Math lesson plan · 2nd grade (Year 3 in England) · 45 minutes
Count in threes
Number sense
CCSS 2.OA.C.4England: Y2 Number and place valueEngland: Y3 Number and place value
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Count in threes.
- 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 in twos
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 · 5 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Count in twos). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Count in twos. What is missing? 12, 14, 16, __, 20 → 18Prompt: Each number is 2 more than the one before.
- There are 6 children. Count in twos: how many eyes is that? → 12Prompt: Each one has 2 eyes.
- Count in twos starting at 7: 7, 9, __, 13, 15 → 11Prompt: Counting in twos from an odd number lands on odd numbers.
Hook · 5 min
- Show a number in the news or a price tag and ask what each digit is worth.
- Share the objective: Count in threes. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 10 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: Count in threes: 9, 12, 15, 18, __
- Step 1: 18 + 3 = 21
- Step 2: 21
- Answer: 21
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 10 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- Count in threes: 18, 21, 24, 27, __ → 30Prompt: Each number is 3 more than the one before.
- Counting in threes from 0, which number will you say? (22 / 17 / 19 / 18) → 18Prompt: Write out the count: 0, 3, 6, 9, …
You do: independent practice · 10 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 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 5 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- Counting in threes from 0, which number will you say? (19 / 14 / 15 / 16) → 15Prompt: Write out the count: 0, 3, 6, 9, …
- Count in threes: 21, 24, __, 30, 33 → 27Prompt: Each number is 3 more than the one before.
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 in twos.
- 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/grade-2.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder