Understanding the Relationship between Numbers and Quantities
Kindergartners Count to 20
In Kindergarten students count out loud. In this cluster, we ask students to rote count to 20.
By the end of the school year, Kindergartners will count to 100. Through practice, students
begin counting at different numbers such as 3, or 5, or 8 and then continue counting on to 20.
How can parents help?
Kindergartners Write Numerals
A numeral is a symbol used to represent an amount. For instance...1, 2, and 3 are numerals. For the first several week of this unit, your child focuses on writing numerals 0-5. Once this is mastered, they continue on to write numerals 6-10. Your child also works to understand that 0 represents “nothing”, or “a group with nothing in it”.
How can parents help?
Kindergartners Understand Number Relationships
Understanding number relationships means your child understands ways numbers are connected to each other. This is a big idea in early mathematics.
As Kindergartners begin to understand number relationships, the say number names in the standard order when counting objects. They match each object with only one number name. They know the last number counted in a group represents the total amount in that group.
Another big idea in this unit is subitizing. This is the ability to instantly know “how many” without counting. For example, a child may instantly know he has one piece of toast, two eggs, and three pieces of bacon.
How can parents help?
Kindergartners Count to Answer the Question, “How Many?”
Your child counts to find the amount in a group which may be arranged in a variety of ways:
A Straight Line
(1-10 objects)
More Than One Line
(1-10 objects)
A Circle
(1-10 objects)
Scattered
(1-5 objects)
When given a number 1-10, your child counts out a group to match the number.
5
When given a number such as 10, your child says the number that comes next in the counting sequence. For example, if given 3, they are able to say 4.
How can parents help?
Place a group of objects in a line, multiple lines, circle or scattered arrangement. Ask, “How many objects are in this group?” Encourage your child to touch (or move) one and only one object at a time while counting.
Give your child a group of objects to count. Then, place one more object in the group. Ask, “How many now?” Eventually, your child will move away from recounting the entire group toward simply saying the next number.
Watch the video: How Many? by English Sing Sing
Sing the song: Counting Fruits by English Sing Sing
This math cluster develops students as both counters and producers. Students are counters when they count a given set to find “how many”. Students are producers when they produce/count out a set to match a given numeral.
Count it Out
Pick a numeral card 0-5, or other number range. Produce (count out) a set to match. Draw a picture of the set. Record the matching numeral.
Counting Cups
Pick a cup. Count the objects in the cup to find “How many?” Draw a picture of the set. Use a numeral card to represent the set.
Count and Match
Count the quantity on each card. Place the card under the matching number.
Clip It
Pick a number 0-5, or other number range. Produce (count out) a set of clothes pins to match. Clip clothes pins to the plate.
Order’s Up!
Pick a number 0-5, or other number range. Produce (count out) a set of food items (or pictures) to match. Draw a picture of the set. Record the matching numeral.