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Year 1

Counting forwards and backwards in 10s to 100

I can recite the decade number names from 0-100 in tens, going forwards and backwards, and notice the patterns in the count.

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Year 1

Counting forwards and backwards in 10s to 100

I can recite the decade number names from 0-100 in tens, going forwards and backwards, and notice the patterns in the count.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Decade numbers are used when counting forwards and backwards in tens.
  2. You can start counting from any decade number.
  3. When you count forwards, the numbers are greater than the starting number.
  4. When you count backwards, the numbers are smaller than the starting number.

Keywords

  • Number names 60 - 100 - e.g. "sixty" corresponding to 60

Common misconception

Confusion between teen and decade numbers, e.g. 19 and 90, leading to errors in counting 80, 90, 20

Regular identification and discussion of common errors with opportunities to correct them within this lesson can be replicated beyond it.


To help you plan your year 1 maths lesson on: Counting forwards and backwards in 10s to 100, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

This lesson involves oral rehearsal and interaction with key representations. As before, the slides simply act to aid lesson design and delivery. Highlight difference between teens and decade numbers by emphasising the '-ty' sound at the end of each number when counting.
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Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Laura is counting forwards in tens from 20. Which are the next numbers she will say?
10, 0.
20, 40, 50.
Correct answer: 30, 40, 50.
Q2.
I am counting backwards in tens from 40. Which number will I say next?
50
Correct answer: 30
20
Q3.
Which of these counting sequences is correct when counting forwards in tens?
10, 20, 30, 50.
Correct answer: 20, 30, 40.
50, 40, 30.
Q4.
Which of these counting sequences is correct when counting backwards in tens?
50, 40, 30, 10, 0.
Correct answer: 40, 30, 20, 10, 0.
50, 40, 20, 10.
Q5.
Put these decade numbers in the order you would say them when counting forwards.
1 - 20
2 - 30
3 - 40
Q6.
Put these decade numbers in the order you would say them when counting backwards.
1 - 40
2 - 30
3 - 20

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
I am counting forwards in tens from 90. What is the next number I will say?
20
18
Correct answer: 100
Q2.
I am counting forwards in tens to 100. Which of the following is correct?
Andeep
Jacob
Correct answer: Izzy
Q3.
I am counting backwards in tens from 60. What is the next number I will say?
15
Correct answer: 50
70
Q4.
When counting backwards in tens, which of the following is correct?
Correct answer: Andeep
Izzy
Sam
Q5.
Put the decade numbers in the order you would say them if counting forwards.
1 - 70
2 - 80
3 - 90
4 - 100
Q6.
Put the decade numbers in the correct order if you were counting them backwards.
1 - 100
2 - 90
3 - 80
4 - 70

Additional material

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