Counting to 5 Lesson Plan for Pre-K and Kindergarten

To begin the lesson, ask the children to sit in a circle on the floor. Show them the flashcards with pictures of animals and numerals from 1 to 5. Ask them to name the animals and the numbers they see.

For example, you can say: "What animal is this?" (Showing a picture of a cat) and "How many cats are there?" (Showing the numeral 1). Repeat this with different animals and numbers until all the flashcards are shown.

Next, ask the children to hold their hands and show you their fingers. Ask them to name their fingers and count them from 1 to 5. For example, you can say: "This is your thumb. How many thumbs do you have?" (One) and "This is your index finger. How many index fingers do you have?" (One). Repeat this with all the fingers until they can count them from 1 to 5.

Finally, ask the children to stand up and do some physical movements that involve counting. For example, you can say: "Let's jump 5 times" or "Let's clap 3 times". Make sure they say the number words as they do the movements.

After the warm-up, ask the children to sit down again and watch the video from mathskills4kids.com (https://youtu.be/9aQx9xp8zb0). This video shows how to count different animals using fingers and objects. Pause the video at specific points and ask questions to check their understanding.

For example, you can pause after each animal is shown and ask: "How many cats/dogs/birds/fish are there?" or "How can we show this number with our fingers/objects?". Please encourage them to answer using complete sentences. For example, they can say: "There are two dogs," or "We can show two with two fingers."

After watching the video, write the numbers from 1 to 5 on the whiteboard or the chart paper. Ask the children to repeat after you as you say the number words. Point to each number and ask them to identify it. For example, you can say: "What number is this?" (pointing to 3), and they can say: "Three." Repeat this until they can recognize all the numbers from 1 to 5.

For this activity, divide the children into small groups of 3 or 4. Give each group a set of flashcards with pictures of animals and numerals from 1 to 5. Also, give each child a set of counters or small objects, a paper plate or a cup, and a sticker or a stamp.

Ask the groups to take turns picking a flashcard and showing it to the rest of the group. The group members will count the number of animals on the flashcard and match it with the corresponding numeral. They will also show the same number with their fingers, counters, or objects. For example, if they pick a flashcard with 4 birds and the numeral 4, they will say: "There are four birds," show four fingers, and put four counters or objects on their paper plate or cup.

If they do it correctly, they get a sticker or a stamp on their flashcard. If they make a mistake, they get another chance to try again. The group that collects the most stickers or stamps wins.

After the activity, ask the groups to return to the circle and share their learning with the class. Ask each group to show one of their flashcards and explain how they counted the animals, matched the numeral, showed the fingers, and used the counters or objects. Praise them for their efforts and correct any errors if needed.

To conclude the lesson, review the main points with the children. Ask them to tell you what they learned today. For example, they can say: "We learned how to count up to 5," or "We learned how to match numbers with pictures." Write their responses on the whiteboard or the chart paper.

Then, ask them to sing a song or chant a rhyme that involves counting. For example, they can sing: "One, two, buckle my shoe" or "Five little monkeys jumping on the bed." Make sure they use their fingers and their voices as they sing.