Daily Lesson Plan -- Lesson 3

Number 2

Subject: Maths | Class: Playgroup | Series: Skillford

---

Overview

This lesson introduces the number 2. Learners look at a big pink 2 beside two friendly cows in a green meadow and learn that two means a pair. On the second day they finger-trace and pencil-trace the number 2 beside two cows to colour. On the third day they colour the pots with 2 flowers, find the groups of two and count the eyes, ears and hands of a monkey. All talk is oral and playful. Learners are not expected to read or write words.

Learning Outcomes (from textbook)

• Recognise the number 2 and say its name
• Count two objects
• Trace and write the number 2

Key Vocabulary

• two
• cow
• eyes
• ears
• hands

Page Label

• "Two Cows"

---

Day 1: Look and Say (30 minutes)

Materials

• Textbook page 16
• Two shoes, two socks and two cups
• Building blocks
• A tablet or screen with a clock face and number keypad (or a calculator)

Circle Time Warm-Up (5 minutes)

• Sit the learners in a circle and sing a hello song together
• Hold up two fingers and say "two" together
• Draw a big 2 in the air with your finger and ask learners to copy you
• Say "two" three times, getting louder each time

Little Explorers (5 minutes)

• Science card: say "We have two eyes, two ears and two hands"
• Ask learners to point to their eyes and say "two"
• Ask learners to touch their ears and say "two"
• Ask learners to wave their hands and say "two"

Look and Say (10 minutes)

• Open page 16 and point to the big pink 2. Say "two" and learners repeat
• Point to the cows and say "two cows". Learners repeat
• Point to the cow with the flowers and ask: "What is she wearing?" Learners say "flowers", "a bell"
• Point to the cow with the spotty scarf and ask: "What is he wearing?"
• Say together: "Two cows"
• Say "moo, moo" together, once for each cow

Little Innovators (4 minutes)

• Technology card: show a clock face and point to 2
• Show a calculator, point to 2 and press it

Little Builders (5 minutes)

• Engineering card: stand two blocks apart and lay a third across the top
• Say together: "Two legs hold a bridge"
• Let learners build their own bridge

Wrap-Up (1 minute)

• Put out two shoes, two socks and two cups. Count each pair: one, two
• Wave goodbye to the cows: "Bye-bye, cows!"

Differentiation

• Support: Let shy learners hold up two fingers instead of saying the word; say it with them
• Extension: Ask confident learners to find two things in the classroom and say "two" without help

---

Day 2: Trace the Number (30 minutes)

Materials

• Textbook pages 16-17
• Crayons
• Pencils
• A tray of sand

Warm-Up (5 minutes)

• Show page 16 again. Point and say: "Two cows"
• Hold up two fingers and say "two" together
• Clap twice, stamp twice

Little Artists: Sand Tracing (5 minutes)

• Ask learners to trace a big 2 in the sand tray with one finger
• Show the stroke: start at the top left, curve round to the right, come down to the bottom left, then go straight across to the right
• Wipe the sand smooth and let them try again

Look at Page 17 (5 minutes)

• Open page 17 and point to the big white 2 and the words "Two Cows"
• Point to the two cows and say "two cows"
• Read the Teacher's Note: begin just under the top line so there is room for a full curve at the top. At the bottom line, pause before changing direction and adding the flat "foot"

Trace the Number (12 minutes)

• Hand out pencils and check the grip (pinch the pencil, rest it on the middle finger)
• Work through the rows one line at a time
• Rows 1 and 2: trace the dotted 2 and follow the green arrows: curve over, slide down, then go across
• Rows 3 and 4: learners make a 2 from each dot, following the arrows, with your hand over their hand if needed
• Praise every try: "Lovely curvy 2!"

Wrap-Up (3 minutes)

• Draw 2 in the air one last time and say "two"
• Remind learners that the Arts card says to colour the two cows at the top of page 17

Differentiation

• Support: Use a thick crayon for tracing; hold the learner's hand for the first row
• Extension: Let confident learners draw a big 2 on the board with a marker

---

Day 3: Activities (30 minutes)

Materials

• Textbook page 18
• Crayons or pencils
• Small items in twos (for example two cups)

Warm-Up (5 minutes)

• Hold up two cups and count: "one, two"
• Touch your eyes, ears and hands and say "two" each time
• Say "two cows" together

Activity 1: Colour the Pots (7 minutes)

• Open page 18 and read the first instruction aloud: "Colour the pots which have 2 flowers in them"
• Point to the four pots one at a time and count the flowers together
• Learners colour the pots with exactly two flowers (the second and the fourth)

Activity 2: Groups of Two (8 minutes)

• Read the second instruction: "Find the groups of two. Join them to the 2"
• Point to the four pictures: two toy aeroplanes, one football, one peach and two onions
• Count the things in each picture together
• Learners join the groups of two to the pink 2 in the middle

Activity 3: Count and Write (7 minutes)

• Read the third instruction: "Count and write the number"
• Look at the picture of the monkey and ask: "How many eyes? How many ears? How many hands?"
• Learners write 2 on each line, or say "two" and point

Wrap-Up (3 minutes)

• Play "Show me two": call out body parts and objects and learners hold up two fingers when there are two
• Praise the group

Differentiation

• Support: Point to each flower in the pot and count one at a time
• Extension: Ask learners to say how many flowers are in the pots that are not coloured

---

Teaching Tips (from textbook)

• Begin writing just under the top line so learners can make a full curve at the top
• When learners reach the bottom line, have them pause before changing direction and adding the horizontal "foot"
• Colour the two cows at the top of the next page