Distribute bags of buttons to each student, and ask each to hold one button. Now read the story “The Lost Button” (From Frog and Toad Are Friends by Arnold Lobel, HarperCollins, 1970) to the students.
After the first desription of the lost button is given, ask the students whether the button they chose could be the lost button. If it is possible, have them stand. Ask the same question as you come to each attribute. If a
description does not fit the button they are holding, they should sit down.
When the story is completed, have the students who are standing verify that their button has all the attributes. Have the rest of the class look through their set of buttons for those that have all the attributes.
(If you don’t have access to the story, here’s an alternative way to begin the lesson: Have the students each pick a button. Now choose several attributes that might describe a button and write them on different index cards. Pull one of the cards at random, read the attribute, and ask these students who have buttons with that attribute to stand. Then call out, one at a time, the other attributes
listed on the index cards you choose, having students remain standing if their button continues to have all the attributes. When you have named several attributes, ask the students to locate all the buttons that meet all the chosen
attributes.)
Next display a numeral less than 10 and ask the students to make a set with that many buttons. When they are ready, ask the students to trace the buttons in the set, count them aloud, and then write the number of buttons in the set under the tracing. Then call on a volunteer to choose another number less than 10 and ask the other students to make sets with that many buttons. Repeat several times. As each set is constructed, have students count the buttons in their set and record the appropriate numeral. You may wish to have the students place these recording sheets in their unit portfolios.
Eight buttons
Next put the students into trios and distribute two number cubes to each trio. Show the students index cards on which you have written “=,” “One More, or One Less,” Review (or teach) the meaning of the phrases and of the equals symbol (in this case, the equals symbol shows that two sets have the same number of objects). Then give each student in the trio a different card.
Ask the student who received the card with the equals sign to roll one number cube, name the number showing, and make a set of that many buttons. Then have the other students make sets of one more or one less as their cards direct. When they have done so, call on various groups to describe what they did. Have the students switch cards within their trio and repeat this activity several times.
To end the lesson, have students return to their seats. Then ask them to describe their buttons in as many ways as they can. Write each attribute they call out so that the entire class can see it. Then pass out the Button Bingo
Grids and ask the students to write one attribute at the top of each column on their grid. [The attributes “white,” “big,” “2 holes,” “black,” and “metal” are entered on this sample card. You may wish to have students replace them with attributes relevant to the buttons in your room.]
To start, you will be the caller. When the students are ready, hold up a button and ask them to find one button from their set of buttons that matches your button in at least one way. Have them place that button in an appropriate column on their Button Bingo grid. The first student to fill a column wins the round and becomes the caller for the next round. If more than one child finishes
a column at the same time, have them roll two number cubes to determine who the next caller will be. [You might designate the child with the highest number or the one with the lowest number as the winner of the roll.]
