Each indicator is followed by activities which illustrate how it can be addressed in the classroom in kindergarten and in grades 1 and 2. Students place various amounts of counters or other small objects in individual plastic bags. Working in groups of four students, the children choose one bag to be the reference set and judge whether each of the other bags has more than, less than, or the same as the reference set. Initially, they should try to make the judgments without counting. The teacher observes the groups as they work, making notes about the students' progress.
Young children benefit from frequently comparing sets of objects to some given number.
For example, given sets of colored chips arranged on a table, they should name which sets have more than five and which have less than five. Students will easily distinguish between the 7's and the 3's, but will be reluctant to make judgments about closer numbers like the 4's and 5's without counting. As they play more often, however, their ability to distinguish will visibly improve. They may also begin to notice patterns involving even and odd numbers on their own. Students learn to recognize certain arrangements of dots or stars as representing certain numbers.