Early Math  /  Equipartitioning  /  Digital  /  Activity

Photo Friends

 

Equipartitioning
Digital

Children work together to add each other’s photos to fun scenes and distribute the same number of items to a group of friends.

Close-up of a child’s hands holding an iPad with the Gracie and Friends Photo Friends app on-screen. A young boy takes a photo of a girl in a striped shirt. Her face appears on-screen as part of a blue bunny.

Photo Friends is for two friends to play together.

Each child takes the other child’s photo.

 

Materials


Materials used in Photo Friends.
  • Photo Friends digital game on the iPad

Preparation

  1. Make sure the iPads are adequately charged and Photo Friends is installed.
 

Directions


  1. Start with one iPad (keep any additional iPads out of reach).
  2. Introduce the game. Tell the children they are going to play a game called Photo Friends on the iPad(s). Tell them that everyone will get a chance to play. Explain that the object of the game is to share a set of objects equally.
  3. Demonstrate how to play the game. Talk the children through the training level at the beginning of the game. In the tutorial, Leo tells them how to take pictures of themselves and a friend. Then the animated tutorial shows them how to drag an object to the correct location. Have a child demonstrate by dragging the correct number of wheels to each car. Show the children the play options on the next page. Tell the children they can pick any of these options to play during the game. Have a child touch one of the play options and demonstrate how to play it.
  4. Distribute any additional iPads and invite children to play the game. Be available throughout game play. Allow children to play on their own or with a partner while you observe and engage them in conversations about the math. Choose moments to interact that do not interrupt game play, such as at the start of a new level, or when a child is struggling and is open to assistance.
  5. Promote math talk and learning:
    • Ask questions to gauge understanding, such as, How can we make sure all the squirrels have the same number of acorns? Why did you give each submarine three lights?
    • Have the children count the number of items they’ve distributed to the characters and encourage them to compare amounts by asking, Do Tatum and you have the same amount? Who has more? Who has less?
    • To help children articulate the math goal of sharing items equally, ask, What are you doing in this game? How do you win in this game?
    • Model math talk by using words like same and equal when comparing amounts. Be sure to define new math words to ensure that children understand what they mean.
  6. Some of the levels may be challenging for some children. Assist children having problems with the math, especially as equal sharing gets more difficult. Reassure children that it’s okay if the game feels hard. It will get easier as they practice. Here are some typical problems children experience and some suggested solutions:
    • If children have trouble sharing the items equally, have them count the number of items they’ve distributed. Ask, Are the number of items the same here and there? Why did you give this bee that many stripes? How can you make sure this flower has the same number of petals? Which tent has more logs? How can you equally share the carrots to the bunnies?
    • If a child is still having trouble with either the math, consider having the child play a non-digital equal-sharing game. That way you can slow down the play and support him or her.
  7. Assist children as needed with the mechanics of game play, but keep the main focus on math talk.
    • Children may have difficulty taking pictures of each other. Demonstrate how to hold the iPad so that the child can see the other child’s face in the center of the bunny. Then show the child how to press the camera button to take the picture. If a child struggles with holding the iPad, hold the iPad for the child and have the child tap on the button.
    • Some children may not play as well together as others might, which you may want to take into consideration when selecting children to play together. Place the iPad so that it is equally accessible to both children, and encourage them to take turns and work together.
  8. Children learn from and teach each other — especially when they’re playing! Encourage simultaneous or collaborative play for struggling children. Invite more advanced children to explain how they make fair shares with the different items.
  9. Overall, have fun and allow the children to have fun too. They’ll learn while playing!

Length of Play

10–15 min.

Group Size

Pairs

In the Schedule

Learning Centers


 
Vocabulary
  • equal
  • divide
  • more
  • less
  • number names and numerals
 
Learning Goals
  • Divide a collection of objects into equal groups
  • Understand what it means to share equally
  • Compare collections of objects, and identify which has more and by how many
  • Learn or reinforce number names
  • Count a collection of objects