The purpose of this activity is for students to count their collection in a way that makes sense to them and notice that the number of objects stays the same when a collection is counted multiple times (MP8). Students are provided with 10-frames and counting mats to help them organize their collections. Students use appropriate tools strategically as they choose which tools help them count their collections (MP5).

If students count each object more than once or only count some of the objects, consider asking:

• “How many objects do you have? How do you know?” 
• Display the counting mat or the 10-frame and ask “How can you use this mat to help you make sure that you count each object?”

• “Show your partner how you counted and tell your partner how many objects are in your new collection. Did you and your partner count the collection the same way? Did you agree about how many objects are in the collection?”
• “We might count the objects differently than our partner, but we should get the same number if we count every object one time.”

The purpose of this activity is for students to notice and discuss that counting the same collection should yield the same result each time. Students may benefit from the opportunity to count the displayed collection of objects at the beginning of the activity, before discussing how Clare, Andre, and Noah counted. When students show different ways to count the cubes accurately, they attend to precision in organizing and counting (MP6).

• Select a student to figure out how many cubes there are.
• “Is there another way that we can count the cubes?”
• Select a student to figure out how many cubes there are in another way.
• “What is the same about how _____ and _____ counted the cubes? What is different?” (They both counted all of the cubes 1 time. They both counted 16 cubes. _____ put them in a line. _____ used a counting mat.)
• “There are 16 cubes.”
• Write or display the number 16.

The purpose of this activity is for students to learn Stage 1 of the Find the Pair center. Students develop fluency with addition and subtraction within 5 as they find the number that makes 5 when added to a given number. Each student starts with a hand of 5 cards. Students take turns asking their partner for a card that goes with one of their cards to make 5. When students receive a match, they put down the pair of cards and write an expression. Students draw a new card when they do not receive a match. Students continue playing until one player runs out of cards. The player with the most pairs wins. Students may use math tools such as 5-frames or draw a picture to make 5.

After they participate in the Find a Pair center, students choose any previously introduced stage from these centers:

• Number Race
• Subtraction Towers
• 5-Frames

• “As you played Find the Pair, how did you figure out what number you needed to make 5?”