Using film canisters at the stage of transition from the use of 3D materials to symbolic representation

A film canister can make an excellent container for shaking dice. It has a lid to stop the die from jumping out and enables it to be rolled more easily on a surface.

Film canisters plus toothpiks and rubber bands are useful in many ways; for example, in place-value activities. In conjunction with ten-frame cards, one for ones, one for tens, and one for hundreds, canisters can be used to develop an understanding of place value. Canisters each holding one toothpick can be placed on the 'ones' card. Canisters holding one bundle of ten on the 'tens' card, and canisters each holding ten bundles of ten all held together by a strong rubber band, on the 'hundred's card. Children can use these to demonstrate the place value of each digit in numbers such as 29 or 325.

Margaret Toohey