Explore Equal-Sized Groups (Small Group)

7-A-S-1

Purpose: Describe equal-sized groups

Description: Students describe equal groups to develop the initial idea that equal-sized groups have the same number of items.

Materials

  • Counters
Explore Equal-Sized Groups

What To Say and Do

  • 1

    Using the counters, make a collection of equal-sized groups (e.g., 4 groups of counters with 2 in each group). 

  • 2

    Ask questions that require students to reflect on the quantity within each group and the ways in which the groups compare. Consider prompts such as: 

    • What do you notice about how I arranged the counters?
    • What can you tell me about these groups?
    • How many counters are there in each group?
    • How many groups are there?
  • 3

    Repeat the activity with different collections of equal-sized groups. 

Variations

Display groups where one of the groups contains one more or one less item than the others (e.g., three groups of 3 and one group of 4). Ask,

  • Are all the groups equal in size? Why/Why not?
  • How can we make them of equal size?

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