten Black Dots" Kindergarten Activities
"Ten Black Dots," written and illustrated by Donald Crews, is a book designed for preschool through second-grade children. Originally published in 1968, the newer version published in 1995 now features brighter colors in a larger size, making the book easier to use in a classroom setting. This book provides a base from which to explore math and other concepts with kindergarten children. From simple counting and number recognition to more advanced concepts such as beginning addition and subtraction skills, kindergartens enjoy a wide array of interesting activities based off this book.
Other People Are Reading
-
Counting Basics
-
Read the book to children, letting them count the dots on each page. At the end of the book, count the dots from one to 10. Give children dot-to-dot worksheets to complete. Pass out several black dots of various sizes to each child, along with a white sheet of paper, glue and crayons. Allow children to create pictures, using their dots as eyes, wheels or anything else they think of during the activity. Let children briefly share their artwork with classmates, taking the opportunity to count the dots used by each child. Take the concept a bit further by having kids arrange the pictures in order, according to the number of dots used in each picture.
Addition and Subtraction
-
As you count the dots at the end of the book with your kindergarten students, ask questions such as "What is one more than six?" or "What is one less than four?" This is the basic concept of addition and subtraction. Once kids understand this, hand out 10 dots to each child or group and have them practice various addition and subtraction concepts. One way to do this is to tell them to set down a certain number of dots, then add one more and find the new total. Alternatively, instruct children to create two groups of dots and then put them together to find the sum. The same can be done for subtraction, and you can show children how to write these number sentences on the blackboard. This provides the perfect introduction to addition and subtraction flashcards with dots as well.
-
More Math Ideas
-
Explore opposites, similarities and differences or patterns using black dots. Use big and little dots and dots of different colors for these activities. Create these activities as a worksheet ahead of time or let children work in groups, using construction paper dots to compare. Give each group one or two concepts to demonstrate and have them glue the dots on paper and then label each picture. Put these together into a classroom book and keep it available for children to look through during free choice or center time.
Art with Dots
-
Papunya dot paintings from the Aborigines used dots and circles to represent various ideas in their art. Show kindergarten children examples of this art and then allow them to make their own versions, using tempera paint and wooden dowels. Introduce other artists and their works that use dots, such as George Seurat. Let children create art with smaller dots by using cotton swabs dipped in tempera paint.
-
References
- Amazon.com: Ten Black Dots
- Scholastic: Ten Black Dots Extension Activities
- Pflugerville Independent School District: Collecting, Counting and Measuring -- Kindergarten Investigations Lessons
- Oregon Museum of Science and Industry: Explore Technology
- Rutgers; Visual Arts: Papunya Dot Paintings; Barbara A. DeBaylo
