I tend to introduce this activity with a whole class of children sitting
 
around in a circle and the cubes that we are looking at placed in the
 
middle.  Big cubes like the ones that represent 1000 in base ten Diene's
 
material are good.  ``Tell me what you can about this [one cube placed on the
 
floor]''. Someone always says that there are 6 faces or sometimes the word
 
``side'' is used, particularly with year 2/3 children.   I accept with interest
 
all the answers that the children give, after all they are telling me what
 
they know or can see.  I focus in on the faces and ask the question set out
 
in the challenge, emphasising that I can place my eyes almost anywhere. 
 
This sometimes requires me to lie on the floor!  When everyone is happy
 
about the answer 5 I introduce a second cube and one by one go through the 3
 
examples that are set out.   I emphasise that the three answers are
 
different.   From a teacher's  point of view I ask the children to explain
 
how they are counting.   This brings out some very interesting points and
 
you learn a lot about the children. Moving on to the three cubes I usually
 
do two or three examples and then ask for volunteers to do one for everyone to
 
consider.  The fraction examples usually come up and even with year 2
 
children I find that they are very happy with adding up halves and giving
 
good estimations.   It is probably a good idea not to be particular about
 
the standard of recording in this activity.   It is the activity itself in
 
arranging and counting that is important and not artistic skills. The
 
children having left the circle and trying their own 3 cube arrangements get
 
into heated discussions about counting because I ask the children to check
 
each other's counting.   The problem has usually arisen whilst they are in
 
the circle.  They share ways of making sure that all are counted and that
 
none are counted twice.
 
<p>