Categorizing

Experiment with different assortments of objects. Any category is OK as long as the objects placed in it are appropriate.

Objectives

Children ages 4-5 years after categorizing objects by one attribute, they are able to re-categorize the same object using a different criterion and tell why Cog. IIIA
and they can count objects, touching it as it is counted Cog. IIIC
Children ages 3-4 years can describe materials and categorize objects by color, shape, size, and materials Cog. IIIA

 

Materials

Parquetry blocks (big, little); beads; small boxes; empty thread spools of different shapes and sizes; beaded and un-beaded pegs, etc.; sorting tray; cut off milk cartons.

Procedures

1. Have children sit around table. Give each child a sorting tray (or egg carton) and a milk carton containing different objects. Tell children they are to put all the things that are the same together. For the younger children, it may be necessary to give them guides, e.g., put all the blue things on a blue sheet of paper.

2. After each child finishes his sorting, ask him why the objects belong together. After they have explained their categories, have them count the number of objects in each category as they return them to the milk carton. Then ask them to sort again, using different characteristics. They may need some suggestions as to what categorizing means. For younger children, begin with color, next grouping size, then shape, then materials.