Ingenuity
Week 40
We can use numbers and shapes to solve problems
Ingenuity is defined as the quality of being clever, original, resourceful, and inventive. Only man was created by God with the ability to create and invent, especially when there is a need. In this block we will discover along with the children some of the things they sometimes take for granted. We have the ability to consider a situation and come up with a solution or adaptation. On the other hand, animals are not capable of thinking in this way. Ingenuity is a part of the preciousness of our humanity.
***Serving one must contact each family so that they will bring the needed items to the Zoom time. One yellow square, one orange square, one red square for each person coming to the Zoom time, and five brown squares. One plate from each person on the Zoom call.
Point to emphasize
We can use numbers and shapes to solve problems. We have a mind that is capable of thinking through problems by the use of math.
References
Teach us then to number our days / That we may gain a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:12)
Sample content and conversation with children
- Today we are going to see how we can solve some problems using numbers and shapes.
- Everyone has colored squares of paper today along with some plates. There may be two or three of you there together. Please give everyone a plate. We are going to make these paper squares our fruit. [Hold up yellow square] What fruit is this? (banana) OK, give each person one banana. They can put it on their plate. Now, what fruit can we make this one? (orange square could be an orange, mango, etc.) Please make sure each one gets one orange. Now, hold up your red square. What fruit should we make this? (apple, strawberry, raspberry, cherry) Please give each person one strawberry.
- Now, using our fingers let’s count how many each person got: one banana, one orange & one strawberry. How many fingers do we have up? THREE!!!! Everyone with us got three.
- Now, we are going to count how many colored squares (or fruits) we have all together. Put your plates close together and count the pieces on each plate. Can you use your fingers to show us how many pieces you counted? [Have them all tell you one at a time. It makes no difference if their answer is correct or not.] See, even at three and four, we can use numbers to count because God made us with the ability to use numbers!
- Finally, we come to our last square-the brown one! Let’s make this one special. We’ll say that it is our favorite cookie. Please put a cookie on each one’s plate. Maybe you have enough for each one to get two brown squares. Now, do we have any leftover??? [Most will have one remaining.] What should we do with that last cookie? [Let them answer-break the cookie in half or in parts so everyone gets a little more.] Wow, you all came up with such good solutions. And you were able to think of those solutions because God creates us all with the ability to consider how to solve problems.
- Let’s go to shapes. [Show a triangle, circle, and square and have the children tell you the name for each one.] Which shape would we use for our bike wheels? [Show picture #1.] You mean you don’t want a bike like this? Why not? Which shapes would we use to make a house? [Show picture #2. The square in the front of the house with a triangle roof.] Put the circle on the square. Would this be a good roof? NO! Put an upside-down triangle as the roof? Would a roof like this be good when it rains? NO! So we need the roof like this. We can think about the shape of the items around us and consider what works best because God created us in this way.
- There is no animal who can come up with solutions using numbers and shapes. They just are not created to think like that! So many birds feed their young with the worms they catch BUT they never think, Oh, I have two little chicks so I must make sure they each get 3 worms. No, birds never count how many times they have few their chicks. While insects like the wasps [show pictures #3 and #4] build hives with 6 sides, they never count the sides as they make them and they really don’t know that it is not a circle, a square or a triangle. They automatically, instinctively build the hive, in the same way, every time. There is no thinking involved.
- God really created us in such a marvelous way- we know how to use numbers and different shapes.
Suggested songs
God is so good
Suggested activities
Zoom activity: Shape Scavenger Hunt: Name a shape and have the children bring things of that shape or including that shape.
Sort by shape: The idea would be to use something like what is found in the following link to have them sort different illustrations into shapes. Here is an example:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/580964420670324582/.
Pictures
#1: Bike with triangular tires
#2: House with a triangular roof
#3: Bees
#4: Beehive
