How Many Do You See?

Step 1: Let's Learn

Read it, or press Listen and follow the words.

Watch the idea first — 51 seconds. Then read on, and try it yourself in the next step.

You have learned a lot. You can see fast, split numbers, and find partners to ten.

Pick your own tool

Different problems suit different tools. You get to choose.

Step 2: Try It Yourself

Pick whichever tool helps you think.

The ten-frame is good for partners to ten.

6 and 4 make 10. There are 4 empty spaces.

Counters

The rekenrek is good for seeing a five and some more.

How many7

5 and 2 make 7.

Beads

The beads change color after five, so five is visible without counting.

How many6

5 and 1 make 6.

Beads

Step 3: In Real Life

A game of dominoes

A domino shows two groups of dots. See 3 and 4 fast. Add them. 7. Dominoes are made of these problems.

Step 4: Watch an Example

Watch someone choose a tool.

Watch Ana Choose a Tool

Ana needs to know what goes with 8 to make ten. Which tool helps?

Step 1
A ten-frame shows the gaps. That is what she needs.

Step 5: Your Turn

Practice makes it stick.

The Fruit Bowl

Problem 1 of 2

There are 4 apples and 3 pears in a bowl. How many pieces of fruit in all?

The Bus Stop

Problem 2 of 2

Five children wait for the bus. Two more come. How many are waiting now?

Is Sam Right?

Sam looks at a card and says he sees 9 as "5 and 3". Do you agree?

Sam says 9 is 5 and 3. Is that right?

Slide the Beads

Build it, then check.

Slide 6 beads across.

Slide the beads.

How many0

Beads

Step 6: Quick Check

Show what you know.

Question 1 of 3

How many dots?

Question 2 of 3

6 and what make 10?

Question 3 of 3

What is one more than 8?

What You Learned

You can see numbers without counting.
You can split a number into two parts.
You know the partners to ten.
You can pick the tool that helps you.

For the grown-up

Counting and knowing how many are different skills. A child can recite to twenty and still recount a row of six every time they are asked, because the last number said has not yet become the answer to "how many".

Watch for recounting. If they count a group, are asked how many, and start again from one, the link has not formed yet. It is extremely common at this age and is not a memory problem.

When it happens, count together slowly and then close your hand over the group and ask again. Hiding the objects is what forces the number to stand in for them.

Choosing a way is part of the work — Seeing fast, using five, using a bond — all three are correct. Picking the quickest one for this particular problem is the skill.

Say how you knew — If you can say which way you used, you can use it again tomorrow. An answer you cannot explain does not carry forward.

Pick a way, then say which — Take 8 + 2. One way: partners to ten. 8 needs 2. Ten. Another way: count on from 8. Nine, ten. Both give ten. Both are right. Now say out loud which one you used. That is the part you keep.