Count and turn
Pupils stand in a line, facing the same direction. They stamp gently as they count and throw their arms up in the air to emphasise the last number in the counting sequence. As the last number is said they turn and begin the count sequence again. Do this to a regular rhythm.One two three four fiiiiiive (turn)
One two three four fiiiiiive (turn)
One two …
As an alternative to stamping allow clapping in time to the count.
Count and hop
Pupils hop forward while counting aloud slowly. They change direction at the end of the count sequence.One two three four five
hop hop hop hop hop (change direction)
One two three …
Boston wave
Pupils sit in a circle and count slowly in unison.One two three four five one two three four five one …
Decide which way round the circle the Boston wave has to go.
As ‘one’ is chanted, point to a pupil who quickly stands up, then immediately sits down.
Point to the next pupil in the circle as ‘two’ is chanted; they then also quickly stand up and sit down.
Repeat the ‘stand-sit’ action going round the circle.
No more than one pupil should be standing at any one time and the ‘stand-sit’ action should be done in time to the count rhythm.
With practice and as pupils pick up the beat, there will be no need to point; pupils will automatically continue the Boston wave round the circle.
Thigh, clap, snap, snap
Sit in a circle and slowly slap tops of thighs, clap hands, then snap fingers – first with one hand then with the other. Continue this to develop a steady rhythm.When the rhythm is steady, count one to five in time to the actins then pause, continuing the thigh, clap, snap actions.
thigh clap snap snap, thigh clap snap snap,
thigh clap snap snap, thigh clap snap snap
One two three four five
Once pupils are confident, include several counting cycles with a short time interval between each one.
For a real challenge keep the counting cycle going without pausing, but don’t start counting until pupils have established a steady rhythm.
Collections for sorting
Have a collection of classroom ‘junk’. Discuss different ways of sorting the ‘junk’.Sort all the: red things, things you can draw with, things for eating and drinking, …
Ask: what is the same about these things? Find two which are the same.
Sort some items from the tray, but do not say what the sort is.
Ask pupils to say what is the same about the sorted things.
Put them back in the tray and repeat the sorting using different criteria.
Ask a pupil to choose a way of sorting.
Pupils take it in turns to find an object which fits the sort. The other pupils check that each object fits the sort.
Extend the sorting to include two criteria such as, It is red and you can draw with it.
Include counting ‘how many’ as part f the activity:
How many blue things are there?
Venn diagrams
Place a hoop on the floor. Pupils choose an object from a collection, and place the object in the hoop, or outside, according to a criterion such as: soft; patterned; holes; metal; … Discuss the sort, which includes items inside the hoop and those outside. If appropriate, count how many.
Shoe sort
Pupils sit in a circle with their legs pointing inwards so that their shoes can easily be seen. All the pupils who have brown shoes stand in the middle of the circle. Ask how the brown shoes could be sorted again: fastening; style: lace up, slip on, trainer, …Carroll diagrams
Place a cane or length of wool across a table top, and pupils choose an object from a collection. Place the object on one side, or the other, of the cane according to a criterion such as: green/not green; soft/not soft; round/not round; … Discuss the sort and the has/has not property of the Carroll diagram. Count the objects as appropriate.Show me
Each pupil has a set of numeral cards.Play ‘Show me’ activities where each pupil shows a numeral card, by holding it up in the air.
Hold up one of the large numeral cards:
Show me a number like this.
What does it say?
Ask pupils to hold up selected numerals:
Show me number 4.
Show me number 2.
Show me zero.
Behind the wall
Play ‘Behind the wall’ activities by sliding a numeral card up from behind a ‘wall’.A ‘wall’ can be a piece of card, a book or other suitable screen.
Have part of a numeral just peeping over the top of the wall:
Show me which number this might be.
Could it be any other number? Show me.
Keep showing a little more of the numeral and repeating the instruction.
Counting stick
Use a counting stick marked off in ten equal divisions. An unnumbered metre stick marked off in decimetres is ideal. One can be made by fastening coloured tape around a length of broom handle.Name one end of the stick zero and the other 10. Move a finger slowly along the divisions, one at a time, counting in ones. Pupils count in unison.
Include ‘hiccup counting’. Stop part way through the count sequence and move a finger back a division before continuing:
one two three four (move finger back) three four five six...
If pupils become confident in counting forwards include counting back along the stick.
Name the ends 0 and 20 and repeat the activity beyond 10.
Stand then sit
Choose a number sequence, such as from six to thirteen.Pupils sit in their chairs and count on from six to thirteen. They then stand and count back from thirteen to six, when they again sit and count on from six to thirteen.
Check that a steady rhythm is kept going during the counting.
Change the number sequence. Allow pupils to make a choice of which numbers they would like to count between.
Which has more?
Pupils use counting material, such as cubes, Compare Bears, counters. Ask them to take a handful and guess how many they have, then count to check. Take another handful and repeat.Which handful had more?
How many more?
How can we check?
Ask for ideas recording what has been done. These could include drawing, colouring in squares on strips of squared paper.
Funnel maths
Put four cubes through the funnel. Ask pupils to count them as they go through.Now put three through. Ask how many there are in the pot. Check by counting.
Repeat for other amounts. Include putting nothing through the funnel. Discuss adding zero to sets.
Rearrangements
Pupils need apparatus such as Linking Elephants, Compare Bears, cubes. Tell them to count out six and make a line with them. Ask them to rearrange the apparatus.Make a circle with the elephants.
How many are in the ring?
· Discuss what must be done to make a set more or fewer.
· Discuss what adding and subtracting zero does to a set size.
Carton count
Organisation: groups, pairsProvide a margarine tub with a hole cut in the base, large enough for cubes to pass through. The tub is placed upside down and pupils take a small number of cubes, count them as they put them through the tub hole, repeat for more cubes then say how many are underneath. They check by lifting the tub and counting.
And one more
Pupils hold up a number of fingers in response to ‘and one more’ questions.Show me 3 fingers – and one more.
Pupils have trays of small countable items such as interlocking cubes, Elephants, Compare Bears, …
Show me 4 elephants – and one more.
Washing lines
String up a short ‘washing line’ in part of the classroom.Give pupils numbers to clip to the washing line. Small bulldog clips are fine for this.
Hang 0 on the line.
Hang 1 on the line.
When all the numbers are in position, ask them to:
Bring me number 6.
Bring me a number 1 more than 3.
Bring me a number 1 less than 5.
Bring me a number before 7.
Bring me a number after 2.
Ask pupils to replace the numbers which have been removed.
Tell pupils to start at 3 and then count on 2.
Repeat for other counting on activities.
Extend to counting back and then increase the number range.
People numbers
Give out numeral cards in the range 0-20 and stand the pupils in line.· Ask pupils not holding a number to change places with a given numeral.
Laura change places with any number which is more than 7
Tom change places with a number between 12 and 16
· Turn some of the pupils holding numbers around so that their backs face the rest of the class. This makes a ‘missing numbers’ sequence.
Choose pupils to go and tap one of the ‘missing numbers’ on the back and to say:
I think you are number …
If they are correct they change places with that number.
· Pupils holding numbers ‘go for a walk’ and then line up in a muddled order.
Non-number pupils then give instructions to them so that they become ordered.
Numbers in the air
Use two colours to write each numeral on large pieces of card. Pupils stand and point to each numeral, tracing in the air first the red part, then the blue part.This will help pupils to see the different movements needed when writing numerals.
Choose which numerals to introduce in this way.
