Math lesson plan · Kindergarten (Reception and Year 1 in England) · 30 minutes
Numbers before, after and between (to 20)
Number sense
CCSS K.CC.A.2CCSS K.CC.C.7England: Reception NumberEngland: Y1 Number and place value
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Numbers before, after and between (to 20).
- 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 to 20
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 to 20). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Fill in the missing number: 9, __, 11, 12, 13 → 10Prompt: The numbers go up by 1 each time. What comes after the number before the gap?
- Write the number "eighteen" using digits. → 18Prompt: Say the number out loud and count up to it.
- Fill in the missing number: 15, __, 17, 18, 19 → 16Prompt: The numbers go up by 1 each time. What comes after the number before the gap?
Hook · 3 min
- Show a number in the news or a price tag and ask what each digit is worth.
- Share the objective: Numbers before, after and between (to 20). 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 number is between 11 and 15?
- Step 1: 11, 12, 13, 14, 15
- Step 2: 12 is between 11 and 15.
- Answer: 12
- 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 number is between 6 and 9? (11 / 7 / 4 / 10) → 7Prompt: Count from 6 to 9. Which numbers do you say on the way?
- Mei is thinking of the number just before 4. What is it? → 3Prompt: Just before means one less.
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.
- Kwame is thinking of the number just before 12. What is it? → 11Prompt: Just before means one less.
- Which number is between 13 and 16? (18 / 12 / 17 / 14) → 14Prompt: Count from 13 to 16. Which numbers do you say on the way?
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 to 20.
- 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