25 minutes · AC9MFN06 (partial) · educator review pending
Success: Child makes groups of exactly three from nine counters, identifies three complete groups and checks all nine are accounted for.
Prepare: nine counters, three or more ring/rectangle group spaces, numeral 3, S04 and optional S09 from print aids. Use movable tactile boundaries if needed.
- Retrieve, 3 min. Show S03's two recipient mats and one spare. Ask, “Yesterday, did we know the number of mats or the size of each group?” Answer: two recipient mats.
- Model, 5 min. Read S04. Say, “Today each bag must hold three. I do not know how many bags until I make them.” Move three into group 1, three into group 2, three into group 3; count groups separately from objects.
- Bag game, 10 min. Partners mix nine counters and make groups of three twice, changing spatial layout. Checker touches or directs each group and says “three objects in this group; three groups.” Then try S09's six wheel tokens in pairs. Teacher asks three focus learners, “What does this three tell me: objects per group or groups made?”
- Fresh check, 4 min. Give nine counters on a new mat and request groups of three; child reports size, group count and spare without seeing teacher layout.
- Close, 3 min. Child points to one group, then one object to keep the units distinct. Key: nine in groups of three → 3 groups of 3, 0 spare; six in groups of two → 3 groups of 2, 0 spare.
If the child reports “nine groups”: Circle each completed collection of three and count the circles, while separately counting the objects. Access and record: Raised rings, touchable containers, spoken group labels or adult movement by child direction are available. Note whether group size stayed fixed and whether group count was independent.