Lesson 12

The purpose of this How Many Do You See is for students to recognize and name groups of images and describe how they see the images. This is the first time students complete the full warm-up routine, with 3 images that are flashed quickly for the students to see. The first two images show 3 in different arrangements, which builds the understanding that the same quantity can be represented in different ways. The third image builds on the second image with two more dots added in a different color to encourage students to see the image as both 5 dots as well as a group of 3 dots and a group of 2 dots.

• Groups of 2
• “How many do you see? How do you see them?”  
• Flash the image.
• 30 seconds: quiet think time

• Display the image. 
• “Discuss your thinking with your partner.”
• 1 minute: partner discussion
• Record responses.
• Repeat for each image.

• Display the image of 5 dots.
• “Did you and your partner see these dots the same way?” 
• “There are 5 dots. There are 3 black dots and 2 white dots.”

The purpose of this activity is for students to match numbers and groups of objects. Students find the bag that contains the given number of objects. The bags can be filled with math tools such as connecting cubes and counters or classroom objects. The number is displayed and said orally to assist students in connecting the written number to the spoken number word.

• Each group of 4 needs 4 bags. One bag each with: 5 objects, 7 objects, 8 objects, and 9 objects.

• Groups of 4
• Give each group of students 4 bags.
• Write or display the number 8.
• “Find the bag that has 8 objects.”

• 2 minutes: small-group work time
• Repeat the steps with the numbers 5, 7, and 9.

• Invite a group of students to share which bag contained 9 objects.
• “How do you know that this bag of objects goes with the number 9?” (We counted them and there are 9.)

The purpose of this activity is for students to match numbers and groups of objects. Each group of students has a collection of 1-10 objects in a bag labelled with a letter. Each group of students counts to determine how many objects are in their bag. Students find the number on their recording sheet and write the letter that is on their bag. The bags of objects can be rotated between groups or groups of students can move from one bag of objects to the next.

As students count the objects at each station, they write the letter next to the number that shows how many objects are in the bag. Consider establishing a noise or movement to signal to students when it is time to transition between stations. There do not need to be 10 stations.

• Each group of 4 needs 1 bag of 1-10 objects labelled with a letter.

• Groups of 4
• Give students access to the Numbers Reference Sheet.
• Display a bag with 7 objects labelled with the letter “A”.
• “How many objects are in the bag?”
• Count as a class or invite a student to count the objects.
• “There are 7 objects. Find the number 7 on your recording sheet. This bag has an 'A' on it, so we should write 'A' next to the number 7."
• Give each group of 4 students a bag.
• “There is a collection of objects and a letter on your bag. Figure out how many objects are in the collection. Then write the letter next to the number that shows how many objects are in the collection.”

• 7 minutes: small-group work time
• Rotate bags or students to as many stations as time allows. 

• Invite students to share which number they marked for each station. 
• “How did you figure out that the number 5 goes with this collection of objects?” (I counted them and then looked for the number 5.)

The purpose of this activity is for students to revisit stage 1 of the Number Race center. In an earlier variation, students traced numbers. Students practice recognizing and writing numbers as they roll a connecting cube onto the mat and write the number that it lands on. Students continue rolling and writing until one number "wins" (all of the numbers in the column are written). After students have written all of one number, they can finish writing the rest of the numbers. Students can use different colors or writing utensils during this center. Writing numbers backwards (“reversals”) and incorrectly forming numbers is expected in kindergarten. The emphasis is on students writing a number that is recognizable to others with practice.

After they participate in the center, students choose from any stage of previously introduced centers.

• Geoblocks
• Math Fingers

• Gather materials from:
  • Number Race, Stage 1
  • Geoblocks, Stages 1 and 2

• Groups of 2
• Give each student a recording sheet. Give each group of 2 students a number mat and a connecting cube. Give students access to colored pencils, crayons, or markers.
• Display the recording sheet.
• “We are going to learn a new way to play Number Race. What do you notice?” (The numbers are written at the bottom. There aren’t numbers to trace.)
• 30 seconds: quiet think time
• Share responses.
• “Instead of tracing numbers we will practice writing numbers. What do you do each turn when you play Number Race with your partner?”

• If needed, say: “Roll the cube onto the number mat. Find that number on your recording sheet and write that number in the bottom box. Take turns rolling and writing until you’ve written all of one number. That number is the winner.”
• 5 minutes: partner work time
• “Now you can choose another center. You can also continue playing Number Race.”
• Display the center choices in the student book.
• Invite students to work at the center of their choice. 
• 10 minutes: center work time
• If time, invite students to choose another center.

• “Which number was your favorite to write? Which number was most challenging to write? What made it challenging?”