Anything can be counted

I can count anything, including sounds and actions.

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Year 1

Anything can be counted

I can count anything, including sounds and actions.

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Share activities with pupils

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Lesson details

Key learning points

Secure understanding of counting principles explored so far (stable-order, one-to-one, cardinal).
Know that anything can be counted, including things that cannot be seen, touched or moved (the abstraction principle).

Keywords

Count - Count means to say the number names in order and to count a set to find out how many there are
How many - You ask how many when you want to know the number in a set or group

Common misconception

Errors in counting things that cannot be seen, touched or moved.

Leave only short pauses between sounds to avoid the need for children to hold numbers in their heads. Make actions clear and separate.

Perform all sounds and actions rather than relying on the slides. It is important you consider sounds and actions that are familiar to the children you are working with initially to keep the focus on the counting of them.