Series Building on Young Children's Mathematical Thinking : Line Up & Count

Spatial Relations in Early Math

Comparing Sizes & Counting Collections

Math in Informal Spaces

Make It Count: Counting & Counting Collections

Exploring Numbers with Counting Collections

Count With Me: Counting Collections

Using Bodies to Compare Sizes

Celebrating Accomplishments

Using Literature to Teach Math

Line Up & Count

Lesson Objective: Count and use claps to represent numbers

Pre-K-K / Math / Transitions

3 MIN

Math.K.CC.B.5

Discussion
Supporting Materials

Thought starters

How is this strategy like an exit slip?
Why does Ms. Gaxiola have students clap?
How could you adjust this strategy for use in your classroom?

10 Comments

Paula Pleasant Aug 17, 2020 1:44pm

Paula Pleasant

Great idea!! Could also be used to order numbers. Kids pull a card and line up in correct number order.

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Avery Baird May 16, 2020 1:41pm

I love how this teacher takes the initiative to make sure all the time spent with her is time spent learning, even during the time of transition. The students love the surprise of the number they are going to find and this helps keep them engaged and gives them something to look forward to. I also think changing the task each time is a great idea so that the students don't get used to that task and get bored with it. Building on different skills like she said is important for the future as well as keeping their minds going.

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Miranda Garcia Feb 11, 2020 10:27pm

This stratagy is similar to an exit slip as it allows the teacher to quickly assess the students understnding of materials. Ms. Gaxiola has her students clap in order to test 1:1 number corespondence. I could adjust the stratagy in my classroom to be used during 1:1 table time as labeling and listener responding goals as well as 1:1 number correspondence goals which allign to ABLLS-R goals.

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Miranda Garcia Feb 11, 2020 10:15pm

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Samantha Del Toro Feb 11, 2020 9:50am

This is a fantasic idea. I am a special education teacher, but I do inclusion in Kinder classrooms. This could be very helpful for those troublesom transition times.

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Materials

Transcript: Line Up & Count

Transcripts

Line Up & Count Transcript

Speaker 1: Are we ready to go get in line?

Kids: Yeah!

Speaker 1: It's time for- Oh,

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Line Up & Count Transcript

Speaker 1: Are we ready to go get in line?

Kids: Yeah!

Speaker 1: It's time for- Oh, wait, wait, wait. You guys aren't listening to directions.

Classroom management is always a challenge at times. We have to look for ways to make our day run smoothly. Transitions are a big part of it.

What do I have here?

Kids: Cards.

Speaker 1: Cards.

Sometimes we have to find these transition activities that support us and support their learning during this time so it's wasted time.

You're gonna choose a card. I'm gonna put it this way so that you cannot see how many you have.

One of the strategies that I've been using is I have different cards with different amount of dots, like the dice cards.

You're gonna choose a card. When you choose a card, you're gonna see how many dots you have. You're gonna tell me how many are in here. If I get this card, how many do I have?

Kids: Two.

Speaker 1: Two.

I have children pick a card. When they see how many dots they are, some kids are really good and can subitize and just tell me there's three without counting. Then I have them do a physical task with it.

Then you're going to clap quickly that many times. If I get this card, how many times am I gonna clap?

Kids: Two.

Speaker 1: Two times. Are you guys ready?

Kids: Yeah!

Speaker 1: Choose one. How many?

Kid: Two.

Speaker 1: Okay.

Kid: One, two.

Speaker 1: Perfect.

Every time I do this, I choose a different task for them to complete. For example, today was clapping. Other days, it might be jump this many times. Other days would be show me this many fingers. The fact that you turn the cards so that they don't see, it's always a surprise. They don't know how many they're gonna get.

Kid: Three, four, five-

Speaker 1: Let's count together. One-

With the cards, we work on our math skills in regards to knowing one to one. Sometimes kids will get a card and not know exactly how many there are. We'll have them count one to one, pointing at each dot.

Kid: Five, six, seven.

Speaker 1: Okay, let's count together. One, two, three, four, five, six. Can you clap for me six times?

Kid: One, two, three-

Speaker 1: In the future, if you're working with numerals, maybe they can get a numeral and then they know that two equals two, and they'll still clap twice. It builds on different skills.

Next.

Kid: One.

Speaker 1: Okay.

Kid: One.

Speaker 1: The kids really enjoy it because it gives them something to do while they're waiting to transition to the next activity. They feel successful. That's a very important part. I think it sets up for just learning in general. It's, "Do I feel like I am competent?" A simple activity like this can help build their social and emotional development.

Perfect. Go ahead.

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