Cardinality is the ability to understand that the last number which was counted when counting a set of objects is a direct representation of the total in that group.

Children will first learn to count by matching number words with objects   (1-to-1 correspondence) before they understand that the last number stated in a count indicates the amount of the set.

A child who understands this concept will count a set once and not need to count it again. They will automatically remember and know how many are represented.

Source: Origo One

Students who are still developing this skill need constant repetition of counting and explicit teaching through modelling so they understand they do not need to count over and over again when it will result in the same number. Students who have difficulty with their working memory may have difficulty with this concept.

So What Can You Do To Help!!

Research by Paliwal and Baroody (2017) stresses the importance of:

•  Labelling the total number of items then counting them (Label-first).  For example, on a page with 3 elephants, saying, “Look there are 3 elephants. Let’s count them.” And counted them as, “one, two,three.” or
• Counting the items, then emphasising and repeat the last word (Count-first). For example, on a page with 3 elephants, say, “One, two, three, t-h-r-e-e. There are three elephants.”
• Researchers indicate that the latter is the preferred method of modelling, suggesting that the first did make a difference compared to Counting Only, where the total number of items was not emphasised.

We can help children develop the understanding of cardinality by involving them in activities where they answer questions about ‘how many’. They need not only to be able to say the counting names in the correct order, but also to count a group of, for example, seven objects and say that there are seven.

 

This video from the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood provides examples of ways to develop cardinality in the classroom.

 

Activities

Counting Collections Activities should have some basis in reality, giving a purpose to counting. For example, create a need to count by involving children in food preparation. They will need to know how many people, plates or apples in order to complete the task.

How Many? Provide opportunities for students to count using a variety of objects such as buttons, counters, shells, coins, and dot cards. Objects can be put into jars, counted then draw and recorded. 

Order Disorder Place objects to be counted in different arrangements. Firstly, perhaps, a straight line then, the same objects, in a circle then a random arrangement. Always asking children “How many?” If they need to recount the objects, they do not understand the concept of cardinality.

Show Me Provide children with a bag, box, or bucket of objects and ask them to count out a certain number of objects. For example, say, “Show me 5 buttons.” Once the child has counted out the required number of objects, again ask, “How many?”

Bugged Out Children roll a number cube and put that many bugs into the jar. If they roll a fly-swatter, they have to remove a bug. If they roll the bug spray, they have to remove ALL of their bugs. The first person to get 10 bugs in their jar wins!! Printable

Count and Graph Worksheets here

Nature Scramble Engage children in activities in the school ground, beach or local park. Ask them to collect different numbers of object, for example, shells, rocks or leaves. Always referring to “How many?”

Rocket to 10 Printable Provides opportunities to talk to children about number and their thinking. Ask children, “How many cubes did you put in the rocket?” and “How many more do you need to fill the tower?”

Spot the goof from Parenting Science

Want to make your own sock puppet for Spot the goof?? The following videos may help. And neither require sewing!!

 

 

How Many Snails? a counting book by Paul Giganti Jr from the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics.

 

Once a child has a sense of cardinality, then we can involve them in matching activities where a number word is matched to a quantity and the numeral that belongs to it.

 

Matching Activities (ensuring that they are still using concrete manipulatives)

Match It Provide children with opportunities to match numerals with the number of items in the set they have counted.

Count It Provide children with a numeral card and ask them to read the number. Children then count out that many items to represent the number.

Mouse Match and Thread Printable I recommend that you only use one colour of beads, otherwise children will make coloured patterns instead of thinking about the counting!! 

Activities from Proud to be Primary

 

 

 

Ladybug Match Printable

 

Activities from In My World

 

 

Until next time,

Carole