Math lesson plan · Kindergarten (Reception and Year 1 in England) · 30 minutes
More, fewer or the same: compare two groups
Number sense
CCSS K.CC.C.6England: Reception Number
Objective and success criteria
Students will: More, fewer or the same: compare two groups.
- 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: Story problems: how many more, how many fewer (to 20)
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? ● ● ● ● ● ● → 6Prompt: The top line has 5. Start at 5 and keep counting.
- Count only the squares. How many squares are there? ■ ■ ■ ● ● ● ■ ■ → 5Prompt: Skip the dots: they do not count.
- How many diamonds are there? ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ → 6Prompt: 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: More, fewer or the same: compare two groups. 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: Which group has more? ● ● ● ♥
- Step 1: Dots: 3. Hearts: 1.
- Step 2: The dots
- Answer: The dots
- 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.
- Which group has fewer? ♥ ♥ ♥ ● (The hearts / The dots / They are the same) → The dotsPrompt: Count each group.
- How many more stars than diamonds are there? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ → 3Prompt: Match each one in the bottom row with one in the top row.
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.
- Ethan has 7 blocks. Kai has 5 blocks. How many more does Kai need to have the same as Ethan? → 2Prompt: Who has fewer? That person needs more.
- Which group has fewer? ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ (The diamonds / The squares / They are the same) → They are the samePrompt: Count each group.
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
- Move on to: Story problems: how many more, how many fewer (to 20).
- 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