Kindergarten Mathematics Standards
The Common Core State Standards
In Kindergarten, instructional time focuses on two critical areas:
 representing, relating, and operating on whole numbers, initially with sets of objects and
 describing shapes and space.
More learning time in Kindergarten is devoted to number than to other topics.
Overview of Kindergarten Standards
Standards define what students should understand and be able to do. Domains are larger groups of
related standards. Standards from different domains may sometimes be closely related. Kindergarten
Domains are Counting and Cardinality, Operations and Algebraic Thinking, Numbers and Operations in
Base Ten, Measurement and Data, and Geometry.
Domains
Content
Standards
Students
will…
Mathematical
Practice
Standards
Students
will…
Counting and
Cardinality
Operations and
Algebraic
Thinking
Number and
Operations in
Base Ten
 Know
 Understand
 Work with
number
addition as
numbers
names and
putting
11 – 19 to
the count
together and
gain
sequence
adding to, and
foundations
understand
for place
 Count to tell
subtraction as
value
the number
taking apart
of objects
and taking
 Compare
from
numbers
1. Make sense of
3. Construct viable
5.
problems and
arguments and
persevere in
critique the
solving them.
reasoning of others.
2. Reason abstractly
4. Model with
6.
and
mathematics.
quantitatively.
Measurement
and Data
 Describe and
compare
measurable
attributes
 Classify
objects and
count the
number of
objects in
each category
Use
7.
appropriate
tools
strategically.
8.
Attend to
precision.
Geometry
 Identify and
describe
shapes
 Analyze,
compare,
create and
compose
shapes
Look for and
make use of
structure.
Look for and
express
regularity in
repeated
reasoning.
Kindergarten Mathematical Practice Standards
Students in kindergarten through high school will have experiences that allow them to develop
these mathematical practices.
1. Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
2. Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
3. Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.
4. Model with mathematics.
5. Use appropriate tools strategically.
6. Attend to precision.
7. Look for and make use of structure.
Compiled by C. Kennison for the Kindergarten Torrington Blueprint
12/22/11
Kindergarten Mathematics Standards
The Common Core State Standards
8. Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.
Kindergarten Content Standards for Mathematics
Counting and Cardinality
 Know number names and the count sequence.
o Count to 100 by ones and by tens.
o Count forward beginning from a number other than 1.
o Write numbers 0-20 and represent a sets of objects 0-20.
 Count to tell the number of objects.
o Understand that the last number name said tells the number of objects counted.
(Cardinality principle)
o Count to answer “how many” questions with up to 20 objects arranged in a line, a
rectangular array, or circle. Count as many as 10 things in a scattered
configuration
o Given a number 1-20, count out that many objects.
 Compare numbers.
o Identify whether the number of objects in one group is greater than, less than, or
equal to the number of objects in another group.
o Compare two numbers between 1 and 10 presented as written numerals.
Operations and Algebraic Thinking
 Understand addition as putting together and adding to, and understand subtraction as
taking apart and taking from.
o Represent addition and subtraction situations with objects, fingers, mental images,
drawings, sounds (claps), acting out situations, verbal explanations.
o Solve addition and subtraction word problems, add and subtract within 10 by
using objects or drawings to represent the problem.
o Decompose numbers less than or equal to 10 into pairs in more than one way.
o Use drawings or objects to find the number that makes 10 when added to a given
number, 1-9.
 Know all the number pairs for numbers up to 5 (0 and 5; 1 and 4; 2 and 3).
o When one part of the number is known, the student automatically recalls the other
part.
Numbers and Operations in Base Ten
 Work with numbers 11-19 to gain foundations for place value.
o Compose and decompose numbers from 11-19 into ten ones and “extras.”
o Record each composition or decomposition by a drawing.
o Understand that these numbers are composed of ten ones and extra ones.
Compiled by C. Kennison for the Kindergarten Torrington Blueprint
12/22/11
Kindergarten Mathematics Standards
The Common Core State Standards
Measurement and Data
 Describe and compare measureable attributes.
o Describe several measureable attributes of a single object, such as length, width,
height, weight.
o Directly compare two objects to determine which is taller, shorter, heavier,
lighter.
 Classify objects and count the number of objects in each category (10 or fewer objects).
Geometry
 Identify and describe shapes (squares, circles, triangles, rectangles, hexagons, cubes,
cones, and spheres).
o Describe objects in the environment using names of shapes, and describe the
relative positions of these objects as above, below, beside, in front of, behind, and
next to.
o Correctly name the shape regardless of its orientation (e.g. a square is always a
square even if it is turned to stand on its point) or overall size.
o Identify shapes as two-dimensional or three-dimensional.
 Analyze, compare, create, and compose shapes.
o Analyze and compare two- and three-dimensional shapes, in different sizes and
orientations, using informal language to describe their similarities, differences,
parts.
o Model shapes in the world by building shapes from components (e.g., sticks and
clay balls) and drawing shape.
o Composes simple shapes to form larger shapes.
Common Teaching and Learning Resources
 Growing with Mathematics
 Teaching Student-Centered Mathematics, K-3
 MathLand K; MathLand Grade 1
 Math Work Stations
Current Common District Assessments
 Counting Bags (Count and Represent Sets of Objects)
 Boxcar Assessment (Number Parts of 8)
 Comprehensive Interview Assessment to measure student progress on Kindergarten
Standard
Compiled by C. Kennison for the Kindergarten Torrington Blueprint
12/22/11