Applying Fives Strategies

Overview

In this final lesson of the four-part unit, students apply their understanding of counting in 5s to familiar situations. They rotate through practical problem-solving stations, explain and check their strategies, then complete a short individual assessment and reflection.

Learning intentions

• WALT use counting in 5s to solve everyday problems.
• WALT choose materials, drawings or number sequences to help solve a problem.
• WALT explain and check our mathematical thinking.
• WALT work thoughtfully and cooperatively with others.

Success criteria

• I can count in 5s accurately.
• I can use counting in 5s to solve a problem.
• I can check whether my answer makes sense.
• I can explain my strategy using words, drawings or materials.

Curriculum links

• Number: use forward counting in equal groups to develop fluency with skip-counting patterns.
• Number: solve and communicate simple problems involving quantities and groups of 5.
• Mathematics and Statistics — Mathsteasers: use higher-order thinking questions to deepen understanding and challenge advanced learners.
• Key Competency — Thinking: make sense of a problem, choose a strategy, check an answer and explain the reasoning.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–8 min · Warm-up and revisit. Teacher opens the hook and counting-in-5s warm-up slides with the question, “Where might we see groups of 5 in everyday life?” and leads the class in counting forwards and backwards from 0 to 100 using fingers and a large number line. Students notice patterns, join the counting, and share examples such as fingers, toes, coins or groups of objects.

2. 8–15 min · Model a strategy. Teacher displays the worked-example slides and models: “There are 4 pairs of hands. How many fingers altogether?” Think aloud while drawing four groups of 5, counting 5, 10, 15, 20, and checking by touching each group once. Students solve a similar example with counters or fingers, then explain to a partner how they checked their answer.

3. 15–39 min · Problem-solving stations. Teacher places students in four groups of five and introduces the station instructions on the station instructions and discussion prompts. Students spend approximately six minutes at each station, recording answers and strategies on the counting-in-5s stations recording sheet before rotating when signalled.

• Hands: Solve problems about pairs or groups of hands and fingers using drawings or finger patterns.
• Coins: Use 5-cent coins or counters to find totals in simple collections, such as 3, 6 or 8 groups of 5.
• Objects in groups: Make equal groups of 5 with classroom objects and solve “How many altogether?” problems.
• Sequences: Complete missing numbers in counting-in-5s sequences and explain what changes each time. Teacher reads problems aloud, asks “How do you know?” and conferences with learners who need support.

4. 39–49 min · Share and compare strategies. Teacher brings the class together and uses the strategy-sharing slides to select two or three station examples, including different representations. Students explain their thinking using a drawing, materials, counting aloud or an equation such as 5 + 5 + 5 = 15. The class checks each answer by recounting, matching groups or using the next number in the sequence.

5. 49–57 min · Individual check. Teacher distributes the final section of the individual counting-in-5s check and reads each question aloud without solving it. Students independently complete tasks such as continuing a sequence, finding the total in pictured groups of 5, and solving one everyday problem. They show their strategy with a drawing, counters or words. Early finishers create a counting-in-5s problem for a classmate on the back of the sheet.

6. 57–60 min · Reflection and close. Teacher displays the reflection and plenary slide and asks, “What strategy helped you most, and how did you check your answer?” Students complete the sentence orally or in writing: “I used counting in 5s to ____. I checked by ____.” Invite two learners to share how they used thinking to make sense of a problem.

Resources

• the complete counting-in-5s lesson deck
• the counting-in-5s stations recording sheet
• 5-cent coins or plastic counters
• Connecting cubes, bottle tops or small classroom objects
• Large floor or wall number line from 0 to 100
• Pencils, crayons and mini-whiteboards
• Station signs and a timer
• Optional fingers, ten-frames or small tubs for organising groups

Assessment

• During the warm-up and modelling, listen for accurate counting in 5s and observe whether students recognise the pattern of numbers ending in 0 or 5.
• At stations, question students individually: “What are you counting?” “How many groups?” and “How could you check?” Record students who need further support with grouping, sequence or explanation.
• Use the individual check to assess accuracy, strategy choice, checking and communication. Review the final reflection to identify students’ confidence and next steps.

Differentiation

• Read every problem aloud and support meaning with pictures, gestures, counters, fingers and clearly organised groups of 5.
• Provide smaller numbers, a starting number, a number line, or partially completed sequences for students who need scaffolding. Allow students to work with a supportive partner before attempting the individual check.
• Conference individually with learners who count every object rather than using groups; model touching or circling each group once and rehearsing the language, “___ groups of 5 makes ___.”
• For EAL learners and students requiring additional support, use short sentences, repeated vocabulary, visual examples and options to explain through drawing or materials rather than writing.
• Challenge advanced learners to create and solve a counting-in-5s problem for a classmate, work with totals up to 100, or find more than one solution where possible. Ask them to explain why both solutions work.