Trusting the Count

Overview

This four-lesson Maths sequence is designed for Prep students in line with the Australian Curriculum v9 (Mathematics Foundation - Number). The teaching focus lies in consolidating subitising skills, recognising part-part-whole relationships, and developing a confident understanding of quantities without the need to count—aka “trusting the count”.

Working in three differentiated ability groups (1–5, 5–10, 10–20), this carefully scaffolded plan incorporates explicit teaching, hands-on use of concrete materials and targeted modelling that supports learners in building number sense.

This is ideal for Catholic schools and low-resource settings, using imaginative language, teacher-led engagement, and small manipulatives (e.g. counters, blocks, natural materials).

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Curriculum Alignment:

Learning Area: Mathematics
Level: Foundation (Prep)
Strand: Number
Sub-strand: Number and Algebra – Number
Content Description:

• ACMNA289: Recognise small collections without counting (subitising)
• ACMNA290: Understand counting sequences
• ACMNA291: Compare, order and make to 10
• ACMNA292: Model partitioning of numbers using part-part-whole strategies

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Teaching Focus

• Lesson 1: Recognise Quantities to 5 – "Just Know It!"
• Lesson 2: Build 5 to 10 – "What’s Hiding?"
• Lesson 3: Explore Part-Part-Whole to 10 – “Peekaboo Parts”
• Lesson 4: Extend to 20 – "Build and Break Numbers"

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Group Differentiation

• Group 1 (Level 1): Working confidently to subitise and explore part–part–whole with numbers 1–5
• Group 2 (Level 2): Working toward trusting the count up to 10
• Group 3 (Level 3): Beginning to explore part–part–whole with numbers to 20 (bridge to Year 1)

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Materials (Minimal Resources)

• Small counting objects (e.g. glass gems, buttons, paddle pop sticks, shells)
• Part-part-whole mats (simple laminated circles or hand-drawn templates)
• Dice or subitising dot cards
• Personal whiteboards or scrap paper
• Number fans (optional but can be made from paper and pegs)

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⭐ Lesson Plan 1: Just Know It! ⭐

Focus: Subitising to 5
Duration: 45 minutes
Learning Intention: We are learning to see how many there are without counting.
Success Criteria: I can quickly say how many without needing to count.

❖ Warm-Up (5 mins) – “Quick Looks”

• Flash dot pattern cards (1–5) for 2 seconds
• Students call out how many they immediately saw, not how many they counted

Teacher Tip: Ask: “What did you see? How did you know it was 4?” Encourage visual strategies (e.g. seeing 2 and 2).

❖ Teacher Modelling (5 mins)

• Using 5-frame or dot cards:

“I just KNOW this is 4 – because I can see 3 together and 1 apart!”

• Model different dot patterns, saying what you see and why you didn’t count

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❖ Group Differentiated Practice (20 mins)

• Group 1: Subitise 1–5 with dot cards and natural materials. Flash and name.
• Group 2: Begin layering part-part whole—e.g. “I see 5 as 2 and 3”. Use basic part–part–whole mats.
• Group 3: Use dice towers (pick a 2-digit number under 10 and explain combinations).

All students use counting objects to recreate patterns.

Teacher cues: “Is there more than one way to make 5?” “Can you show 4 another way?”

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❖ Reflection & Check-in (10 mins)

• Show mixed dot flashes or drawn shapes. Students hold up a finger fan or say number
• Ask: “What parts did you see?” (Connect visual grouping with numerical understanding)

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⭐ Lesson Plan 2: What’s Hiding? ⭐

Focus: Part-part-whole to 10
Duration: 45 minutes
Learning Intention: We are learning to see the parts that make a number.
Success Criteria: I can break a number into 2 parts and still trust the count.

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❖ Whole-Class Warm-Up – Cover & Reveal (5 mins)

• Use a collection of 5–10 counters. Cover some with a cup.

“There are 8 altogether. I covered some. You see 5. How many are hiding?”

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❖ Teacher Modelling (10 mins)

Use a magnetic whiteboard or table mat. Place 7 counters on the part-part-whole mat.

• Ask: “Can we make 7 in two parts?” Show different combinations
• Model with different numbers, speaking:

“5 is 2 and 3, but it is also 1 and 4.”

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❖ Group Differentiated Practice (20 mins)

• Group 1: Use counters and plates—hide some under a bowl: “I see 2! Guess how many are hiding!”
• Group 2: Use part-part-whole mats. Build numbers 6-10. Record combinations on mini-whiteboards.
• Group 3: Challenge up to 12. Explore that the two parts change, but the whole stays the same.

🤲 This practice is hands-on, teacher-guided—no group rotations or co-operative tasks.

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❖ Reflection (10 mins)

• Ask: What’s a different way to build 6? 7?

Can you show it with your hands?
Use student examples to revisit “trusting” the total number even when parts change.

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⭐ Lesson Plan 3: Peekaboo Parts ⭐

Focus: Exploring part-part-whole to 10 with fluency
Duration: 45 minutes
Learning Intention: We are learning to break and build numbers in different ways.
Success Criteria: I can find more than one way to make a number.

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❖ Whole-Class Warm-Up (5 mins) – Show Me!

• Teacher says a number (e.g. 6).
• Students show it on their fingers—but differently each time

Challenge: Can anyone show 6 as 1 and 5? 3 and 3?

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❖ Teacher Modelling (5 mins)

Use larger counters and a part-part-whole template on the floor or whiteboard

• Model:

“I’m thinking of 9. I can break it into 4 and 5… or 2 and 7.”

• Physically move objects to each section

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❖ Group Differentiated Practice (20 mins)

• Group 1: Work with numbers 1–5 still, but extend part combinations
• Group 2: Practice combinations to 10 using cups, cards and dry pasta
• Group 3: Try bridging strategies to 10; e.g. “To get to 10 from 6, what do I need?”

Use songs/rhymes if desired – trust-based number bonds (like: “5 Little Speckled Frogs”)

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❖ Reflection (10 mins)

• Ask: “Did we find many different ways to make the same number?”
  Students respond by showing fingers, acting parts out, or building with counters

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⭐ Lesson 4: Build and Break Numbers ⭐

Focus: Extending trusting the count to numbers up to 20
Duration: 45 minutes
Learning Intention: We are learning to trust the count, even when it’s a bigger number
Success Criteria: I can break apart bigger numbers and still know the whole.

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❖ Whole-Class Warm-Up (5 mins) – Giant Tens Frame

• Use chalk or tape to make oversize ten frame
• Call students up to fill 10-frame then begin a second
  Ask: “How many do we have now? What parts make up 12?"

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❖ Teacher Modelling (5 mins)

Model groups of 10 using sticks or popsticks in bundles

• Show 10 and…

“One more is 11… do we need to count them all again?”

• Begin using ten and some more language

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❖ Group Differentiated Practice (20 mins)

• Group 1: Use 10-frame to review numbers under 10
• Group 2: Practise bridging with 10 (“I have 7, how more to make 10?”)
• Group 3: Use long chains of objects to build and break 11–20. Group into 10s and extras.

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❖ Reflection (10 mins)

Use a mini whiteboard challenge:
Write number 13–model: “13 is 10 and 3 more!”
Compare strategies and ask:

“How did you know that was 13 without counting each one?”

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Final Notes

• Use consistent language: “I see…”, “I know…”, “I don’t need to count because…”
• Visualise numbers through spatial structure and movement.
• Encourage concrete before abstract. Let them touch, move, break, and rebuild.

This sequence builds deep understanding in early years learners and makes the abstract visible. A quiet revolution—without prepping centres or laminating for hours!

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Prepared with ❤️ for hard-working early years teachers across Australia!
Remember: You know your learners best. Use your joyful presence and a few simple tools to unlock big maths thinking.