Top That

Goal: Find the largest number around

1. Look for the largest

Choose someone to be the Judge. The first time, an adult is the Judge.

Children look on walls, on bulletin boards, or out the window to find the largest number. The number has to be visible to all. It can’t be inside a book or on a clothing label.

2. Can you top that?

The Judge counts to 10, then calls someone to report on the largest number.

The judge asks, “Is that the largest, or can you top that?”

Continue until everyone agrees that the largest number has been identified.

The first person to identify the largest number is the Judge next round.

Variations

Target Number (Grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
Children look for the number closest to a target, for instance, the number closest to 100 or the number closest to the day of the month.

 

Numbers in the News (Grades 5, 6, 7)
Give each child or pair a few pages of a newspaper or magazine. Children look for the largest number on their pages, circle it, and explain to the group what the number means. For instance, “it’s a temperature,” or “it’s the population of Honduras.” For extra challenge, try this with the goal of finding the smallest numbers. 

 

Numbers in the Neighborhood (Grades K, 1, 2, 3, 4)
Give each child or pair a few pages of a newspaper or magazine. Children look for the largest number on their pages, circle it, and explain to the group what the number means. For instance, “it’s a temperature,” or “it’s the population of Honduras.” For extra challenge, try this with the goal of finding the smallest numbers.

Books and Other Resources

I Spy Little Numbers (Grade K)
Marzollo, Jean. NY: Scholastic, 1999.

What's in a Number? (Grades K, 1, 2)
Heap, Sue. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press, 2000.

Spotlight

Uses of Numbers

As children work on this activity, look for opportunities to talk with them about how numbers are used, for instance:

The way to say a number depends on what it’s used for:

314—as a number of objects is read as “three hundred fourteen.”

314-555-9925—as a part of a telephone number is read as “three-one-four.” The area code functions as a label.

Connections

Highs and lows

Record-breaking temperatures, rainfall, inflation rates, and sports statistics regularly capture public attention. Largest and smallest of a set of numbers plays a role in the stock market as buyers and sellers track the biggest winners and losers. And in personal finance, consumers looking around for the best deal. For example, buyers and sellers on e-bay track highest and lowest prices; prospective homebuyers follow prices and interest rates; and everyone looks for low-priced bargains.

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