EL Support Lesson
Monkey Counting
Objectives
Academic
Students will be able to correctly order numbers and use one-to-one correspondance skills to determine how many items are in a group.
Language
Students will be able to identify numbers 1-20 and explain how to find the total number of items in a group using tactile supports and sentence frames.
Introduction
(2 minutes)- Gather the class together for a read aloud.
- Display the book, Count the Monkeys and introduce the title, author, and illustrator.
- Say, "Today we are going to practice counting and keeping track as we count."
Explicit Instruction/Teacher modeling
(5 minutes)- Read aloud the book and pause to model counting animals using one-to-one correspondance on each page.
- Explain to students that sometimes when we count we miss something or count the same thing more than once.
- Use a think aloud to demonstrate how to keep track when counting using objects (e.g., counting manipulatives) and model moving the counted objects to a new pile.
- Use a set of precut number cards to show how each item corresponds to a written numeral.
- Instruct the students to echo count as you recount the number of items to check your total amount.
Guided Practice
(5 minutes)- Place a pile of counting manipulatives in front of you and say, "How many bears do I have in all? How can I find out?"
- Invite students to turn and talk to share ideas.
- Use the number cards to connect written numbers as you count. Count the pile aloud with student input, and invite a student up to help you move the items as they are counted chorally by the class.
- Say, "The total number of bears is 10. Do you agree or disagree? Use a thumbs up or thumbs down to share your opinion."
- Recount the bears to check and encourage students to count along.
Group work time
(10 minutes)- Explain that now students will get their own set of number cards and counting manipulatives. They will work with a partner to practice matching each counting manipulative to one written number in order to find the total amount.
- Ask students to turn and talk to a partner to restate the instructions in their own words.
- Pass out the materials and pair students with a partner.
Additional EL adaptations
Beginning
- Allow students to count in their home language (L1).
- Work with students in a smaller teacher-led group.
Advanced
- Provide a greater challenge by asking students to count a larger group of items. Then, explain how they kept track with a partner.
- Have students draw 1-20 items and label them with a written number in order.
Assessment
(5 minutes)- Assess that students are able to accurately match the correct number of objects to a written numeral by circulating as students work and noting how students are interacting with the materials.
- Ask guiding questions to check for understanding. For example, "How many ____ are there? How do you know? How did you keep track, what strategy did you use?"
Review and closing
(3 minutes)- Gather the class back together and review different strategies for keeping track as you count.
- Ask students to turn and talk to share their favorite strategy using the sentence starter, "My favorite strategy was ____."