Cylinder Blocks in beechwood.

MATERIAL OVERVIEW:

The cylinder blocks consist of 4 wooden beech cylinder blocks. All four are equal in shape and dimensions (45 cm long, 6 cm high, 8 cm wide). Each holds ten fitted cylinders. For three blocks, each contains 10 cylinders from 5 mm to 5 cm in diameter. For one block there are 10 cylinders of a single diameter of 2.5 cm.

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

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

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

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

PRESENTATION:

- go and 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 hole; begin by taking out the cylinders at the ends of the block, that is the largest or the thinnest, and take out the thickest and the thinnest one after another, placing each cylinder slowly on the table behind the block and in random order

- once all the cylinders are on the table, take one - starting with the ends - bring it above a hole in the block while turning it over, then judge by eye the perimeter of the cylinder and the perimeter of the hole

- once we have judged the two perimeters to be equivalent, insert the cylinder into the hole very slowly. Proceed in the same way for each cylinder

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