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Math lesson plan · Kindergarten (Reception and Year 1 in England) · 60 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 · 6 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.
  1. How many triangles are there? ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ → 8Prompt: The top line has 5. Start at 5 and keep counting.
  2. Count only the diamonds. How many diamonds are there? ★ ◆ ◆ ★ ★ ★ ◆ → 3Prompt: Skip the stars: they do not count.
  3. How many squares are there? ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ → 10Prompt: The top line has 5. Start at 5 and keep counting.

Hook · 6 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 · 12 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 · 12 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Lucia counts 5 beads in a line. Then Lucia moves them into two piles. None are added or taken away. How many beads are there now? → 5Prompt: Did the number of things change, or just where they are?
  2. Aisha counted these stars from left to right and got 10. 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 · 17 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 · 7 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Jamal counted these stars from left to right and got 9. True or false: counting from right to left gives a different number. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (True / False) → FalsePrompt: Try it: count them starting from the other end.
  2. Row A has 9 counters close together. Row B has 9 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

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The count stays the same when objects move

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Ines counted these squares from left to right and got 5. True or false: counting from right to left gives a different number. ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

    • A. True
    • B. False

  2. Question 2

    Ines counts 9 flowers in a line. Then Ines moves them far apart. None are added or taken away. How many flowers are there now?

    Answer

  3. Question 3

    Row A has 5 counters close together. Row B has 5 counters spread out, so it looks longer. Which row has more counters?

    • A. Row A
    • B. Row B
    • C. They have the same

  4. Question 4

    Zara counted these triangles from left to right and got 8. True or false: counting from right to left gives a different number. ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲

    • A. True
    • B. False

  5. Question 5

    Kwame counts 9 balls in a line. Then Kwame moves them far apart. None are added or taken away. How many balls are there now?

    Answer

  6. Question 6

    Row A has 9 counters close together. Row B has 9 counters spread out, so it looks longer. Which row has more counters?

    • A. Row A
    • B. Row B
    • C. They have the same

  7. Question 7

    Nia counted these squares from left to right and got 7. True or false: counting from right to left gives a different number. ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

    • A. True
    • B. False

  8. Question 8

    Elena counts 9 flowers in a line. Then Elena moves them into a tall tower. None are added or taken away. How many flowers are there now?

    Answer

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Answer key: The count stays the same when objects move

  1. 1. B. False

  2. 2. 9

  3. 3. C. They have the same

  4. 4. B. False

  5. 5. 9

  6. 6. C. They have the same

  7. 7. B. False

  8. 8. 9