Lesson 13

The purpose of this warm-up is for students to experience part of the Questions About Us routine. Students continue to engage in this routine throughout the section, focused on answering “How many of us are here today?” In this activity students develop ideas for how to keep track of which students have been counted, which will be helpful as students count collections in the next activity. As students share answers to questions such as “How can we figure out how many of us are here?” and “Did I count the students correctly?” they are beginning to construct viable arguments and attend to precision (MP3, MP6).

• “We need to figure out how many of us are here. How can we make sure that we count each person one time?”
• 30 seconds: quiet think time
• Share responses.
• Monitor for students who suggest a way to organize the students, such as having all of the students line up. 

• Count the students using two of the methods suggested by students. 
• “How many of us are here today?”

• “Did we count everyone one time? How do you know?”

The purpose of this activity is for students to count their collection in a way that makes sense to them and keep track of which objects have been counted. Keeping track of which objects have been counted helps students count accurately and ensure they count all of the objects and do not count each object more than once. Most students should be given collections with 6-10 objects. Based on formative assessment data collected in previous sections, adjust the number of objects in collections for individual students. Students are provided with counting mats and 5-frames to help them accurately count or organize their collections. Students use appropriate tools strategically as they choose which tools help them count their collections (MP5).
Additional collections can be provided to allow students to choose a new collection to count.

• “Today you’re going to count another collection of objects. As you’re working, think about how to make sure you count each object.”

• Give each student a bag of objects. Give students access to 5-frames and a counting mat. 
• “Figure out how many objects are in your collection." 
• 2 minutes: independent work time
• “Switch collections with a partner. Figure out how many objects are in your new collection.”
• 2 minutes: independent work time
• Monitor for students who have a method of keeping track of which objects have been counted, such as moving and counting or lining up the objects and counting them in order.

If students do not appear to have a method to keep track of the objects they have counted, consider asking:

• “How can you figure out how many objects you have? How can you make sure that you count each object one time?”
• “How can the counting mat help you make sure that you count each object one time?”

Students may also benefit from the optional activity in the next lesson.

• Invite previously identified students to demonstrate how they counted their collections.
• “What do you notice about how they counted?” 
• If needed, “They made sure that they counted each object one time.”
• After each student shares, write or display the number and say “There are _____ objects in their collection.”

The purpose of this optional activity is for students to pair the verbal count sequence with objects. 

Based on formative assessment data from previous sections and observation during the first activity, this activity will be helpful for students who are not yet connecting the verbal count sequence and counting objects. 

This activity can be used with a small group or the whole class. Students who do not need this optional activity may benefit from additional time working in centers. Some students may benefit from working on the concepts in this optional activity more than one time. 

Each students needs a bucket or container to place their objects in as they count them. 

• “Let’s practice counting to 10.”
• Count to 10 all together. 
• Give each student a bag of objects and bucket or container to put their objects in as the count. 

• “Move the objects in your collection into the bucket one at a time.”
• 1 minute: independent work time
• “Move the objects in your collection into the bucket one at a time. Say a number each time you put an object in the bucket.” 
• 1 minute: independent work time

• “I’m going to move each object into the bucket. When I move an object, say a number.”
• Move each object into the bucket while students count.
• “Why do we say one number as we move each object?” (To make sure that we count each object only 1 time.)
• If needed, “When we count, we say one number for each object.”

The purpose of this activity is for students to choose from activities that focus on using math tools. Students choose from any stage of previously introduced centers.

• Connecting Cubes
• Pattern Blocks
• Geoblocks
• Picture Books

• Gather materials from:
  • Connecting Cubes, Stages 1 and 2
  • Pattern Blocks, Stages 1, 2, and 3
  • Geoblocks, Stages 1 and 2
  • Picture Books, Stages 1 and 2

• “Today we are going to choose from centers we have already learned.”
• Display the center choices in the student book.
• “Think about what you would like to do first.”
• 30 seconds: quiet think time

• 10 minutes: center work time
• “Choose what you would like to do next.”
• 10 minutes: center work time

• “When did you see a partner count during centers today?”