Unit 4 - Collect, Count, and Measure

The focus of this unit is on counting and measuring. Students line up craft sticks or cubes to measure the length of objects, including the length of their shoes. They develop visual images for quantities up to 10 as they roll dot cubes, work with Ten Frames, and find many different ways to arrange and describe a set of 5 to 10 tiles. Students count and compare quantities throughout this unit. These activities support students as they make connections between counting and combining, which helps them begin to add and subtract small numbers. For example, they solve simple story problems and play games that ask them to figure out the total when 1, 2, and 3 are added or when 1 is taken away. 

Related Activities to Try at Home 

Measuring Shoes Your child may enjoy investigating the length of shoes at home. Just as we do in school, your child can trace shoe outlines on paper, and then use paper clips (or another same-sized item such as blocks or toothpicks) to measure the length of the outline. Ask your child to put the shoe lengths in order from the shortest to the longest. 

Counting We continue to focus on strategies for counting accurately. At home, find many ways to count together with your child; for example, count aloud, count sets of objects, ask your child to count out specific amounts, and pose problems that he or she can solve by counting. The list of suggested books below includes several counting books that you can read together. 

One More or Less Find opportunities to ask your child about one more and one less, an idea we have been working on in class. For example, after your child counts a set of objects such as pennies, ask, “What if I gave you one more penny? Then how many would you have?” or “What if I took one penny back? Then how many would you have?” Then, add (or remove) a penny. That way, your child can recount the set from one to find out or to double-check the answer.