Strand A: Foundations of Language and Mathematics · Patterns, Shapes, Measuring and SortingSorting Things into GroupsA8.1About 20 minutesLearning goalsI can sort things into groups.I can tell my sorting rule.I can sort the same things in a new way.I can find the one that does not belong.Words to knowsortTo put things that are the same in some way into a group together.groupSome things that go together.same and differentSame means alike. Different means not alike.sorting ruleHow you decided to sort, like "by colour" or "things that roll".What a mess!Grown-up, read this out loud.The laundry basket is full of socks, mittens and shirts all mixed up. How can we tidy it?We can sort! Socks go in one pile. Mittens go in another pile. Shirts go in another pile.The laundry is sorted! Socks are in one pile, mittens in another pile, and shirts in another pile. What is the sorting rule? AI-generated imageWhen we sort, we put things that are the same in some way together.We can sort by:colour (red things, blue things)shape (round things, square things)size (big things, small things)kind (animals, fruit, toys)what they do (things that roll, things that fly)The way we sort is called our sorting rule.Worked exampleLet's sort a snack🍎🍌🍎🍇🍌🍎Sort the fruit.Look at all the fruit. What is the same? What is different?Pick a sorting rule: by kind of fruit.Put the apples together, the bananas together and the grapes together.Count each group.3 apples, 2 bananas, 1 bunch of grapes.🍎🍎🍎🍌🍌🍇After sorting: 3 apples, 2 bananas, 1 bunch of grapes.Worked exampleLet's sort by what things can do⚽🚗🧸📘Sort the things by rolls and does not roll.Ask about each toy: "Can it roll?" Try it if you have one!The ball rolls. The car rolls on its wheels.The teddy bear does not roll. The book does not roll; it slides or falls flat.Make two groups.Rolls: ⚽🚗. Does not roll: 🧸📘. We could also sort these same things another way, like soft and hard.RollsDoes not rollballcarteddybookOur sorting rule is rolls or does not roll. The ball is round and the car has round wheels, so they roll.Play "What's my rule?"A grown-up sorts some things without telling the rule. Your child looks and guesses the rule. Then switch!Example: 🔴🍓🍎 in one group and 🔵🫐 in another. The rule is red things and blue things.Hands-on activitySorting at homePick one:Laundry sort: sort clean socks by colour, or find the pairs.Drawer sort: sort spoons and forks (grown-ups handle any knives).Toy sort: sort toys by colour, by size, or by "rolls / does not roll".After sorting, ask: "What is your rule?" and "Can you sort them a different way?"Just for funWhy was the lonely sock so happy at sorting time?It finally found its pair! 🧦Your turn1🍎🍌🍎🍌🍎Sort them. How many apples? How many bananas?Show answer3 apples and 2 bananas.2🔴🟢🔴🔴🟢Sort by colour. How many in each group?Show answer3 red and 2 green.3🐶🐱🐮🚗Which one does not belong? Why?Show answer🚗 The car. The others are animals.4Group 1: 🍎🍓🍒Group 2: 🍌🍋What is the sorting rule?Show answerBy colour. Group 1 is red fruit. Group 2 is yellow fruit.5🐟🐄🐙🐕Sort them: lives in water, or lives on land.Show answerWater: 🐟🐙 (fish, octopus). Land: 🐄🐕 (cow, dog).6Sort some shoes at your door. Tell your rule.Show answerAnswers will vary. Examples: grown-up shoes and kid shoes; boots and running shoes; shoes with laces and shoes without laces. Look for: every shoe fits the rule.More practice: warm-up1🍎🍎🍎🍌Which one does not belong?Show answer🍌 The banana. The others are apples.2⭐⭐🌙⭐Which one does not belong?Show answer🌙 The moon.3🔵🟡🔵🟡🔵How many blue?Show answer3 blue.4Do mittens 🧤 go on your hands or your feet?Show answerHands. Mittens go in the "for hands" group.5🐦🐦✈️🐦Which one is not a bird?Show answer✈️ The airplane.More practice: on your own1🚗🚲🚌✈️🚁Sort them: goes on the road, or flies.Show answerRoad: 🚗🚲🚌. Flies: ✈️🚁.2Group 1: 🧤🧣🧢Group 2: 🩳🩴What is the rule?Show answerWinter clothes and summer clothes. Mittens, a scarf and a hat keep us warm. Shorts and flip-flops are for hot days.3🔴🟥🔵🟦🟡Sort them by shape.Show answerCircles: 🔴🔵🟡. Squares: 🟥🟦.4🔴🟥🔵🟦🟡Now sort the same ones by colour.Show answerRed: 🔴🟥. Blue: 🔵🟦. Yellow: 🟡. Same things, new rule, new groups!5🍎🍌🥕🍇Which one does not belong? Why?Show answer🥕 The carrot. It is a vegetable. The others are fruit.Challenge1🐶🐟🐦🐱🐠🦉Sort them into 3 groups: walks, swims, flies.Show answerWalks: 🐶🐱. Swims: 🐟🐠. Flies: 🐦🦉.2Yes group: 🍊⚽🌕No group: 📘🧱What is the rule?Show answerRound things. An orange, a ball and the full moon are round. A book and a brick are not round.3Sort 10 toys two different ways. Tell both rules.Show answerAnswers will vary. Example: first by colour (red, blue, other), then by size (big, small). Look for: each time, every toy fits the rule, and your child can say the rule.Check your understandingQuiz1. 🐶🐱🐰🍎Which one does not belong?🐶🐰🍎2. 🔴🔴🔴Why are these in one group?They are all redThey are all animalsThey are all square3. 🍎🍌🍎🍎Sort them. How many apples?2344. Which one is sorted by colour?🔵🔵🔵 and 🟢🟢🔵🟢🔵 and 🟢🔵🔵🟢 and 🔵🟢🟢Mark lesson completeFor parents and teachersWhat this is about: Sorting is the start of organizing information (data). Children sort by one attribute (colour, shape, size, kind) and explain their sorting rule. They also learn that the same things can be sorted in more than one way.How to help at home:Make sorting part of chores: laundry, groceries, cutlery, toy clean-up.Always ask, "What is your rule?" and "Can you sort them another way?"Play "What's my rule?" and "Which one does not belong?" Accept any answer your child can explain well.Common difficulties:Changing the rule halfway (starting with colour, then switching to size). Ask, "What was your rule?" and check each item."Which one does not belong?" can have more than one good answer. Praise a good reason.PreviousThe Core: Making and Changing PatternsNextPicture Graphs and "Will It Happen?"