Name: Jordan Locey
Focus/Subject Area: Mathematics
Title of Lesson: Marching Ants
Total Time: 30 minutes
Date: February 25, 2014
Grade Level: Preschool
I. Objectives:

The children will gain an understanding of number concepts by counting
aloud as they match the correct number of ants onto their picnic tables to the
number given to them.
o
o
Domain: Mathematics Knowledge and Skills
Element: Number Concepts and Quantities

The children will gain an understanding of number relationships by focusing
on numbers 1-6 to represent that ants have six legs.
o
o
Domain: Mathematics Knowledge and Skills
Element: Number Relationships and Operations

The children will discover and recognize that the number of ants they place
on their picnic tables will represent the number given to them.
o
o
Domain: Logic and Reasoning
Element: Symbolic Representation

The children will discover that there is a correlation between the amounts of
ants they place on their picnic tables to the number given to them.
o
o
Domain: Logic and Reasoning
Element: Reasoning and Problem Solving

The children will engage and participate as they sing along to The Ants Go
Marching Song, and hold up the correct number of fingers when they hear a
specific number.
o
o
Domain: Approaches to Learning
Element: Cooperation
II. Materials:
 10 pieces of brown construction paper (picnic table)
 60 plastic ants (6 per child)
 The words with visuals of The Ants Go Marching Song on poster board
 Visuals of numbers 1-6 with the correct amount of dots next to them
III. Procedure:
A.
Motivation:
I will enter circle time and ask the children the following questions: “Does anybody know
what an ant looks like?” “How many legs does an ant have?” I will show the children a
picture of an ant, and I will have the children count the number of legs with me.
B.
Steps:
1. I will introduce a picture of an ant to the children and ask them the following
questions: “Does anybody know what an ant is?” I will point to the antennas and
ask the children “Does anybody know what these are, or what they’re for?”
2. I will explain to the children that an ant is an insect, which is a small animal that
has six legs and usually one or two pairs of wings.
3. I will explain to the children that an ant’s antennas are used for a sense of smell,
touch, taste, and hearing.
4. I will ask the children to assist me with counting the legs and antennas on the
ant.
5. I will have each child one-by-one point out something black in the classroom—
just like an ant—and direct them to the tables.
6. I will give each child a piece of brown construction paper and explain to them
that it is going to be their picnic table.
7. I will give each child six plastic ants.
8. I will explain to the children that we’re going to count together 1-6 (to focus on the
idea that ants have six legs).
9. I will hold up a visual of each number—one at a time—with the same amount of
dots next to the number.
10. I will instruct the children to count aloud as they’re placing their ants on their
picnic tables.
11. I will instruct the children to put one ant on their picnic tables as I hold up a
visual of the number one.
12. I will instruct the children to put two ants on their picnic tables as I hold up a
visual of the number two.
13. I will instruct the children to put three ants on their picnic tables as I hold up a
visual of the number three.
14. I will instruct the children to put four ants on their picnic tables as I hold up a
visual of the number four.
15. I will instruct the children to put five ants on their picnic tables as I hold up a
visual of the number five.
16. I will instruct the children to put six ants on their picnic tables as I hold up a
visual of the number six.
17. I will ask the children place their picnic tables and ants into a pile on a specific
table or counter.
18. I will direct the children to the circle time area.
IV. Conclusion:
I will sing The Ants Go Marching Song to the children. The words with visuals next to
them will be hung-up on the wall for the children to follow along while singing the song.
As the children are singing the song, if they hear the number one, they will hold up one
finger. If they hear the number two, they will hold up two fingers, and so on.
V. Transition:
I will one-by-one ask each child to tell me one number they learned while doing the
activity, and have them represent that number by holding up their fingers to show me
they understand that particular number. Once each child has completed that, they can
go to the next center or classroom activity.
VI. Follow-Up:
1. Have the children help make an ants on a log snack by spreading peanut butter or
Nutella on a piece of celery, by using grapes or raisin for the ant’s body, and pretzels for
the ant’s legs. After the snack is made, have the children count how many grapes or
raisins were used to make the ant’s body, and how many pretzels were used to make
the ants legs.
2. Have the children draw an ant on a piece of construction paper using crayons,
colored pencils, or markers after showing them a picture of an ant. After they have
drawn their ant, have them count how many circles were drawn for the ant’s body, how
many legs were drawn, and how many antennas were drawn.
3. Have the children create an ant using pre-cut out egg cartons for the ant’s body, and
strips of construction paper or pipe cleaners for the ant’s legs and antennas. After
they’ve created their ant, have them count how many egg cartons were used for the
ant’s body, and how many strips of construction paper or pipe cleaners were used for
the ant’s legs and antennas.
4. Have the children create a picture of an ant on construction paper using bingo
dabbers for the body, and markers for the ant’s legs and antennas. After they’ve created
their ants, have them count how many spots they dabbed for the ant’s body, and have
them count how many legs and antennas they drew.
5. Have the children put together an ant by gluing it together using pre-cut out circles for
the ant’s body, and pre-cut out strips of paper or tissue paper for the ant’s legs and
antennas. Once they have put together their ant, have them count how many circles
were used for the ant’s body, and how many strips of paper were used for the ant’s legs
and antennas.
6. Have the children participate in an ant march chant such as the song that was used
to conclude the activity. This can be done either inside if there’s enough space, or
outside if the weather is acceptable. Have the children count aloud while the chant is
taking place. Also, have them stomp their feet when it says “march, march” and have
them clap their hands when it says “BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!”
VII. Evaluation/Assessment:
1. Did the children successfully understand number concepts and quantities by counting
aloud?
2. Did the children successfully match the correct amount of ants with the specific
number given?
3. Did the children engage and participate in The Ants Go Marching Song?
4. Did the children successfully hold up the correct number of fingers with the numbers
introduced in The Ants Go Marching Song?
Self Reflection:
1. What did the children enjoy most?
2. What did the children enjoy least?
3. If I implemented this lesson again, what would I do differently?
VIII. Early Learning Standards Met:
Mathematics Knowledge and Skills/Number Concepts and Quantities
Mathematics Knowledge and Skills/Number Relationships and Operations
Logic and Reasoning/Symbolic Representation
Logic and Reasoning/Reasoning and Problem Solving
Approaches to Learning/Cooperation
Supplemental Materials/Resources:
The Ants Go Marching Song:
The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching one by one,
The little one stops to suck his thumb
And they all go marching down around the town
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The ants go marching two by two, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching two by two, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching two by two,
The little one stops to tie his shoe
And they all go marching down around the town
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The ants go marching three by three, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching three by three, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching three by three,
The little one stops to climb a tree
And they all go marching down around the town
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The ants go marching four by four, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching four by four, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching four by four,
The little one stops to shut the door
And they all go marching down around the town
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The ants go marching five by five, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching five by five, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching five by five,
The little one stops to take a dive
And they all go marching down around the town
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The ants go marching six by six, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching six by six, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching six by six,
The little one stops to pick up sticks
And they all go marching down around the town
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!