OVERVIEW
Kindergarten math is an exciting journey of discovery, where we build a strong foundation for future learning. We begin the year by exploring what it means to be a mathematician, learning to see patterns and solve problems. We then dive into counting, writing, and comparing numbers all the way to 100. Students will also learn about two- and three-dimensional shapes, putting them together and describing their features. Finally, we'll introduce the core concepts of addition and subtraction, using hands-on strategies to solve problems. This year is all about building a love for numbers and an understanding of how math is a part of our everyday lives.
Unit 1: Math Is
Students will understand what a problem is and how to solve it.
Students will find and describe patterns in the world around them.
Students will explain their thinking and listen respectfully to others' ideas.
Students will see how math is a part of their daily life and personal story.
Students will use different tools to help them with math.
What does it mean to be a mathematician?
How can we show our mathematical thinking?
Why is it important to listen to others' ideas about math?
Tell me about a problem you solved today.
What patterns can we find in our home or outside?
How did you know the answer to that problem?
Can you tell me about something you noticed in class today?
How do you feel about math? Do you have a math story to share?
What Do You Do With a Problem? by Kobi Yamada: This beautifully illustrated book explores the idea that problems can be opportunities. It encourages children to face their fears and find creative solutions.
Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty: While Ada is a scientist, her curious and persistent mindset is exactly what a mathematician uses. She asks questions, experiments, and finds creative ways to solve her problems.
The Boy Who Loved Math by Paul Erdos: This book tells the story of a real mathematician who saw numbers everywhere he went. It helps kids understand that being a mathematician means being curious and noticing numbers in the world.
Counting on Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Saved Apollo 13 by Helaine Becker: A biographical picture book about a brilliant mathematician who used her love of counting and numbers to help get astronauts safely back to Earth.
Unit 2: Numbers to Five
Students will count groups of up to five objects by touching or moving each object as they say the number.
Students will compare two groups of objects to determine which group has more, fewer, or the same amount.
Students will use the math terms "greater than," "less than," and "equal to" to describe how quantities compare.
Students will learn that when we count, each number in the sequence represents one more than the last.
What does the count of a group of objects tell us?
How can we tell if one group of objects has more, fewer, or the same amount as another?
Why is the order of numbers important when we count?
Can you count how many apples (or other item) we have?
Look at our shoes. Do we have more shoes or more people in our family?
Which group has fewer toys, the teddy bears or the toy cars?
Which number is greater than the other, 4 or 2? How do you know?
Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow: A classic rhyming story that practices counting down from five in a fun, memorable way.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle: A wonderful book for counting up to five, as the caterpillar eats one more item of fruit each day.
Equal Shmequal by Virginia L. Kroll: A fun story where a group of animals tries to divide items equally. It introduces the concept of "equal" in a way that is easy for young children to understand.
Unit 3: Numbers to Ten
Students will count groups of up to ten objects.
Students will identify and show groups of 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 objects.
Students will write numbers from 1 to 10.
Students will compare two groups of objects and use the terms greater than, less than, and equal to describe them.
Students will understand what it means to have one more than a given number.
How can we use counting to describe a group of objects?
How can we show a number using objects or pictures?
How can we tell if one group has more, fewer, or the same number of objects as another?
Can you count how many blocks are in that pile?
If you have 8 crackers, and I give you one more, how many do you have now?
Show me a group of 7 toys.
We have 10 apples and 8 bananas. Which group has more fruit?
What can you find that has the same number of items as the number of people in our family?
Ten Black Dots by Donald Crews: This book uses simple black dots to show how numbers can be found in everyday objects, encouraging children to think creatively about counting.
Chicka Chicka 1, 2, 3 by Bill Martin Jr. and Michael Sampson: A vibrant and rhythmic story that helps children practice counting to ten and introduces what the numbers look like.
Let's Count Goats by Mem Fox: This book introduces counting, but the real fun is in the silly situations that prompt children to compare and count groups of goats.
Unit 4: Sort, Classify, and Count Objects
Students will describe how objects are alike or different using their attributes, such as color, shape, and size.
Students will sort and classify objects into groups based on a specific attribute.
Students will count the number of objects in each group they have sorted.
Students will compare two groups of objects to determine which has more or fewer.
How can we describe objects by their features?
What are some ways we can put objects into groups?
How can we use counting to compare different groups of objects?
Can you put all of the red blocks together?
Look at these toys. What is a way to sort them into groups?
How are the forks and spoons alike? How are they different?
Let's count the socks in the drawer and the shirts in the closet. Do we have more socks or more shirts?
A Pair of Socks by Lois Ehlert: This book uses a lost sock to teach children about matching, sorting, and recognizing patterns based on color and design.
The Button Box by Margarette S. Reid: A classic story about a child exploring a box of buttons, sorting them in all kinds of creative ways, like by color, shape, and size.
The Three Bears (any classic version): This story is a perfect example of sorting and classifying by size (Papa Bear, Mama Bear, Baby Bear) and comparing quantities (too much, too little, just right).
Unit 5: Two Dimensional Shapes
Students will identify and name circles, triangles, squares, rectangles, and hexagons.
Students will describe shapes by their features, such as the number of sides.
Students will describe the location of shapes using words like above, below, next to, and in front of.
How can we describe a shape?
What makes one shape different from another?
How can we use words to tell where something is located?
Can you find a shape in our house that has three sides? What about a shape with six sides?
What shape is the window? How many sides does it have?
Where is your backpack? Is it in front of the door or next to it?
Find a shape on this book cover. What is its name, and what is its location relative to another object?
Shape by Shape by Suse MacDonald: This book builds simple shapes into more complex pictures, showing how different shapes can fit together to create new things.
Mouse Shapes by Ellen Stoll Walsh: Follow three clever mice as they use circles, squares, and triangles to outsmart a cat and create fun pictures. It’s a great way to see shapes used in different ways.
Rosie's Walk by Pat Hutchins: A simple story that uses prepositions like over, under, around, and through to describe Rosie the hen's journey.
Where's My Teddy? by Jez Alborough: This book uses location words as a boy searches for his lost teddy bear in the woods, which helps reinforce spatial vocabulary.
Unit 6: Understand Addition
Students will use objects or drawings to solve simple addition word problems.
Students will learn to write an addition equation using numbers and symbols like the plus sign (+) and equal sign (=).
Students will find the sum, or total, when they join two numbers.
What does it mean to add two numbers?
How can we use pictures or objects to show an addition problem?
How can we write a number sentence to show an addition problem?
I have 3 carrots on my plate and you have 2. How many carrots do we have in all?
If you have 4 cars and I give you 3 more, what is your total number of cars?
Show me with your fingers what 5 plus 5 looks like.
Let's draw a picture of your toys. If you have 6 trucks and 2 planes, how many toys do you have in all?
Quack and Count by Keith Baker: A rhyming book that follows a group of ducks as they join together, introducing the concept of addition and sums up to 10.
Elevator Magic by Stuart J. Murphy: As an elevator goes up and down, this book uses illustrations to show how people get on and off, which helps children visualize the concepts of adding and subtracting.
Mission: Addition by Loreen Leedy: A group of animal students on a "mission" to learn about addition. This book provides a clear and fun introduction to the plus sign, sums, and writing addition equations.
Unit 7: Understand Subtraction
Students will use objects or drawings to solve simple subtraction word problems.
Students will write a subtraction equation using the minus sign (-).
Students will find the difference, or the answer, to a subtraction problem.
Students will explain how they solved a subtraction problem.
What does it mean to subtract?
How is subtraction different from addition?
How can we use pictures or objects to show a subtraction problem?
We have 5 bananas. If we eat 2 of them, how many are left?
There are 10 crayons in the box. If you take out 3, what is the difference?
Let's count how many books are on the shelf. If we take 4 away to read, how many are left on the shelf?
Show me with your fingers what 8 minus 3 looks like.
Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by James Dean: As Pete sings, his buttons pop off one by one, providing a fun and repetitive way to practice counting backward and subtracting.
10 Little Rubber Ducks by Eric Carle: This book follows a group of ducks as they get separated, which is a great way to visualize "taking away" from a group.
Elevator Magic by Stuart J. Murphy: This book uses a trip in an elevator to show how people get on and off, helping children visualize addition and subtraction. It's a great companion book to the addition unit as well.
Unit 8: Addition and Subtraction Strategies
Students will use objects or pictures to make (compose) numbers to 10.
Students will learn to decompose (take apart) numbers to 10, showing how a single number can be made from different parts.
Students will use a number path and strategies like counting on to solve addition problems.
Students will use strategies like counting back to solve subtraction problems.
Students will solve word problems by finding the sum or difference.
How can we make a number in different ways?
How can we use parts of a number to find the whole?
How can we use what we know about numbers to solve addition and subtraction problems?
Can you show me how to make the number 7 using some spoons and some forks?
What are two different ways we can break apart the number 5?
Let's use our fingers to solve 4 + 2. Can you show me how you would count on from 4?
If we have 10 toys and we hide 3, can you count back to find how many are left?
Ten Apples Up on Top! by Dr. Seuss: This classic story follows three animals balancing apples, a great visual for building and taking apart numbers up to 10.
Missing Mittens by Stuart J. Murphy: This book uses a search for lost mittens to practice making pairs and finding sums.
The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins: As more and more friends arrive, a plate of cookies gets divided into smaller and smaller groups, demonstrating how a whole group can be broken into parts.
Unit 9: Numbers Eleven to Fifteen
Students will count groups of up to 15 objects.
Students will read and write the numbers 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15.
Students will make (compose) numbers 11-15 by combining a group of ten and a group of ones.
Students will break apart (decompose) numbers 11-15 into a group of ten and a group of ones.
Students will write a simple equation to show how these numbers are composed or decomposed, for example, 10+2=12.
How can we count and show numbers greater than 10?
How are the numbers 11 to 15 similar to each other?
How can we use a group of ten to help us count?
Can you count out 12 Cheerios? Can you show me how many you have by putting 10 in a group and showing me the rest?
How many grapes do you think are in this bunch? Let's count them together.
What number do you get if you have a group of 10 and a group of 3?
I see 14 pennies. Can you show me how to break them into a group of 10 and a group of 4?
12 Ways to Get to 11 by Eve Merriam: A fun and creative book that shows how numbers can be combined in different ways to make 11.
The Cheerios Counting Book by Barbara Barbieri McGrath: This book goes up to 100, but the pages showing numbers 11-15 are a great way to practice counting and grouping objects.
Ten Little Caterpillars by Bill Martin Jr. and Lois Ehlert: A great counting book that goes up to 10, which provides a strong foundation for building on numbers greater than ten. You can use it to talk about what would happen if you had "one more" caterpillar.
Unit 10: Numbers Sixteen to Nineteen
Students will count groups of up to 19 objects.
Students will read and write the numbers 16, 17, 18, and 19.
Students will make (compose) numbers 16-19 by combining a group of ten and a group of ones.
Students will break apart (decompose) numbers 16-19 into a group of ten and a group of ones.
Students will write a simple equation to show how these numbers are composed or decomposed, for example, 10+6=16.
How can we count and show numbers greater than 15?
What do we notice about the numbers 16, 17, 18, and 19?
How can a group of ten help us count and understand bigger numbers?
Can you count out 17 pretzels? Can you show me how many you have by making a group of 10 and a group of 7?
Let's count all the shoes in our family. Is the number 16, 17, 18, or 19?
Look at the number 19. How many tens and how many ones do you need to make that number?
If we have a group of 10 blocks and a group of 8 blocks, how many do we have in total?
100 Bugs! A Counting Book by Kate Narita: This book goes beyond the typical 1-10 count, showing kids how to count groups of different bugs all the way to 100. It's great for practice with larger numbers.
Mouse Count by Ellen Stoll Walsh: This is a classic for a reason! It's a fun story about a snake counting mice, which provides a relatable context for counting and eventually, a simple subtraction scenario.
Unit 11: Three Dimensional Shapes
Students will identify the difference between 2-dimensional (flat) and 3-dimensional (solid) shapes.
Students will identify and name cubes, spheres, cylinders, and cones.
Students will describe the location of solid shapes using words like above, below, beside, and in front of.
How can we tell the difference between a flat shape and a solid shape?
What are the names of different solid shapes?
How can we use words to tell where a shape is located?
Can you find something shaped like a sphere? What about a cube?
How is a can of soup like a cylinder?
Where is the juice box? Is it in front of the cereal box or next to it?
Find something that is a cone. What is it?
Cubes, Cones, Cylinders, & Spheres by Tana Hoban: This book uses striking photographs to show solid shapes in the real world, helping children connect the math concepts to everyday objects.
The Greedy Triangle by Marilyn Burns: While focused on 2-D shapes, it's a great book for discussing attributes and how shapes can change. You can use it as a point of comparison to talk about how 3-D shapes are different because they are not flat.
Unit 12: Count to One Hundred
Students will count to 100 by ones.
Students will learn to count forward from any number, not just one.
Students will recognize and use patterns in numbers as they count.
Students will identify the number that comes before and after a given number.
What are some ways we can count large groups of objects?
What patterns do we notice as we count higher?
Why is it helpful to count from a number other than one?
Can you count the Cheerios in your bowl? What about all the cars on the street?
What number comes after 24? What number comes before 50?
Let's count all the way to 100. Can you show me what happens when you get to the end of a row on a number chart?
Can you start counting from 35?
The Cheerios Counting Book by Barbara Barbieri McGrath: This book uses Cheerios to count all the way up to 100, which is a great way to show how numbers grow and fit into patterns.
100 Hungry Ants by Elinor J. Pinczes: A clever story about 100 ants marching to a picnic. The ants change formations (by 1s, 2s, 4s, 5s, etc.), which subtly introduces the concept of counting in different groups and finding patterns.
Unit 13: Analyze, Compare, and Compose Shapes
Students will analyze and compare 2-dimensional (flat) and 3-dimensional (solid) shapes based on their features like sides, faces, and vertices (corners).
Students will compose (put together) larger shapes using smaller shapes.
Students will identify shapes in the world around them and represent them by drawing or building.
How can we describe the features of a shape?
How can we use smaller shapes to build bigger ones?
How can we find and describe shapes in the world around us?
How are a book and a cereal box alike? How are they different?
Can you build a house using your blocks? What shapes did you use to build it?
Let's look at the front of this box. What flat shape do you see on its face?
Can you find a shape in our house that has four sides? What about a shape with no sides?
The Greedy Triangle by Marilyn Burns: A triangle decides he wants more sides and transforms into different shapes. This is a great story for talking about how shapes change based on their features.
Shape by Shape by Suse MacDonald: This book builds simple shapes into more complex pictures, showing how different shapes can fit together to create new things.
Mouse Shapes by Ellen Stoll Walsh: Follow three clever mice as they use circles, squares, and triangles to create fun pictures. It’s a great way to see how simple shapes can be put together to make more complex designs.
Unit 14: Compare Measureable Attributes
Students will compare two objects to see which is longer or shorter.
Students will compare two containers to see which holds more or less.
Students will compare two objects to see which is heavier or lighter.
Students will use words to describe the height, length, weight, and capacity of objects.
How can we describe the size of an object?
What are some ways we can compare objects to see which is bigger or smaller?
Which is taller, you or the kitchen chair?
Let's put these two toy cars in our hands. Which one is heavier?
Which shoelace is longer?
Let's fill these two cups with water. Which one holds more water?
Inch by Inch by Leo Lionni: A little inchworm avoids being eaten by measuring different animals. This book is a wonderful way to introduce the concept of length.
The Three Bears (any classic version): This story is a perfect example of comparing attributes. The bears' belongings are described as "too big," "too small," "just right," and "heavy," "light," etc.