What Is a Pair? Lesson Plan

What We Are Learning

matching

pair

group discussion, critical thinking, vocabulary, relationship skills, counting, matching

In A Pair of Socks by Stuart J. Murphy, a sock goes on a journey to find its match. As you read, talk about all the ways that the sock describes the ones that don’t match. Vocabulary words like striped, spotted, and puffy are among the playful adjectives used along the sock’s journey until—at last!—it finds its match.

Socks in a Box

Materials: matching pairs of socks, large cardboard box with a lid

Practice matching skills and teamwork with this easy-to-play game.
In advance, send a letter home to families asking them to send in old pairs of socks. They can send in gloves and mittens too!
To set up the game, place the loose socks (or gloves/mittens) in the box. Mix everything up so pairs are separated. Cut a hole in the lid that is large enough for a child’s hand to fit. Cover the box with the lid.
Have children work in pairs, taking turns reaching into the box. Each child should reach into the box twice, taking out one sock each time. If the child pulls out a pair during their turn, they put the matching socks together. If the child does not pull out a matching pair, the unmatched socks are set out in front of them. Then the next child goes. If the second child doesn’t pull out a pair, they can see if their partner has the match. Children should continue working together until they match all the socks from the box!
For a fun fine-motor extension, teach children how to roll the matched socks together in a ball. cooperation/visual discrimination

Materials: none

Play this familiar favorite—with a new twist!
Have all children link arms or hold hands with a partner. (If there is an odd number of children, there can be a group of three or one child can be paired with a teacher.) Determine which pair will start as “it.”
The pair that is “it” must work together to tag other pairs, careful to not unlink their arms. The other pairs must stay linked while trying to avoid being tagged. Once a pair has been tagged, they become “it.”
Keep playing until each pair has had a chance to chase and tag their classmates. cooperation/gross-motor skills