Planning tool

Students:

• recognise small quantities below 5 by subitising
• use subitising to compare and order small collections
• understand the part-part-whole nature of numbers and how they relate to each other
• use number structures (such as dice, dominoes and tens frames) to help recognise and name the parts in a collection
• understand that ‘zero’ describes ‘nothing’.

Some students may:

• be unable to conserve number, for instance, they are unable to see that two sets of the same number of counters are the same if they are arranged differently (for example, one group of 6 and one row of 6 – the row is longer so they see it as having more). To help address this, provide repeated opportunities to count small collections.
• be unable to recognise a small number of objects (3, 4 or 5) without counting to confirm. To help address this, count small collections to establish the number naming sequence, regularly use subitising cards to encourage recognition of small numbers without counting, and practise reading numbers represented on dice and dominoes.
• only be able to count items that they can see and cannot conceptualise hidden items (for example, 4 counters in a box). To help address this, model counting on from different starting numbers using clapping. Use a money-box type container with a slit in the top. Ask students to count the counters as they are being dropped in the container. After all the counters have been dropped in, ask students to say how many there are and then encourage them to check.

The Learning from home activities are designed to be used flexibly by teachers, parents and carers, as well as the students themselves. They can be used in a number of ways including to consolidate and extend learning done at school or for home schooling.

Learning intention

• We are learning to recognise and use numbers, first up to 5, then to 10.

Why are we learning about this?

• We use numbers and counting in everyday contexts.

What to do

1. Notice ‘how many’ every day. For example:

• When reading a picture storybook, notice how many dogs there are.
• When having a meal, work out if there’s enough cutlery.
• When tidying up at home, notice ‘how many’ are in a collection.
• When playing, notice ‘how many’, for example, ‘how many blocks were used to make this castle?’

2. Play games. For example:

• Play ‘I Spy’ or other games to practise recognising numbers, for example, ‘I spy with my little eye, 2 of something’.
• When playing games involving dice or dominoes, see which numbers you can recognise (without counting) on the dice or dominoes.

3. Talk about numbers. For example:

• Look at the 5-pattern on a dice and describe the different ways that 5 is made. Person 1: ‘It has 4 dots making a square and 1 more in the middle to make 5.’ Person 2: ‘Oh yeah. It’s also 2 dots at the top, 2 at the bottom and 1 in the middle.’

Success criteria

I can:

• name quantities under 5 without counting, for example, I can instantly see that there are 3 trees without needing to count them one by one
• describe numbers to 10 in terms of their parts, for example, I know that 5 is made up of 3 and 2, and that it can also be made of 4 and 1
• describe how numbers to 10 relate to other numbers, for example, I know that 5 is 1 more than 4, and also that it is 1 less than 6.