Counting

Growth Point 0
Growth Point 0 Growth Point 1
Not yet able to state the sequence of number Focus on Achieving Rote counts the number sequence to at least
names to 20. 20, but is not yet able to reliably count a
collection of that size.

Activity 1: Number Card Line

Materials: Numbers Cards, Number Line, Bags

Group Size: Small group, Pairs, Individual

Steps:
Show students a bag of number cards and demonstrate pulling one out. Look at the
number and then say the number out loud. Hold up the number to the number line that
you have previously made and locate where the number goes (think aloud moments are
key in this part of the activity). Repeat the process a few more times. Ask the students to
come up the front of the class to place the number on the number line. Ask the students
to explain their thinking. Students will go back to their desks and order a bag of numbers.
Adapt if necessary: students can work with numbers to ten before they get to twenty or
students can work in pairs, tell one of the pairs to flip over one of the cards in the number
line and the other student looks at the number and says what card is flipped.

Activity 2: Making Groups with People

Materials: N/A
Group Size: Whole Class
Steps:
Teacher is to call out a number between one and ten (depending on your class size). Students will need to quickly move into
a group of that particular size and sit down. Those who are not part of a group become the checkers and count that the
groups are the right size. Continue until there three students left. Ask the checkers to verbalise what strategies they are using
to check how many are in each group.

Activity 3: Reciting the Counting Sequence

Materials: N/A
Group Size: Whole Class, Small group
Steps:
Teacher will demonstrate a simple body percussion movement (click, clap etc.), students will join in. the teacher will
explain that students will emphasise the number that is said on the clap. The teacher will demonstrate and then the students
will join in. Repeat the patterns of various lengths (clap, click, clap etc.) or (click, clap, slap etc.) For a variation, try
reciting backwards or only focusing on one to ten.

Activity 4: Ball Tossing

Materials: ball, beanbag, beach ball
Group size: Whole class, Small group
Steps:
Students will stand in a circle, they will throw a ball back and forth. after a student catches the ball, they must orally state
the next number in a sequence. For example, as you throw the ball, say the number "one." The person who catches it says
"two" and tosses the ball to another person, who catches the ball and says "three." Continue the process of tossing and
counting until reaching the highest number in the sequence on which you are focusing.
Variation: roll the ball along the floor
 Growth Point 1
Growth Point 1 Growth Point 2
Rote counts the number sequence to at least Focus on Achieving Confidently counts a collection of around 20
20, but is not yet able to reliably count a objects.
collection of that size.

Activity 1: Making Groups

Materials: MAB Blocks/Unfix Blocks, small dice.

Group Size: Whole Class, Group Work

Steps:
Students will roll a die too collect as many Unfix Blocks as they can. For example, if a student rolls a six, they will collect
six blocks.

Students will roll a die. Students will collect the Unfix Blocks of that size. They will then make as many groups of this size
as possible by the time the timer goes off. Students will have thirty seconds/one minute to do this.

*Ask the students to count how many they have altogether.

(Observe how the students choose to count the MAB Blocks, guide them to count another way if possible).

Activity 2: Counting on with Blocks

Materials: Unfix blocks, Solid colour container.

Group Size: Small Group, Pairs.

Steps:
Place 11 Unfix blocks in the centre of the circle. Ask students to close their eyes and while they are doing this, place a
container over 3 blocks. Invite students to count the blocks that are not covered. Ask, ‘How many blocks have I covered?’
Have students suggest ways of finding the solution, for example, counting on from 8 to 11.
Have students work in pairs to complete the above activity using 12 blocks.

Activity 3: Number Match

Materials: A set of cards, with the numbers and the number amounts in dots

Group Size: Pairs, Individual

Steps:
Students will shuffle the cards and match the number on the cards to the number of dots on another card.

Activity 4: Number Match

Materials: paper plates with 1-20 and large dice

Group Size: Small group

Steps:
Place the paper plates on the floor in order from 1-20. Students will throw the die and move the correct number of places
until reaching 20. Ask the students to explain what they are doing, for example “I have rolled a two, I will move two steps”.
Some questions before moving: “How many steps willy you take?” “What do you need to remember?” “do you count the
number you are standing on?”
 Growth Point 2
Growth Point 2 Growth Point 3
Confidently counts a collection of around 20 Focus on Achieving Counts forwards and backwards from
objects. various starting points between 1 and 100;
knows numbers before and after a given
number.

Activity 1: Life Size Board Game

Materials: Paper Plates, permanent marker, large dice

Group Size: Whole Class, Small Group

Steps:
Students will roll the wooden/foam die on the grass, depending on the number that the die produces, the students will jump
that many places. For example, if the student rolls a six, they will jump six places following the paper plate route.
Adaption: When the students rolls the die, and reveals the number of spaces they must jump, they will also need to spin a
spinner that reveals whether they need to jump backwards or forwards. Whoever gets to the targeted number first wins. If
students are close to the finish line, discuss: how many space they need to win? What is the lowest number on the dice they
need to get to get to the finish line?

Activity 2: “Zero, Zap”

Materials: N/A

Group Size: Whole Class

Steps:
Students stand in a circle and one person begins by saying “10”. Move around the circle, each student saying the next
number in the backwards sequence. The student who would say “zero” calls out “Zero, Zap!” and sits down. Repeat the
process with the standing students until one student remains.
remains.

Activity 3: Number Line

Materials: Rope, Number Cards, Pegs

Group Size: Whole Class, Small Group

Steps:
Teacher will shuffle, the Number War cards, each student will pick up a card and place it on the number line with a peg.
Students will not need pick up all of the cards, but the cards that they pick up students need to anticipate where to place
number on the number line with discussions with other peers.

Activity 4: Counting Backwards

Materials: 0-20 Number Card (A4/A5)

Group Size: Whole Class, Group Work, Pairs

Steps:
Place large number cards in order along the floor. Turn numbers 1–19 face down, leaving the numbers 0 and 20 face up.
Choose one student at a time to come up and stand on 20 and step backwards to a card of their choice. Students suggest
what number the student is standing on.
Divide the class into two equal teams and give each student a number card (numbers 10–20). On ‘Go!’, teams race to order
themselves in a backward sequence.
Students work in pairs racing against other pairs to sequence each set of number cards (numerals, words then counting
frames) in a backward sequence. Ask the students, ‘What is the number before...?’.
Activity 5: Counting Forwards and Backwards (Great Assessment piece)

Materials: 2 decks of cards (remove, Jokers, Jacks, Queen, King, 1x 10), Game Board, Red/Green Arrows.

Group Size: Small Group

Steps:
Students will flip over two cards and using these will create a number. They will flip over an arrow (red: backwards, green:
forwards). Student will begin counting either forwards or backwards and when their partner says stop, they will stop.
 Growth Point 3
Growth Point 3 Growth Point 4
Counts forwards and backwards from Focus on Achieving Can count from 0 by 2s, 5s, and 10s to a
various starting points between 1 and given target.
100; knows numbers before and after a
given number.

Activity 1: Two/Five before and After Bingo

Materials: Bingo Boards, pencil, Random Number Generator (Recommendation: Pretty Random App).

Group Size: Whole Class, Small Group

Steps:
Students will fill in a bingo board with numbers between 0-120. Teacher will use the Random Number Generator to select a
number. Students will place the number before or after the number that is said with a counter. The student who fills a row
diagonally, vertically or horizontally is the winner. Keep playing until the second/third winner is revealed (depending on the
group size).

Activity 2: Building the Number Line

Materials: Unfix Blocks, number line

Group Size: Pair, Individual

Steps:
Students will have a number line in front of them, they will need to create each number with the unfix blocks. Students will
need to find out what happens to the number and when you begin taking every second number away, how much does it go
up by.

Activity 3: Buzz

Materials: N/A

Group Size: Whole Class

Steps:
Teacher announces the starting and finishing numbers and which numbers will be the “buzz” numbers. For example,
students might start at 1 and finish on 100, and the buzz numbers are multiple of five. Students stand in a circle and count
up by ones, but instead of saying 5, the student will say buzz. If a student forgets to buzz, they are out of the game.

Activity 4: Whisper Count

Materials: N/A

Group Size: Whole Class

Steps:
Students will begin counting from the starting number to the finishing number the students whisper the numbers that are not
part of the count and say loudly the numbers that are part of the count. For example: If counting by twos the students would
whisper the odd numbers and say loudly the even numbers (in bold): 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10.

Activity 5: How far can you go?

Materials: role of paper, coloured stripes of paper

Group Size: Individual

Steps:
Students are given a strip of coloured paper or a roll of paper. Students record a counting sequence as far as they can.
Teachers may assign the counting sequence and starting number or may allow students to choose their own. Teachers can
restrict the amount of time spent on this activity or allow students to explore the pattern as far as they are able.
After students have completed their strips teacher may ask these questions:
o What pattern did you notice when counting by fives?
o When counting by fives would the number 70 be part of your counting pattern? How do you know?
o What if you were counting by fives and started at 135 what would the next few numbers be?
o What if you were counting backwards by fives from 90 what would the next few numbers be?

Variation: use a hundred grid or calculator to assist students

Activity 6: Marble Count

Materials: Tin tray, marbles

Group Size: Whole Class

Steps:
Ask the students to close their eyes and listen as each marble drops into the tin, counting silently to themselves as they
go. When the teacher stops dropping marbles asks students to volunteer the number that they had counted. To check answer,
whole class can orally count as they are dropped again.

Variation: Begin with a number of marbles already in the tin, to allow students practise at not always starting from zero
 Growth Point 4
Growth Point 4 Growth Point 5
Can count from 0 by 2s, 5s, and 10s to a Focus on Achieving Given a non-zero starting point, can
given target. count by 2s, 5s, and 10s to a given
target.

Activity 1: How far can you go?

Materials: coloured stripes of paper

Group Size: Individual

Steps:
Students are given a strip of coloured paper or a roll of paper. Students record a counting sequence as far as they can.
Teachers may assign the counting sequence and starting number or may allow students to choose their own. Teachers can
restrict the amount of time spent on this activity or allow students to explore the pattern as far as they are able.
After students have completed their strips teacher may ask these questions:

o What pattern do you notice when counting by fives starting at 23?

o When counting by fives starting at 23, will the number 70 be part of your counting pattern? How do you know?
o If you were counting by fives and started at 133, what would the next few numbers be?
o If you were counting backwards by fives from 98, what would the next few numbers be?

Activity 2: Walking

Materials: long roll of paper, paint and best to do this outside

Group Size: Whole class, Small group

Steps:
Each child uses the paint to make their own footprints on the paper, recorded in a walking pattern. Teacher can number the
feet (1,2, 3 etc.) and then small groups can “do the 5s walk”, counting toes in groups of five as they step on each foot.
Variation: Doing the “10s jump”. Feet can be recorded side by side and then students jump from pair to pair, counting by
10s as they go.

Activity 3: Using the Hundreds Grid for counting

Materials: hundreds grid, counters

Group Size: Individual

Steps:
Students will receive a starting number and a hundred grid. They must skip count by twos, fives or tens (teacher decides).
The student will record the answers by placing a counting on the numbers. The teacher may ask these questions:

o Where would the next counter go on your grid?

o How far can you continue counting by …?
o How would this help you count by …?
o What patterns can you see where the counters are?

Activity 4: Frog Hopping

Materials: hula hoops, sets of cards with numerals counting by twos, fives and tens

Group Size: Small group

Steps:
Students lie the hoops in a random pattern on the floor, with a card face up inside each. Select a focus for the session i.e.
counting by 2s, 5s or 10s; and place the cards in counting order with hoops adjacent to each other. The student becomes the
frog who must leap from “lily pad” to “lily pad” in counting order. Other students check for accuracy.
 Growth Point 5
Growth Point 5 Growth Point 6
Given a non-zero starting point, can Focus on Achieving Can count from a non-zero starting point
count by 2s, 5s, and 10s to a given by any single digit number, and can
target. apply counting skills in practical task.

Activity 1: Dice Count

Materials: Dice marked 2 x +2, 2 x +5, 2 x +10

Group Size: Small group, Pairs

Steps:
Students roll the dice, total the score on both dice and add this to their running total. They may continue having turns until
they decide to “bank” their score and pass their turn onto the next student. If, however, before they “bank” their score they
roll a double (i.e. two 2s, two 5s or two 10s) or they lose all of their points for this turn. The first student to reach 100 points
wins.

Activity 2: Money Sort

Materials: tray, money, labels

Group Size: Pairs

Steps:
Place a divided tray and on that tray, label each section $2, $1, 50c, 20c, 10c and 5c. Then, place all of the coins in the
middle circle and have students sort money into the appropriate sections on the tray.

Activity 3: Classroom Sale

Materials: tray, money, labels

Group Size: Whole class

Steps:
As a class, decide upon how much each item will sell for. Once the items are labelled, tagged, and in place, set up a play
cash register and let students shop. Give each student a small bag of play money and allow them to take turns shopping for
an item. Teacher can designate a student to be at the cash register or the teacher can be.

Activity 3: Money Toss

Materials: tray, money, labels

Group Size: Whole class

Steps:
Divide students into small groups, about four to a group works well. Give each group a bag of coins, paper and a pencil, a
bowl, and a piece of tape. Students must adhere the tape to the floor and take about five steps back (how far back depends
on the student’s age) and then place the bowl on the floor. To play, one student sits by the bowl and is the “counter,” while
the other students stand behind the tape and are the “throwers.” Students take turns tossing coins into the bowl. If the coin
lands in the bowl, the counter adds the value to their count. Each group continues playing until they reach the desired
amount set by the teacher. Then, a new counter is picked and play continues.
 Growth Point 6
Growth Point 6 Growth Point 7
Can count from a non-zero starting point Focus on Achieving Extending and applying counting skills
by any single digit number, and can – fractions and decimals
apply counting skills in practical task.

Activity 1: How far can you go?

Materials: coloured stripes of paper

Group Size: Individual

Steps:
Students are given a strip of coloured paper or a roll of paper. Students record a counting sequence as far as they can.
Teachers may assign the counting sequence and starting number or may allow students to choose their own. Teachers can
restrict the amount of time spent on this activity or allow students to explore the pattern as far as they are able.
After students have completed their strips teacher may ask these questions:

o What pattern do you notice when counting by twos starting at 22.5?

o When counting by fives starting at 22.5, will the number 42 be part of your counting pattern? How do you know?
o If you were counting by twos and started at 75.4, what would the next numbers be?
o If you were counting backwards by fives from 98.6, what would the next few numbers be?

Activity 2: Classroom Sale with cents

Materials: tray, money, labels

Group Size: Whole class

Steps:
As a class, decide upon how much each item will sell for. Once the items are labelled, tagged, and in place, set up a play
cash register and let students shop. Give each student a small bag of play money with notes and coins and allow them to
take turns shopping for an item. Teacher can designate a student to be at the cash register or the teacher can be.