Before you begin this lesson, you should prepare paper bags with 5 to 10 animal counters inside and label the bags with a letter for identification. You will want enough bags so that each pair of students will have a bag at all times and won’t have to wait for a new bag. You may want a spot where each pair returns a bag when they are finished, or a method of rotating the bags so every pair will get each bag. Also prepare a chart/poster on the board or chart paper with the title “Ways to Represent a Number.”
Counting Collection Activity
“I have a special bag I want to show you.” Show students the bag, and tell them they will need to help you solve a problem. “I have a problem. I need to know how many objects I have in this bag, but I am not sure how to figure that out. ”
Dump out the bag and put the objects (10) in a pile. Then model staring at the counters and counting them out loud without touching them. Over-count to show that when students don’t organize their items, they can lose track.
Place students in partners. “Let’s see, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12…wait, I’m not sure which ones I’ve counted and which ones I haven’t. Class, talk to your partner about some ideas you have to make sure I count each one.”
Have students talk with their partner about ideas they have for keeping track of their counts. Help guide them towards ideas such as putting the objects in rows or pulling one (or two) away at a time to count. Watch for students trying to count by 2s but pulling away only one at a time. Also watch for students who pull away to count but don’t pull them far enough away so they get mixed back into the original pile.
“What strategy did you and your partner come up with?”
Partners share out. Try each way as it is suggested. Question students’ methods as you go.
“Class, can we all agree then that there are ten counters? Let’s write that number. Put your finger in the air and write 10.”
Go to the class poster and write the numeral 10.
“Boys and girls, is there another way I could write 10?”
Record the options on the poster that students give such as “ten”, 5+5, tallies, circles, etc.
Each pair will then be given a bag with a label on it, a recording sheet (M-K-1-1_Counting Objects Recording Sheet.docx), plus the number word chart (M-K-1-1_Numerals Chart.docx).
“Today, boys and girls, you will be figuring out how many school supply items I have in each bag. You will then record the numeral and show it in at least three ways.”
Demonstrate different ways to show numbers (i.e., words, ten-frame drawings, tallies, numerals, symbols, etc.).
Show students the materials and recording sheets.
“After you finish with each bag, return it to the back counter (or the designated spot in your classroom) and grab the next available bag that you still need on your recording sheet. Once you have finished with each bag, please wait patiently until you hear me say ‘Rotate.’”
Show students how to carefully empty the contents of the bag, as well as how important it is to make sure they keep track as they return the items to the bag.
“Partner 1 will get a bag and the recording sheets, while partner 2 will find a quiet spot in the room to work. Go.”
Walk around to each group and ask questions regarding their counting strategies. Watch for students trying to skip count, or who don’t seem to have any organization to their counting. If it helps, you can tell them that you are confused and ask them to show you how they figured out the total. Keep an eye on recording strategies for students. Remind those who are writing numerals backwards to refer to the Numerals Chart.
Give students time to complete the counting of all or most of the bags. Gather together and have students share how many items were in each bag and how they figured it out. Then have them share ways they represented their numeral on their recording sheet. Add any representations that have not yet been shared to the class poster.
“For the next few days, we will be using these strategies to help us solve many problems.” Restate the responses that demonstrate good counting strategies such as adding on, counting up, and pointing to each child or cube (one-to-one correspondence).
Extension:
- Routine: Ask students to count objects and sets used or seen during activities and book reading. Point out situations where students can see a number in parts. Encourage students to notice examples they see at home of numbers that can be composed or decomposed and bring them to share during class. Emphasize the use of specific vocabulary words necessary to communicate number sense concepts. Monitor student progress and responses and allow students the opportunity to revise their work as their ideas are clarified.
- Fine Motor Skills: Students who have difficulty with fine motor skills should work with a partner during class activities or stations. Instruct the partner to help the student by referring to the number words/numerals sheet (M-K-1-1_Numerals Chart.docx).
- Small Group: Teaching in small groups can benefit children who are having difficulty. Form one or more small groups based on student data from observation and other formative assessments. Review the activity and the recording. After two or three turns, shift the emphasis to students describing their own thinking as they record.
- Expansion: Students who are mastering the skill of counting a collection and representing the number may need an additional challenge of quantities up to 20. To assess how much students know and how fluent they are, use the recording sheet. This will help you evaluate student understanding and mastery (M-K-1-1_Counting Objects Recording Sheet.docx).
This is a lesson designed to gain greater understanding of the fact that quantities can be represented in several different ways.
