Numeration

Eating to Zero

Focus: Introduce the concept of zero.

Materials: small food items

Give each child the same number of small food items, such as 5 raisins or 6 pieces of popcorn, and then tell each child to eat one item. Ask: How many are left now? Tell each child to eat one more. Ask: How many are left now? Continue until all the items are gone. Ask if anyone knows the number name for "none," and establish the name as "zero."

Do another eat-and-count-down exercise ending with zero. Write the number "0" and the word "zero" on the chalkboard where it can remain visible for a while.

Repeat the exercise during snack times for a while.

Find occasions to reinforce the concept and symbols over the next few days until "zero" as a number for "none" is familiar to most children. For example, ask: How many real dinosaurs (or pink elephants, or whatever) are in the room today?