Control cards for cylinder blocks

MATERIAL OVERVIEW:

The cylinder blocks consist of 4 wooden beechwood blocks. All four are equal in shape and dimensions (45 cm long, 6 cm high, 8 cm wide). Each holds ten fitted cylinders. Three of the blocks each contain 10 cylinders ranging from 5 mm to 5 cm in diameter. One block has 10 cylinders with a single diameter of 2.5 cm.

The first block: the cylinders vary in two dimensions (variation in diameter)

The second block: the cylinders vary in three dimensions (variation in diameter and height)

The third block: the cylinders vary in three dimensions in the reverse direction;

The fourth block: the cylinders vary in one dimension: height.

PRESENTATION:

- fetch the cylinder block from the shelf with the child, placing one hand at each end

- settle at a table with the child, placing them on our left

- bring the block close to us

- take out each cylinder one by one using the three fingers: thumb, index and middle finger

- slowly lift the cylinder, holding it vertically above its cavity; start by taking out the cylinders at the ends of the block, either the largest or the thinnest, and remove the thickest and thinnest one after another, placing each cylinder slowly on the table behind the block and in random order

- when all the cylinders are on the table, pick one up - start with the end ones -, bring it above a cavity of the block, turning it over, then visually assess the cylinder's circumference and the cavity's circumference

- once we have assessed the two circumferences as matching, insert the cylinder into the cavity very slowly. Proceed the same way for each cylinder

- once all the cylinders are back in place, invite the child to do the activity in turn