25 minutes · AC9MFN04 (partition and combine up to five), AC9MFN02 (subitise small parts); partial practice · educator review pending
Success: The child starts with a collection of five, separates it into two non-overlapping parts, names or shows both parts and reunites them as the same whole.
Prepare per pair: five large counters, two bowls or outlined spaces, a whole space and the part-whole mat. No colour difference is required.
- Retrieve, 3 min. Show five in a three-and-two dot pattern briefly. Ask what groups the child saw; count all five to verify. If the visual reveal is inaccessible, use tactile or described groups without a speed requirement.
- Model, 6 min. Put five counters in the whole space. Move two to Part A and three to Part B. Say, “These are two parts of the same five objects. I can see two here and three here. When I bring them together, there are five.” Count all five again. Leave no object behind in the whole space.
- Guided game, 9 min. Partners split four or five counters for two pretend parcel shelves, two picnic mats with no food, or two book trays. One places; the other names or points to each part and reunites the whole. Swap roles. Start with three if needed.
- Fresh try, 4 min. Give exactly five uncounted objects. “Show five altogether, then put some in each part. Tell or show how many in each. Put them back together.” Record the child's actual split without suggesting 2/3.
- Check, 3 min. Show two in A and three in B. “How many altogether? Did splitting make more objects?” Key: 2 and 3 make 5; the total stayed five.
If the child counts the whole and both parts as separate objects: Empty the whole space when moving each counter into a part; then combine the same counters back. If a part is counted twice, move or touch each object once. If five is not secure, use a whole of three.
Access and record: Raised borders, large grippable objects, spoken descriptions and child-directed partner placement are available. Speech, sign, AAC, gaze or arrangement can name the parts. Record whole, both part counts, recombined whole, recognition route and prompts.