Kindergarten Fall Math — Counting to 100, Subitizing, Cardinality, Shapes, and Pattern
Lesson 1 25 min math.gK.f.lesson_01

Counting to 10 — meeting the count sequence

Skills targeted
Objectives
  • Students can recite the count sequence 1 through 10 accurately, in order, with rhythm.
  • Students can identify by ear when a counting buddy makes an error (e.g., skips a number).
Vocabulary
countnumberonetwothreefourfivesixseveneightnineten

Lesson plan

Warm-up

5 min

Sing 'Five Little Ducks' as a whole-group; children hold up finger configurations as each duck leaves (5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0).

Teacher moves
  • Model finger configuration changes deliberately — start with palm-out 5, then fold one finger per verse.
  • Pause at 0: 'how many fingers? right — zero! Zero is a number too.'
Media
M-K-F-NS-01-B Video Physical / non-image

Animated mother duck and 5 ducklings on a pond. Each verse, one duckling swims away. Bottom-left corner shows a child's hand displaying 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0 fingers synchronized to the verse. Bright primary palette, simple shapes. Audio: gentle female voice with light xylophone backing.

Direct instruction

8 min

Today we are learning the most important first job in math — counting in order. I will show you my 100-bead string. We will only use the first 10 beads today. Watch me touch each one as I count.

Key examples
  • Notice that each time I say a number, I touch ONE new bead. One word, one bead.
    model 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
    prompt Teacher slowly counts 1 through 10 touching each bead.
Checks for understanding
  • What do I do every time I say a new number? (touch one new bead)
  • Who can tell me what comes after seven? (eight)
Media
M-K-F-NS-01-A Illustration
Horizontal 100-bead string laid on a wooden table, viewed from above. First 5 beads red, next 5 white, alternating to 10

Horizontal 100-bead string laid on a wooden table, viewed from above. First 5 beads red, next 5 white, alternating to 100. A teacher's hand (medium-brown skin tone) gently touches bead #4 with index finger. Soft daylight; light teal background. Caption banner reads: 'one word, one bead.'

Guided practice

7 min
Tasks
  • Children count their 100-bead string in pairs, 1 to 10, taking turns. One counts; one watches and listens for errors.
    scaffold Teacher circulates and listens for skipped numbers; gentle re-do.
  • Whole-group count to 10 three times — once with a whisper, once standing, once clapping the rhythm.
Media
M-K-F-NS-01-C Audio Physical / non-image

30-second audio: a gentle female voice counts 1 through 10 at 60 BPM with a soft wood-block tick on each number. Used at the listening center; children whisper along.

Formative assessment

2 min
Exit ticket
  • Count out loud from 1 to 10 (teacher records on a clipboard).
scoring 10/10 sequence in order with one-to-one bead tag = mastery snapshot; ≤2 errors with self-correction = practicing; ≥3 errors or skipped decade = reteach next session

Closure

2 min
Moves
  • Class chants 'one word, one thing' three times.
  • Preview: 'Tomorrow we go higher — past 10!'

Homework

5 min
Tasks
  • At home, count 10 things and tell a grown-up what you counted (cheerios, stairs, toys). Grown-up signs the math journal homework strip.

Exercises in this lesson

math.gK.f.ns.count_to_100.ex_01
Use your 100-bead string. Touch each bead and count out loud, starting at 1 and going to 10.
 oral count with beads · diff 1
math.gK.f.ns.count_to_100.ex_02
Point to the numbers on the 100-chart and count to 20.
 point and count on chart · diff 2

Differentiation

Scaffolds
  • Pre-recorded count audio at headphone station for repeated practice
  • Highlight tape on each bead as it is counted
  • Visual numeral cards 1-10 face-up while counting (cross out as said)
Extensions
  • Count to 20 instead of 10
  • Count by 2s to 10 (perceptual: every other bead)
  • Count backward from 10 to 0
English Learners
  • Bilingual count: child counts in home language first, then in English
  • Visual number-line with home-language numeral words
Ieps 504s
  • Use AAC count board with pre-recorded numerals if child is non-verbal
  • Allow finger-only response (hold up fingers as teacher says number)

Teacher notes

Kindergarteners often arrive having heard count sequences but with gaps or transpositions. Watch for the 'twelve-twenty' confusion (says '12' for '20') — name it gently. Do not move beyond 10 today even if children volunteer higher numbers; the goal is rock-solid 1-10 with rhythm and bead-tagging. If 80%+ of class is solid by end, extend with a backward count to 0 as warm-down.