Counting in real life

Numbers are not only on paper. Where are they in your house?

MathAges 4–520 minutes3 pagesEnglish textInk-light

Being written

This one is planned but not finished yet. Everything below is what it will contain.

Not drawn yet

I can count real things and say how many.

How the fifteen minutes go

The five steps on this sheet, in the order a child meets them. This is what you will actually be doing, not a description of the method.

Print the one that fits today. Same skill, three depths — and on this sheet they differ like this.

Support

Three things to count, all under 5.

Fewer items, more pictures, hints included, parent reads the instructions.

Core

Six things.

The standard task, recognition, practice and explanation.

Challenge

Count something that is hard to count, the tiles on a floor, using a strategy.

Open-ended. Explain why, make your own example, use it somewhere new.

The same guide that is printed on the back page, so you can read it before you decide to print anything.

The answers

Every home gives different numbers, which is the point, there is nothing to mark and nothing to be wrong about.

If they get stuck

Do the first one together and let them write the numeral while you hold the page.

Common mistakes

An adult counting for speed. This sheet is slow on purpose.
Giving up on the hard one. Suggest counting in groups rather than abandoning it.

When they finish early

Give them a job that needs counting, five forks for the table, every day.