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Ready, Set, Count!

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Alison Laselle

Tier 1
For Schools

Lesson Plan

Counting to 20 Lesson Plan

Students will be able to count objects up to 20 and verbally count to 20 with 80% accuracy.

Mastering counting to 20 is a crucial early math skill that builds number sense, prepares students for addition and subtraction, and helps them understand quantities in their everyday lives.

Audience

Kindergarten Students

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Play-based, hands-on learning.

Materials

  • Counting Adventure Slide Deck, - Counting Warm Up, - Counting Scavenger Hunt Activity, - Counting Cool Down, - Counting manipulatives (e.g., blocks, teddy bear counters, pom-poms), and - Number cards 1-20 (optional, for extension)

Prep

Teacher Preparation

15 minutes

  • Review the Counting Adventure Slide Deck and familiarize yourself with the content.
    - Gather counting manipulatives (e.g., small blocks, plastic animals, pom-poms) in quantities up to 20.
    - Prepare the Counting Scavenger Hunt Activity by placing groups of items around the classroom or preparing small bags with items to count.
    - Print any necessary materials for the Counting Cool Down, such as simple exit tickets or pictures for students to count.
    - Ensure projector/screen is set up for the slide deck.

Step 1

Warm Up: Clap and Count

5 minutes

Begin the lesson with the Counting Warm Up activity.
- Engage students in a whole-class counting exercise, clapping and counting aloud from 1 to 15 (or higher if appropriate for your class).

Step 2

Introduction: Our Counting Adventure!

5 minutes

Use the Counting Adventure Slide Deck to introduce the lesson.
- Display Slide 1: "Ready, Set, Count!" to get students excited.
- Display Slide 2: "What Are We Learning Today?" and explain the objective of counting to 20.
- Display Slide 3: "Why Count?" and discuss the importance of counting in everyday life.

Step 3

Main Activity: Counting Scavenger Hunt

15 minutes

Transition to the Counting Scavenger Hunt Activity.
- Explain the rules of the scavenger hunt: students will find hidden groups of objects and count them.
- Divide students into small groups or pairs, if desired, to work together.
- Circulate among students, providing support and asking questions like, "How many did you find here? Can you show me how you counted them?"
- Encourage students to count carefully, touching each item as they count.
- Adjust the number of items in each group based on student ability (e.g., some groups 1-10, others 11-20).

Step 4

Cool Down: How Many?

5 minutes

Conclude the lesson with the Counting Cool Down.
- Gather students back together.
- Present a simple counting task, either verbally or using a quick visual exit ticket.
- Have students share one thing they counted today or one new number they learned.
- Display Slide 5: "Great Counting!" to celebrate their efforts.

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Slide Deck

Ready, Set, Count!

Let's embark on a counting adventure!

Welcome students and build excitement for counting. Ask students what their favorite numbers are.

What Are We Learning Today?

Today, we will learn to count all the way to 20!
We'll use fun activities to become counting experts.

Clearly state the learning goal. Ask students to show with their fingers how many they think 20 is.

Why Count?

Counting helps us understand the world around us!
We count our toys, our friends, and even how many cookies we have!

Engage students in a brief discussion about why counting is useful. Give real-life examples like counting toys, friends, or snacks.

Our Counting Scavenger Hunt!

Get ready to explore!
We're going on a scavenger hunt to find and count groups of objects.
Work together and count carefully!

Introduce the main activity. Explain that they will be looking for groups of items to count. Emphasize teamwork if they are working in groups.

Great Counting!

You did an amazing job counting today!
Let's do one more quick count before we finish.

Wrap up the lesson, praise their efforts, and explain the cool-down activity.

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Warm Up

Clap and Count to 15 (or 20!)

Instructions:

  1. Teacher: "Good morning/afternoon, counting crew! Let's get our brains and bodies ready to count today. We're going to count together, and every time we say a number, we'll give one big clap!"
  2. Teacher: "Ready? Let's start with 1!"
  3. Class: (Clap) "One!"
  4. Class: (Clap) "Two!"
  5. ... Continue this process all the way up to 15 or 20, depending on the class's current ability.
  6. Teacher: "Fantastic! You're already amazing counters! Now let's see how many objects we can count!"
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Activity

Counting Scavenger Hunt: Find and Count!

Objective: Students will find hidden groups of objects and count them accurately up to 20.

Materials:

  • Small groups of manipulatives (e.g., 5 blocks, 12 pom-poms, 18 teddy bear counters). Prepare 5-7 different groups, with varying quantities from 1 to 20. Make sure some quantities are below 10 and some are above 10.
  • Small containers or clear plastic bags for each group of items.
  • Optional: Small pieces of paper or a simple Scavenger Hunt Recording Sheet for students to write down the number they count (if appropriate for the class).

Instructions for Students:

  1. "Counting Detectives!" The teacher has hidden groups of objects around our classroom. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to become a 'Counting Detective'!
  2. Find a Group: Look for a container or bag with objects inside. When you find one, bring it back to your spot (or stay at the station).
  3. Count Carefully: Work with your partner or group to count the objects inside the container. Remember to touch each object as you count so you don't miss any!
  4. How Many? Once you know how many objects are in your group, if you have a recording sheet, write down the number.





  5. Share Your Count: Be ready to share with the class how many objects you found and counted!

Teacher Facilitation:

  • Before starting, clearly define the boundaries for the hunt.
  • Model how to count a small group of items, touching each one.
  • Circulate around the room, observing students as they count. Ask guiding questions:
    • "How did you count that big group?"
    • "Can you show me how you counted to make sure you got the right number?"
    • "What number comes after 15?"
  • Encourage students who might be struggling to count aloud or use their fingers to keep track.
  • If students finish early, challenge them to find another group to count or re-count a previous group to double-check their work.
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Cool Down

How Many? Exit Ticket

Instructions:

  1. Teacher: "Alright, my amazing counters! Before we finish today, I have one last quick counting challenge for you."
  2. Option A (Verbal): The teacher holds up a number of fingers (e.g., 7, then 12) or quickly displays a flashcard with dots/pictures (e.g., 9 stars, 14 apples).
    • Teacher: "Look carefully! How many fingers am I holding up?" (or "How many stars do you see?")
    • Students can whisper the answer to the teacher as they leave, or give a thumbs-up when they know.
  3. Option B (Drawing/Writing): The teacher provides a simple paper with 2-3 small groups of drawn objects (e.g., 5 circles, 11 triangles, 17 squares).
    • Teacher: "On your paper, count the objects in each box and write the number next to it."
    • Collect papers as an exit ticket.







  1. Reflection Question:
    • Teacher: "What was your favorite part about counting today?" (Allow a few students to share).
    • Teacher: "Give yourselves a pat on the back for being such great counters!"
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