TEACHING WAYS TO BUILD COUNTING AND NUMBER
SKILLS
Grade Level: PreK (Level I)
Presented by: Paula K. Lane, Stella Bailey, and Shanna G. Turner, Star City Child Development, Star
City, AR
Length of Unit: On going Classroom Practices
I.
ABSTRACT
Teachers of preschool children have an unique opportunity to make a positive and long lasting
impact on what young children learn. It is important that preschoolers begin to learn counting and
number skills in a way that is both instructionally effective and enjoyable. This unit describes a
variety of ways that math activities can be incorporated into a preschool program.
II. OVERVIEW
A. Concept Objectives
1. Build counting and number skills.
B. Core Knowledge Preschool Sequence Content
1. Establish the use of mathematical language and symbols to describe, compare and perform
mathematical operations.
2. Extend quantitative understanding to groups of objects beyond four.
C. Skills
1. Demonstrate one to one correspondence.
2. Construct a collection of objects so that it has the same number of objects as another
collection, up to four objects.
3. Count groups of objects, up to four objects.
4. Given an oral number, create or represent a group with the correct number of objects, up to
four.
5. Name and match numerals one through four with corresponding quantities.
6. Identify ordinal position for first and last.
7. Compare pairs of numerals one through four to determine more and less, or greater than \ less
than.
III. RESOURCES
A. Materials
1. Manipulatives
a. Shapes
b. Miniature animals (cars, toys, etc.)
c. Color blocks
d. Pattern blocks
e. Unifix cubes
2. Index cards
3. Picture Cards
4. Numbers
5. Storage
IV. LESSONS: Formal lessons will occur during small group and circle time. Informal lessons will
occur during transition, center time and outdoor play.
A. Lesson One: One to One Correspondence
1. Objective:
a. Students will be able to demonstrate the use of one to one correspondence with
concrete objects, up to and including four.
2. Materials:
a. Four of each shape for every student and teacher - star, circle, square, triangle,
rectangle and oval
b. Paper bag for each student
3. Prior Knowledge:
a. Assess prior knowledge by asking students to identify any objects that match.
4. Key Vocabulary:
a. One to one
b. Demonstrate
c. Equal
d. Up to four
e. Same
f. Different
g. Matching
h. Shapes
i. Star
j. Circle
k. Square
l. Triangle
m. Rectangle
n. Oval
5. Procedures \ Activities:
a. What is in the bag?
(1) The teacher places four different shapes on the table and leads a discussion
about the size, shape and the name of each shape. These shapes are then
removed from the table.
(2) The teacher gives each student four of each shape and a paper bag in which to
put their shapes.
(3) The teacher places from one to four shapes on the table at a time and then
asks each child to pull shapes from his/her bag to match the teacher’s
shapes.
6. Evaluation \ Assessment:
a. Observation data is collected both on a classroom checklist and anecdotally.
This will be shared with parents at the parent conference. Activity will be
continued until child has mastered.
B. Lesson Two: Matching - Same Number of Objects
1. Objective:
a. Students will construct a collection of objects, so that it has the same number
of objects as another collection, up to four objects.
2. Materials:
a. Miniature animals or animal cards for teacher and students
3. Prior Knowledge:
a. Assess prior knowledge of one-to-one correspondence, as demonstrated in
Lesson One.
4. Key Vocabulary:
a. same number as
b. amount
c. collection
d. group
e. more than
f. less than
g. one
h. two
i. three
j. four
5. Procedures \ Activities:
a. The teacher places all of the miniature animals or cards on the table in a pile, off to
the side.
b. The teacher tells the students that she is going to make a group of animals; she places
between one to four miniature animals on the table before the students. The teacher
touches each animal in the group, counting aloud. (Note: Even though the students are
not expected to count aloud at this point, the teacher models counting.)
c. The teacher asks the students to choose animals from the large pile and make their
own group of animals so that it has the same number of animals as the teacher’s
group.
d. If the students make errors, the teacher shows them how to use one-to-one
correspondence/ matching to place one animal in their group for each animal in the
teacher’s group. The teacher emphasizes the language, “same number as,” i.e..
“Your group has the same number as my group.”
6. Evaluation \ Assessment
a. The teacher collects observation data anecdotally and shares this information
with parents.
C. Lesson Three: Counting
1. Objective:
a. Students will count groups of concrete objects up to four.
2. Materials:
a. Manipulative objects - miniature animals, cubes, pattern blocks, etc. for teacher and
students
3. Prior Knowledge:
a. Assess prior knowledge of rote counting by asking students to count orally
from one to four.
4. Key Vocabulary:
a. count
b. how many
c. same number as
d. more than
e. less than
f. one
g. two
h. three
i. four
5. Procedures \ Activities:
a. The teacher says, “Listen to me count” and demonstrates rote counting aloud to four.
The teacher explains that she is now going to count four objects. He or she again
counts aloud, this time picking up an object each time that a number is said.
b. The teacher gives each student four objects and tells them to count four objects with
her. The teacher leads the students in counting aloud, asking them to pick up an object
each time a number is said.
c. This time the teacher gives each student six objects and tells the students to again
count four objects. The teacher leads the students in counting aloud, asking them to
pick up an object each time a number is said. The teacher
reminds students to count just four objects.
d. Repeat the same procedure, using different objects and counting to different
numbers between one to four.
6. Evaluation \ Assessment
a. The teacher collects observation data anecdotally and shares this information
with parents.
D. Lesson Four: Counting - Same Number of Objects
1. Objective:
a. When the teacher says a number between one to four, the students will make a
group with the same number of objects.
2. Materials:
a. Manipulative objects - miniature animals, cubes, pattern blocks, etc. for teacher and
students
3. Prior Knowledge:
a. Assess prior knowledge of rote counting by asking students to count orally
from one to four.
4. Key Vocabulary:
a. count
b. how many
c. same number as
d. more than
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
less than
one
two
three
four
5. Procedures \ Activities:
a. The teacher places all the manipulatives in a large pile accessible to all of the
students.
b. The teacher asks one of the students to tell her a number between one to four.
The teacher repeats the number and explains that she is going to make a group
with the same number of objects as the number the student said. The teacher
demonstrates counting out the correct number of objects.
c. The teacher calls out a number between one to four and now asks the students
to make a group with the same number of objects.
d. Repeat the same procedure, calling out different numbers.
6. Evaluation \ Assessment:
a. The teacher collects observation data anecdotally and shares this information
with parents.
E. Lesson Five: Numerals
1. Objective:
a. Students will match numerals with corresponding quantities.
2. Materials:
a. Numeral cards, 1 - 4
b. Manipulative objects - miniature animals, cubes, pattern blocks, etc. for teacher and
students
3. Prior Knowledge:
a. Assess prior knowledge of counting, as demonstrated in Lessons Three and
Four.
4. Key Vocabulary:
a. count
b. how many
c. same as
d. more than
e. less than
f. number
g. numeral
h. one - 1
i. two - 2
j. three - 3
k. four - 4
5. Procedures \ Activities:
a. The teacher places all the manipulatives in a large pile accessible to all of the
students.
b. The teacher asks one of the students to tell her a number between one to four.
The teacher repeats the number and then shows the corresponding numeral
card. The teacher explains that she is going to make a group with the same
number of objects as the numeral card. The teacher demonstrates counting out
the correct number of objects.
c. The teacher shows a numeral card and calls out the number, asking the
students to make a group with the same number of objects. The teacher points
to and calls the students’ attention to the numeral card.
d. Once the students are repeatedly successful with the above activity, the teacher shows
only the numeral card and does not say the number aloud.
6. Evaluation \ Assessment:
a. The teacher collects observation data anecdotally and shares this information
with parents.
F. Lesson Six: Ordinal Positions
1. Objective:
a. Students will identify ordinal positions for first and last.
2. Materials:
a. Unifix cubes - (yellow, red, blue, black) four for each student and teacher
3. Prior Knowledge
a. Assess prior knowledge of color names by asking students to identify the colors.
4. Key Vocabulary:
a. First
b. Last
c. Place
d. Position
e. Order
f. Next
g. Middle
h. Yellow
i. Red
j. Blue
k. Black
l. Cube
5. Procedures \ Activities:
a. The teacher distributes the sets of unifix cubes to the students and tells them they are
going to snap the cubes together in a special order. The teacher places the cubes on the
table, from the students’ left to right, while saying the following: “The yellow cube is
going to be first (teacher places cube to the students’ far left) and the red cube is going
to be last (teacher places cube to the students’ far right.) And the blue and black cubes
are going in the middle.” The teacher snaps the cubes together and then repeats “The
first cube is yellow, the middle cubes are blue and black and the last cube is red.” The
teacher then repeats these same directions, asking the students to connect their own
unifix cubes in the correct order. Note: Always have students start from the left!
b. The teacher repeats similar directions, this time placing other colors in the first and la st
position. She demonstrates with her own cubes and then asks the children to do the
same.
c. After several demonstrations, the teacher gives only the oral directions, no longer
demonstrating how to put the cubes in the correct order. For variation,
students can take turns giving directions for the rest of the group to follow.
6. Evaluation \ Assessment:
a. The teacher collects observation data anecdotally and shares this information
with parents.
G. Lesson Seven: Numerals - More Than or Less Than
1. Objective:
a. Students compare pairs of numerals, 1 - 4, to determine which numeral
represents a quantity that is more than the other numeral (or which numeral
represents a quantity that is le ss than then other numeral.)
2. Materials:
a. Numeral cards, 1 - 4
b. Manipulative objects - miniature animals, cubes, pattern blocks, etc. for teacher and
students
3. Prior Knowledge:
a. Assess prior knowledge of more and less by asking students to compare
groups of objects and indicate which has more and which has less objects.
b. Assess prior knowledge of numerals, as demonstrated in Lesson Five.
4. Key Vocabulary:
a. Pair
b. Group
c. Numeral
d. Number
e. One - 1
f. Two -2
g. Three - 3
h. Four - 4
i. More than
j. Less than
5. Procedures \ Activities:
a. The teacher asks four students to stand in a group in front of the class; she asks
one student in that group to hold the numeral card, 4. Then the teacher asks
one other student to stand in front of the class, away from the first group,
holding the numeral card, 1. The teacher asks which group has more; if
necessary, the teacher helps the students use one-to-one correspondence and
matching to compare the groups.
b. The teacher now calls attention to the numerals and asks which the students
think is more, 4 or 1? The teacher helps the students conclude that 4 is more
than 1.
c. The teacher repeats the same type of comparison activities using various
manipulatives and the numeral cards.
d. Once the students are repeatedly successful with the above activities, the teacher
shows only two numeral cards, without the manipulatives, and asks the children to
compare the numerals to identify which is more (or less.)
6. Evaluation \ Assessment:
a. The teacher collects observation data anecdotally and shares this information
with parents.