Count by 1s from 0-20
Attack the Board
Timeframe: 5-10mins
Audience: Whole class/pairs
Materials: Whiteboard, marker
Summary: The teacher begins by recording any numbers that they want students to practise reading aloud on the whiteboard, in a random scattered display. Students raise their hand when they see a number that they know how to read. When the teacher calls on them, they take the whiteboard marker and stand up at the whiteboard. They point to the number they know and say it aloud. If the rest of the class agree, they give a thumbs-up or chant, “YES!” and then the student up the front can cross the number off the board.
Guiding questions: This task can be adjusted so that the teacher calls out one of the numbers displayed, and chn raise their hand when they can see it, then they can come up to cross it off when they’re called upon. Similarly, you can adjust it so that there’s a problem-solving element, such as asking them to cross off the number that comes before or after a given number.
Source: unknown
Teen Numbers in the Air
Timeframe: 2:39
Audience: Whole class
Materials: whiteboards and markers (optional)
Summary: Watch and sing along with Jack as he shows how to write all of the teen numbers. Students can start by tracing the numbers in the air along with Jack. Then they might progress to tracing the numbers on a classmate’s back. Finally, they can progress to recording the numbers on a whiteboard.
Guiding questions: Pause throughout the clip and ask questions such as, “What number do you think will come next? How do you know? What does that number look like?”
Source: Jack Hartmann https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exLXhuRVjiY
Counting Back from 20 (youtube)
Timeframe: 3:11
Audience: Whole class
Materials: Device, screen
Summary: Watch the clip and have chn count along. Tell them that you are going to trick them, and you will pick a random point in the video to start. Can they still count back from that number?
Guiding questions: Pause the video throughout and ask questions such as, “What number will come next? How do you know? What does that number look like?”
Source: Have Fun Teaching https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srPktd4k_O8
Sound Count
Timeframe: 5-10mins
Audience: Small groups or whole class
Materials: Large tin or metal bucket/container, heavy items for counters
Summary: Explain to the students that every time they hear one of the counters make a sound (when it’s dropped and hits the bottom of the tin/bucket) they must say the next number in the counting sequence. The teacher holds all the counters in their hand, and hides their hand inside the tin/bucket, so students cannot see when they’re about to drop another counter. Counting in this way breaks the cycle of rote counting, and can be really handy for those students who rely on rhythm to count.
Guiding questions: What is the next number? How do we know? How many items are in the bucket now? How many will it contain once I drop another one?
Source: Unknown source
Castle Defence
Timeframe: 5-10mins
Audience: Students play individually
Materials: iPads/computers
Summary: Students race against a timer to count up all the items on the screen, using a range of strategies (counting by ones, subitising, doubling etc). On an iPad, a number keypad will come up on the screen after they’ve had time to count. On a computer, they can use their keyboard to type in the correct number. As they progress through the game, it grows in difficulty.
Guiding questions: How can we count quickly? Can you see any collections of objects that are easy to ‘know’ how many there are, without counting each individual object?
Count On March
Timeframe: 5-10mins
Audience: Whole class
Materials: Pocket die or blank die (labelled with two 1s, two 2s and two 3s)
Summary: All children find a spot to stand up around the room. Pick a starting number (early on it is good to start from zero, but as students grow in confidence, you can select any two digit number). Everyone puts that same starting number in their head. The teacher rolls the die and announces the number rolled. In unison, all students count on OUT LOUD from the starting number, by the amount that was shown on the die, and take that many steps as well. Discuss what the new number is that we’ve landed on. This is the number we will count on from after the next roll of the die. The teacher rolls the die again and announces the number. Everyone takes that many steps and counts on OUT LOUD, once again in unison. Play continues until you reach a target number or time runs out.
Guiding questions: Prior to starting the game, you can discuss how quick and easy it is to recognise one, two or three of something. Clap three times. How many was that? Point to two things around the room. How many things was that? Make the connection that we can visualise the quantity for one, two and three really easily. During the game: What is the next number? What number comes after? What is 1/2/3 more than ___?
Source: Andrea Hillbrick.