Math lesson plan · Kindergarten (Reception and Year 1 in England) · 30 minutes
The count stays the same when objects move
Number sense
CCSS K.CC.B.4bEngland: Reception Number
Objective and success criteria
Students will: The count stays the same when objects move.
- I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
- I can explain each step and say why it works.
- I can check my answer and spot a mistake.
Before and after
Needs first: Count pictures from 6 to 10
Leads to: the next skill in this area.
Materials: Place value chart, Base-ten blocks or a number line, Mini whiteboards and pens, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 4 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Count pictures from 6 to 10). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- How many dots are there? ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● → 8Prompt: The top line has 5. Start at 5 and keep counting.
- Count only the hearts. How many hearts are there? ♥ ♥ ♥ ★ ★ ★ → 3Prompt: Skip the stars: they do not count.
- How many stars are there? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ → 7Prompt: The top line has 5. Start at 5 and keep counting.
Hook · 3 min
- Show a number in the news or a price tag and ask what each digit is worth.
- Share the objective: The count stays the same when objects move. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 7 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: Hiro counts 10 crayons in a line. Then Hiro moves them into a tall tower. None are added or taken away. How many crayons are there now?
- Step 1: Still 10: moving them does not change how many.
- Answer: 10
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 6 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- Felix counts 8 books in a line. Then Felix moves them into a tall tower. None are added or taken away. How many books are there now? → 8Prompt: Did the number of things change, or just where they are?
- Maya counted these stars from left to right and got 8. True or false: counting from right to left gives a different number. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (True / False) → FalsePrompt: Try it: count them starting from the other end.
You do: independent practice · 7 min
- Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
- Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.
The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 3 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- Tariq counts 6 balls in a line. Then Tariq moves them into a circle. None are added or taken away. How many balls are there now? → 6Prompt: Did the number of things change, or just where they are?
- Row A has 8 counters close together. Row B has 8 counters spread out, so it looks longer. Which row has more counters? (Row A / Row B / They have the same) → They have the samePrompt: A longer row does not always mean more.
Watch out for
- Reading 1,045 as one thousand four hundred five: point to each place and say its value.
- Thinking a longer number is always bigger, even with decimals (0.45 vs 0.5).
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Count pictures from 6 to 10.
- Use concrete materials: place value chart.
- Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
- Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.
Stretch
- Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
- Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.
Homework and more practice
Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/math/kindergarten.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder