Matching Pairs
Being able to find similarities and differences between objects is a core observational skill that will only become amplified as they get older. At this level we are working to help students put things together in pairs. We are not super concerned with what we are matching, whether it be numbers, pictures, letters, symbols, or objects. You can also match things like sounds to the animals that make them to hammer this skill home for students. These worksheets will help students recognize and identify two similar images.
Aligned Standard: K.MD.B.3
- Matching Cell Phones: Step-by-Step Lesson- You are given a picture and asked to find a match for it.
- Guided Worksheet - Match the car, the keys, and the person who looks like she is doing the Harlem Shake.
- Guided Explanation - I like to do this activity twice. Once in black and white, and then in color. It helps you identify visual problems.
- Independent Practice Worksheet - I had to get socks in on this one. This is what every Sunday is like for me: laundry day.
- Matching Worksheet - These are simple 1:1 matches. Nothing that you need to read into here.
- Answer Keys - These are for all the unlocked materials above.
Lesson Sheets
We play match the square. You can also cut them out and turn them over to play a memory game.
- Lesson 1 - The third animal from left of the animal in the box is the same as the animal in the box. Both are frogs. Circle this animal.
- Lesson 2 - The third object from left of the object in the box is the same as the object in the box. Both are ice-cream cones. Circle this object.
- Lesson 3 -The second object (from left, of the object in the box) looks like as the object (pastry) in box so we will circle this object.
- Lesson 4 - Circle the picture that is unlike the others in the set.
Practice Worksheets
Continue working on matching pairs.
- Practice 1 - In each set, two objects look alike. Choose the object that looks like the object shown in the box, and circle it.
- Practice 2 - Which two objects are the same?
- Practice 3 - Match the starting image.
- Practice 4 - Match your hats and monkeys.
How to Teach Children to Match Pairs
We know that children struggle with memory and to sharpen it, we can often try several different things. One of the main problems that come with memory is to match pairs and children do struggle with it. Especially if what you are trying to have them match is abstract, relative to them. If you introduce them something new, do not expect them to retain that for a long period of time. They need to experience something several times before it fully sinks in. If you are looking for ways to help children match pairs, we have a few ideas listed down for you.
There is a fluid progression that students normally take to be successful with matching items. It all starts with color recognition. By the time students make it to preschool they usually have ten colors mastered. I always like to make sure that they can name all the major colors of the rainbow before even attempting to move on to this skill. Once they have a good handle on things, we start to have them match the colors of objects.
The next natural progression is to have students match things based on size. I like to get them a pile of doodads and ask them to give me two things that are the same size and two things that are different sizes. We then progress towards naming things larger and smaller relative to one another.
At this point we have stimulated their ability to see likenesses and differences between things. That is everything we need to get them over to picture matching. This is with all the cards face up of course. For advanced learners, you can turn those cards face down. Keep practicing this over and over till they start remembering. When you feel, he is ready, switch to more cards. After a little bit practice, children will be able to match cards properly.