Counting Mat
Task
Materials
Counting Mats
Small objects to count, such as bears or tiles.
Action
The teacher gives students the counting mat and many small objects to count with. Some students will automatically read the numbers and assemble the correct number of object then match them to the dots on the counting mat to verify they counted correctly. Other students who need more scaffolding will match each object to a dot. Students who do it this way should be guided to count the objects once they have assembled them on the dots. Once a student is done with each number they can move on to the next number. The teacher should do a quick check of a student's work before the student begins working on the larger numbers.
IM Commentary
The teacher can print the counting mats, copy them as double-sided copies with 1-6 on the front and 7-12 on the back, and then laminate them so they can be reused. The mats can also be copied onto larger paper (such as 11x17 paper). This task will probably be used at the start of the kindergarten year and some children may benefit from the larger size mat as their fine-motor skills are still developing.
This task gives students another way to practice counting and gain fluency with connecting a written number with the act of counting. This task should be introduced by the teacher and would then be a good independent center. The number mat could be made with a different counting sequence if the teacher desires.
Attached Resources
Solution
Students must correctly match up the number of objects to the dots and the number.
Counting Mat
Materials
Counting Mats
Small objects to count, such as bears or tiles.
Action
The teacher gives students the counting mat and many small objects to count with. Some students will automatically read the numbers and assemble the correct number of object then match them to the dots on the counting mat to verify they counted correctly. Other students who need more scaffolding will match each object to a dot. Students who do it this way should be guided to count the objects once they have assembled them on the dots. Once a student is done with each number they can move on to the next number. The teacher should do a quick check of a student's work before the student begins working on the larger numbers.