Categories Math

Counting On Activity

Hello Monday! Don’t hate me but I didn’t mind Monday. We were so busy that the day flew by! And I think it helps that I’ve been doing this crazy 24 day challenge so I’m in the middle of a cleanse with nothing but water to drink (I went to the bathroom at least 20 times today…) and supplements…and eating healthy (no chocolate doughnut for breakfast or Sonic coke!) so my energy level is way up! I am even skinnier…so long fat neck and thunder thighs! So yeah, I am OK with Monday!

Today we did the cutest and standards based (of course) activity for counting on. You know, that Common Core standard that says count forward beginning from a given number within the known sequence (instead of having to begin at 1) (KCC2)…

It’s a hit with the ‘staches because they get to use monster counters (but you could use any theme for the counters) and not only are they practicing counting on, but also number recognition, number writing, and one to one correspondence. This makes it a great math lesson because it incorporates so many strategies!

The first thing you need to do is create your counters. I used monsters so I printed my monsters on bright card stock. I cut them out and attached them to my paper clip stands. Here’s how to make the paper clip stand: fold the smaller part of a large paperclip up. Leave the large part of clip flat so it sits on the table or desk. Tape the monster to the part of the paperclip that sticks up. BAM! A monster counter!

Next you need a number line or you can have the students create a number line. For today’s lesson, I differentiated my number lines! My struggling learners had a number line with numbers already printed. Students who have progressed enough had a blank number line. They wrote their numbers.

After we wrote the numbers we were ready to get started.

Here’s how to do the activity:

I said a number. For example: put your monster on 2. Students move their monster to 2.

Then I say, count on from 2 to 7.

Students count from 2 to 7 while moving their monster.

I then ask where we started and where we ended.

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The ‘staches loved this activity. Lots of giggles and lots of learning. I love that this activity builds that counting on skill, but it’s a great stepping stone into addition and subtraction using a number line, which comes later in the year!

If you would like to use this activity with your students, you can download the monsters and number lines by clicking on the picture!

And just in case you need last minute Halloween centers and activities…I put these on sale for this week! I added my Halloween and Fall ten frame cards to the sale too! All are half price! WOOT WOOT!