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Unit 2 CLASSIFICATION IN EARLY MATHEMATICS

This document outlines the objectives and importance of classification in early mathematics for pre-scholars, emphasizing skills such as logical thinking, problem-solving, and mathematical communication. It provides examples of classification in shapes, colors, and numbers, as well as everyday life applications like healthy eating and household items. Additionally, it distinguishes between classifying and sorting, highlighting their significance in cognitive development for young learners.

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8 views15 pages

Unit 2 CLASSIFICATION IN EARLY MATHEMATICS

This document outlines the objectives and importance of classification in early mathematics for pre-scholars, emphasizing skills such as logical thinking, problem-solving, and mathematical communication. It provides examples of classification in shapes, colors, and numbers, as well as everyday life applications like healthy eating and household items. Additionally, it distinguishes between classifying and sorting, highlighting their significance in cognitive development for young learners.

Uploaded by

mathewnoabeb2
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Basic Mathematics

Unit 2:
Classification in early Mathematics
(JP 2 ) Semester 1
Year: 2025
Dr A Niipare
Objectives

At the end of the unit, students should be able to:

✓ recognize the properties of each classification


✓ apply the number system in mathematical operations.
✓ develop logical thinking and problem-solving skills
✓ understand the real-life applications of number classification
✓ enhance mathematical communication
Introduction
Classification in math involves categorizing objects and items according to certain
characteristics.
Classification is where objects are systematically organized into groups according
to fixed criteria.
For example, if a child has a mixture of red and blue items and they were classifying
them according to their colours, they would be actively seeking out red objects to
classify into their red category and blue objects for their blue category.
• It is a pre-number learning concept and teaches students about the world
around them.
• When students start completing classification activities, they will begin to learn
how to identify different shapes and colours, too.
• Classification helps students to improve a range of different math skills, including
how to understand the connections and relationships between different objects,
sorting and grouping skills, and identification skills among others.
Examples of classification

Three examples of classification in math are:

1. Shapes
• Shapes can be classified in all sorts of ways, but during Pre- grade, your students
should be learning how to classify shapes according to their various different
properties.
• This could be the name of the shapes, how many sides or corners they have, or
whether they are 2D or 3D.

2. Colours
• Colour identification is another pre-number math skill that students learn during Pre-K,
and classification activities help to reinforce what students have learned about
colours.
For example, students may be given a pile of coloured objects to sort through and
be required to put all of the objects that are primary colours (red, blue, and yellow) in
one pile, and all of the objects that are secondary colours (purple, green, and orange)
in another pile.
Examples of classification

3. Odd and even numbers


• Students can easily classify numbers into the categories of odd or even numbers
by looking at the characteristics of the numbers that they are classifying.
For example, odd numbers cannot be divided by two and the last digit is always a
1, 3, 5, 7, or 9, and even numbers can always be divided equally by two, with the
last digit of an even number always being 0, 2, 4, 6, or 8.
Three examples of classification in everyday life

1. Eating healthily
• When people make the decision to eat healthily, they automatically start
classifying foods into two (or maybe three) categories.
• Foods such as vegetables and fruit will get classified into the healthy category,
whilst junk food will be assigned to the unhealthy category.

2. Household items
• Generally speaking, certain household objects are classified when it comes to
what room they belong in within a house.
• For example, a toilet brush, bath towels, and body wash are all usually classified
by what they are used for and kept in the bathroom.
• However, cooking utensils, oven mitts, and food items will be kept in the kitchen,
as they have different uses compared to bathroom items.
Continued…

3. Data classification
• Data classification involves analysing data and organizing it into categories
based on certain characteristics, such as meta-data, file type, contents, and
more.
• Data classification helps companies to understand their data better, answer
questions about their data, and more.
When should children learn about classification?

• Students begin learning about classification before they start learning about
numbers, as classifying and sorting activities do not need to involve numbers.

For example, students can classify objects according to their colours, sizes, or
shape. When a student is aged between three and four years old they should
start to learn how to classify things based on one simple characteristic.

• As students progress through their education, they will start to learn how to classify
things according to more than one characteristic and will be able to classify things
into multiple different categories, rather than just two.
Why is classification in Math important for pre- scholars?

• Learning about classification in math is important for pre- scholars because it


teaches them a range of thinking skills and lays the foundations for future
problem-solving activities.

• Classification in math teaches students how to understand certain things about


the world around them and helps to prepare them for their math education in
pre-school and beyond.

• Classifying is a pre-numbers skill that is crucial to your students’ development, as


students learn about numerical concepts through classification and sorting, as
well as develop the ability to group numbers and sets.
Five skills students develop while learning about classification

• Classifying skills
• Logical thinking skills
• Counting skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Identification and comparison skills
Classification vs. Sorting

Classifying and sorting are often taught together, but whilst they are very similar to
one another, they still differ slightly, and you should be aware of this before starting
to teach your students.
What’s the difference between classifying and sorting in
math?
• When students classify items, they are organizing them into predetermined
categories. This means that generally, students will be looking for a specific
characteristic in an item before placing it into the correct category.
For example, if you’re classifying 2D and 3D shapes, students will be actively looking for
shapes that have 2D characteristics so that they know they can classify them into
their 2D shape category.
• When students are sorting items, they are simply identifying similarities and differences
between a group of items and placing them into corresponding piles according to
these similarities and differences.
For example, if students had a pile of 20 coloured items, they could sort through
these items one by one and organize them into groups according to their colours, so
red items would go in one pile, blue would go in another pile, and so on.
The importance of teaching pre-schoolers about sorting

• Sorting is an important pre-number cognitive skill that learners develop throughout


pre- school.

• It teaches students how to identify simple similarities and differences between a


group of objects, such as their colour or shape, even if they cannot verbalize
what these similarities and differences are.

• Helps develop visual perceptual skills, thinking and memory skills and it is important
to help the brain with attention and problem solving skills.

• Helps children to learn about early representation and problem solving.


Home work

Write engaging activities for teaching the classification in Maths


Resources

1. Khan Academy. (n.d.). The Number System. Retrieved from


www.khanacademy.org
2. Stewart, J., Redlin, L., & Watson, S. (2015). College Algebra: Concepts and
Contexts. Cengage Learning.
3. Ministry of Education. (2015). Pre-primary Curriculum: NIED. Okahandja
4. Ministry of Education. (2015). Junior primary phase: NIED. Okahandja

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