One less with manipulatives and counting
I can find one less from a group using manipulatives and counting.
One less with manipulatives and counting
I can find one less from a group using manipulatives and counting.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Secure understanding of one less as the number before.
- Use a variety of manipulatives and the stem sentence to deepen understanding that the number before is one less than .
- Answer questions such as 'What number comes before 5 when counting?'
Keywords
One less than - One less than is when there is a smaller value by one.
One fewer than - One fewer than is when there is a smaller quantity by one or one has been removed from the set.
Number before - When counting, the number before is the one that comes before a given number.
Common misconception
Pupils may start counting on the number given and not recognise that the number before is one less.
Model counting back and highlight the number before alongside the manipulatives. Give opportunities for pupils to remove one from a set.
To help you plan your year 1 maths lesson on: One less with manipulatives and counting, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 1 maths lesson on: One less with manipulatives and counting, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 1 maths lessons from the Counting, recognising and comparing numbers 0 - 10 unit, dive into the full secondary maths curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Licence
Starter quiz
6 Questions












Exit quiz
6 Questions

















