Sorting

A Unit on Sorting by Attributes &

Naming the Rule

Miss. Ashley Hoisington

Kindergarten

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 Table of Contents

Class Description Page 2

Unit Rationale Page 3

Resources/ Materials Page 4

Unit at a Glance Calendar Page 5

Unit Assessment Plan Page 7

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 Class Description
This unit will be taught at Herons Crossing School, a K-8 school in NW Airdrie. This school is located within
Rocky View School Division (RVSD), which serves the cities/towns surrounding Calgary and area. Rocky
View is a diverse school division, with many complex and insightful initiatives happening within the district.
The current focus of RVSD is on creating innovators by design through their 4-year plan. Rocky View puts an
emphasis on purpose and diversity within the learning environment.

This unit will be taught to the AM Kindergarten class; this group of students has school Monday-Thursday, with
no class on Friday. Students will have a Numeracy/Math block 3 times per week (Monday-Wednesday) for 30
minutes each, and one 20-minute block on Thursdays which will rotate weekly with inquiry as students have
Fine-Arts on Thursday as well. Students will engage in various activities within their math block including
some direct instruction, group activities, individual activities, and centres.

This class has 19 students; 13 students are male, and 6 students are female. There are no documented
exceptionalities within this class. However, it is necessary to consider the potential needs that may occur within
this age group. It is natural for students at this age to still be learning self-regulation skills, as well as other
social and emotional skills necessary for learning tasks. It is also normal to see a wide range of ability levels, as
students all come from diverse backgrounds and may not have had the same early childhood experiences as
others. Be prepared to provide support and differentiation when necessary.

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 Unit Rationale
Unit Title: Sorting
Course: Math
Length of Unit: 14 days

Overview:
Throughout this unit Ss will engage in various activities to help them gain a deeper understanding of sorting
objects based on different attributes and rules. Many of the students are already engaging in sorting activities
throughout their centres and play, so I have chosen to expand upon the curricular objectives in order to present
students with meaningful and engaging learning activities. Throughout the unit we will learn about juicy words
to describe things, how to categorize objects by shape, colour, size, etc., as well as engaging in various sorting
activities to help strengthen their understanding of sorting and the broad range of things that can be sorted. I
also plan to pull in a literacy component through some speaking and writing, as well as sorting our names by
letter and syllables later in the unit.

Essential Questions:
• How can we describe objects?
• What is an attribute?
• What attributes can we use to sort?
• How many ways can you sort the same group of objects?
• What is a sorting rule? How do I come up with one?

Focused Outcomes: From Rocky View Schools, RTR Document, Kindergarten Learner Outcomes
• PR2- Sort objects & explain the sorting rule
o I can identify a common attribute in a set of objects
o I can sort a set of objects based on a single attribute and explain the sorting rule

Demonstrations of Learning: For an overview of the assessments/activities for this unit, please see the UAP at
the end of this document.

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 Unit Resources/ Materials

Activity Materials to Collect

• Variety of rubber balls

Attribute
• Anchor chart
Balls
• Blue journals
What other
• Online story- Sort it Out (link below)
ways can we
sort? • Sort it Out picture cards
Sorting • Sorting mats w/ students names
centres • Variety of math tools/ sorting tools
Name Sorting • Name cards & labels (printable)
ABC sorting • ABC manipulatives
5 Senses
• 5 senses sorting cards
sorting

https://www.getepic.com/book/46199826/sort-it-
out?utm_source=t2t&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=content&share=31818224528

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 Unit at a Glance
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Attribute Practice- Shape
Attribute Practice- Colour
Attribute Practice & We will look at our chart and
We will look at our chart and
Sorting Intro- Mini Lesson Journal* choose one word- then decide
choose one word- then decide
What is it? Why do we do it? Ss will pick another ball, which attribute it describes
which attribute it describes
How do we do it? Intro video similar to what we did (start with a shape word). We
(start with a colour word). We
yesterday and describe it using will then look for all of the
will then look for all of the
Begin talking about attributes- juicy words. other words we have that
other words we have that
Pick a ball and describe it as a describe that attribute of shape
describe that attribute of colour
group; Ss will come up with Ss will add words to the chart and circle them (use a dif.
and circle them. No AM
juicy words to describe the ball as a group and then work colour than yesterday)
Class
they choose, and they will be independently.
Once we identify one sorting
written on a chart paper. Once we identify one sorting
attribute as “colour” Ss will
We will use blue journals to attribute as “shape” Ss will
have the opportunity to try and
Maybe practice sorting- give Ss draw a detailed picture of the have the opportunity to try and
sort some math tools by colour!
various tools and tell them to ball, and then write 2-3 sort some math tools by
Ss will engage in centre type
try and do some sorting! See describing words around it; the shape/type! Ss will engage in
practice and rotate through the
what they come up with! teacher will write on a sticky centre type practice and rotate
room to practice sorting various
note and the Ss will copy it. through the room to practice
things by colour.
sorting various things by shape.
Attribute Practice- Size What other ways can we sort
Sorting Practice*
We will look at our chart and things?
choose one word- then decide After Ss have had some practice
During this class Ss will engage
which attribute it describes sorting by simple attributes, we
in centres to practice their
(start with a size word). We will read Sort it Out! By
sorting- we will begin by
will then look for all of the Barbara Mariconda and talk
joining in a circle to highlight a Fine Arts- Shared time w/ No AM
other words we have that about some other ways we can
couple of different sorting rules inquiry on Thursdays (20 min) Class
describe that attribute of size sort items that might be
and do some group practice.
and circle them in a dif. colour. different from size, shape or
colour.
Ss will rotate through a couple
Once we identify one sorting Once we read the story we will
of centres using their sorting
attribute as “size” Ss will have sit in a circle and do some
mats, and they will be asked to
the opportunity to try and sort sorting practice as a group
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some math tools by size! Ss using the objects from the story explain their sorting rule! Take
will engage in centre type and see what Ss come up with pictures of their sorting mats!
practice and rotate through the (probably do 2-3 rounds of
room to practice sorting various sorting together!)
things by size..
If time allows, have Ss do some
free sorting with the math tools.
Shoe sorting
Students will experiment with
sorting different objects, and Cut & Paste Sorting* Alphabet Sorting
today we will try sorting our Name sorting
shoes! We will use this block to Students will engage in a We will try sorting a different
combine with literacy skills to sorting activity with a pre- object again- this time it will be
We will start with an initial sort our names determined rule. the alphabet letters! We will sit
No AM
sorting rule- laces, and no laces in a circle and sort the letters
Class
(or something of the sort) Ss will each write their names- They will be asked to do a cut based on holes/ no holes.
Ss will each take off one shoe we will sort them by number of & paste activity to show what
and sort them in a circle. letters, and then try sorting they know and to determine if This will be quicker, so we will
again by syllables. they are able to sort based on have a chance to do some
We will then try with a someone else’s rule. centres afterwards.
different sorting rule
determined by the students!
Sorting Centres* Sorting Centres*
During this class, Ss will be During this class, Ss will be
invited to participate in various 5 Senses Sorting invited to participate in various
sorting centres including a This will be another sorting centres including a
small-group teacher centre to opportunity for Ss to practice small-group teacher centre to
help with assessment. sorting in a different way. help with assessment.
Fine Arts- Shared time w/
At the teacher centre, Ss will be Each student will be given a At the teacher centre, Ss will be inquiry on Thursdays (20 min)
invited to sort and organize a card that is either something invited to sort and organize a
variety of math tools that have you taste, smell, hear, touch or variety of math tools that have
been mixed together. I will see. They will have to sort them been mixed together. I will
watch for how they sort, and based on the 5 senses. watch for how they sort, and
the complexity/process of their the complexity/process of their
sorting rules. sorting rules.

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 Assessment Overview
Assessment Assessment
Assessment Tool Brief Description FOR OF
Learning Learning
For the first few lessons, Ss will practice identifying and
using simple attributes such as size, colour and shape/type.
Through this we will also work on descriptive words to help
Attribute
students classify objects. We will be introduced to a new X
Practice
attribute each day, and have the opportunity to practice with
it; I will use this opportunity to see where students are
starting with their sorting knowledge.
Throughout the unit, students will engage in various sorting
centres to help them practice various ways to sort and
experiment with different sorting rules. We will use a
variety of tools and objects to sort that will allow Ss to
develop their skills. Each kid will get a chance to use each
Sorting Centres X
centre at least once for sorting.
Each student will also get their own sorting mat, with their
name on it, for easy picture taking/record keeping purposes!
This will be used as formative assessment so I can gauge
students understanding.
Students will complete a cut & paste sorting activity with a
pre-determined rule. This will challenge students to try and
Cut & Paste
follow a sorting rule that they did not come up with. X
Sorting
I will use this as formative assessment to see where Ss are at
with their knowledge of how to sort.
The mixed-up manipulatives assessment will be the final
summative assessment for the unit. This will be a teacher
centre for the final week of the unit- I will have a variety of
the math tools mixed together and present it to Ss as a
problem, such as “Someone came and mixed up all the
tools!! We have to organize them… But I was thinking of
maybe trying a different way to organize them! How do you
Mixed up think we could organize them?”
X
Manipulatives
I will allow Ss to sort the math tools, then have them explain
their sorting rule. I will also take some pictures to document
their sorting!

This will be a summative assessment using a rubric style

marking key to determine their sorting complexity/ abilities
and their ability for identifying their rule.

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