Step-by-step Maths Level 1: Counting objects
Part of the Step-by-step Maths Level 1 counting to 10 chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Counting objects
Counting means saying one number for each thing, in order: 1, 2, 3 and so on.
Touch each thing once as you say its number.
The last number you say tells you how many there are.
Key ideas
- Say one number for each thing, in order.
- Touch each thing only once.
- The last number you say is how many there are.
Method. Count each one once, in order, and say the last number.
- Touch each one and say its number. Count in order so no one is missed or counted twice.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
- Say the last number. The last number is how many there are.the last number is 6
- Write the answer. There are 6 apples.6
Check. Count back from 6 to 1. You should land on the same answer for the total.
Watch out. Touch each one only once. Moving each one as you count it helps.
Method. Count each one once, in order, and say the last number.
- Touch each one and say its number. Count in order so no one is missed or counted twice.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
- Say the last number. The last number is how many there are.the last number is 9
- Write the answer. There are 9 stars.9
Check. Count back from 9 to 1. You should land on the same answer for the total.
Watch out. Touch each one only once. Moving each one as you count it helps.
Method. Count each one once, in order, and say the last number.
- Touch each one and say its number. Count in order so no one is missed or counted twice.1, 2, 3, 4
- Say the last number. The last number is how many there are.the last number is 4
- Write the answer. There are 4 balls.4
Check. Count back from 4 to 1. You should land on the same answer for the total.
Watch out. Touch each one only once. Moving each one as you count it helps.
Watch out
Watch out. Count each thing only once. If you touch the same apple twice, you will say a number too many. Move each thing aside as you count it.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Lay out real things at home, such as buttons, pasta shapes or toy cars. Ask your child to move each one as they count it, then ask: “How many altogether?” Aim for accurate counting first, then speed. Ten counts in about ten seconds.
Exercise 1A Counting objects up to 10
Non-calculatorMethod. Count each one once, in order, and say the last number.
- Touch each one and say its number. Count in order so no one is missed or counted twice.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
- Say the last number. The last number is how many there are.the last number is 6
- Write the answer. There are 6 apples.6
Check. Count back from 6 to 1. You should land on the same answer for the total.
Watch out. Touch each one only once. Moving each one as you count it helps.
Method. Count each one once, in order, and say the last number.
- Touch each one and say its number. Count in order so no one is missed or counted twice.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
- Say the last number. The last number is how many there are.the last number is 7
- Write the answer. There are 7 stars.7
Check. Count back from 7 to 1. You should land on the same answer for the total.
Watch out. Touch each one only once. Moving each one as you count it helps.
Method. Count each one once, in order, and say the last number.
- Touch each one and say its number. Count in order so no one is missed or counted twice.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
- Say the last number. The last number is how many there are.the last number is 6
- Write the answer. There are 6 balls.6
Check. Count back from 6 to 1. You should land on the same answer for the total.
Watch out. Touch each one only once. Moving each one as you count it helps.
Method. Count the things, then write the number as a word.
- Count the things. Touch each one once.1, 2, 3, 4
- Find the number name. 4 is written as the word four.4
- Write the answer. four
Check. Count to 4 out loud. You should stop on four.
Watch out. Spell the number word carefully.
Method. Count each one once, in order, and say the last number.
- Touch each one and say its number. Count in order so no one is missed or counted twice.1, 2, 3
- Say the last number. The last number is how many there are.the last number is 3
- Write the answer. There are 3 apples.3
Check. Count back from 3 to 1. You should land on the same answer for the total.
Watch out. Touch each one only once. Moving each one as you count it helps.
Method. Count each one once, in order, and say the last number.
- Touch each one and say its number. Count in order so no one is missed or counted twice.1, 2, 3
- Say the last number. The last number is how many there are.the last number is 3
- Write the answer. There are 3 stars.3
Check. Count back from 3 to 1. You should land on the same answer for the total.
Watch out. Touch each one only once. Moving each one as you count it helps.
Method. Count each one once, in order, and say the last number.
- Touch each one and say its number. Count in order so no one is missed or counted twice.1, 2, 3
- Say the last number. The last number is how many there are.the last number is 3
- Write the answer. There are 3 balls.3
Check. Count back from 3 to 1. You should land on the same answer for the total.
Watch out. Touch each one only once. Moving each one as you count it helps.
Method. Count the things, then write the number as a word.
- Count the things. Touch each one once.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
- Find the number name. 9 is written as the word nine.9
- Write the answer. nine
Check. Count to 9 out loud. You should stop on nine.
Watch out. Spell the number word carefully.
Method. Count each one once, in order, and say the last number.
- Touch each one and say its number. Count in order so no one is missed or counted twice.1, 2, 3
- Say the last number. The last number is how many there are.the last number is 3
- Write the answer. There are 3 apples.3
Check. Count back from 3 to 1. You should land on the same answer for the total.
Watch out. Touch each one only once. Moving each one as you count it helps.
Method. Count each one once, in order, and say the last number.
- Touch each one and say its number. Count in order so no one is missed or counted twice.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
- Say the last number. The last number is how many there are.the last number is 10
- Write the answer. There are 10 stars.10
Check. Count back from 10 to 1. You should land on the same answer for the total.
Watch out. Touch each one only once. Moving each one as you count it helps.
Method. Count each one once, in order, and say the last number.
- Touch each one and say its number. Count in order so no one is missed or counted twice.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
- Say the last number. The last number is how many there are.the last number is 7
- Write the answer. There are 7 balls.7
Check. Count back from 7 to 1. You should land on the same answer for the total.
Watch out. Touch each one only once. Moving each one as you count it helps.
Method. Count the things, then write the number as a word.
- Count the things. Touch each one once.1, 2, 3
- Find the number name. 3 is written as the word three.3
- Write the answer. three
Check. Count to 3 out loud. You should stop on three.
Watch out. Spell the number word carefully.
Method. Count each one once, in order, and say the last number.
- Touch each one and say its number. Count in order so no one is missed or counted twice.1, 2, 3, 4
- Say the last number. The last number is how many there are.the last number is 4
- Write the answer. There are 4 apples.4
Check. Count back from 4 to 1. You should land on the same answer for the total.
Watch out. Touch each one only once. Moving each one as you count it helps.
Method. Count each one once, in order, and say the last number.
- Touch each one and say its number. Count in order so no one is missed or counted twice.1, 2, 3, 4, 5
- Say the last number. The last number is how many there are.the last number is 5
- Write the answer. There are 5 stars.5
Check. Count back from 5 to 1. You should land on the same answer for the total.
Watch out. Touch each one only once. Moving each one as you count it helps.
Method. Count each one once, in order, and say the last number.
- Touch each one and say its number. Count in order so no one is missed or counted twice.1, 2
- Say the last number. The last number is how many there are.the last number is 2
- Write the answer. There are 2 balls.2
Check. Count back from 2 to 1. You should land on the same answer for the total.
Watch out. Touch each one only once. Moving each one as you count it helps.
Method. Count the things once each, then compare with what Sam said.
- Count the things. Touch each one once, in order.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
- Compare with Sam. Sam said 8. We counted 7.7 is not 8
- Say whether Sam is right. Give the true number.No. There are 7 cubes.
Check. Count from the other end: 7 also. ✓
Watch out. Count carefully. A number that looks right may still be wrong.