Ray's New Primary Arithmetic · Lesson X · Unit 2: First number facts with counters
10. Counting the birds: adding with a picture
Goal: Your child solves short story problems by looking at a picture, then without one.
You'll need
- The book page (it has a picture of birds)
- About 20 small counters: dried beans, buttons, pennies or pebbles (the book suggests marbles, beans or pebbles)
What's in the book
A picture of birds on a bush and two flocks in the distance, with story questions about the birds, such as "How many birds are two birds and five birds?"
The lesson, step by step
Talk about the picture
Look at the picture together. Ask: How many birds are on the bush? How many in each flock?
Story questions
Read the book's questions. Your child answers by counting in the picture.
Without the picture
Ask a similar question with no picture: "Seven birds sat on a fence and four more came. How many birds?" Use counters if needed.
Your own story
Ask your child to make up a bird story for you to answer.
Afterwards
Make up one "how many" story a day from real life: ducks at the pond, cars in the drive.