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What does a student learn in ?

This is the year numbers start to mean something real. Students learn to count to 100, write the numbers 0 to 20, and figure out which group has more. They begin adding and subtracting small amounts using fingers, pennies, and drawings, and they start naming shapes like circles, squares, and cones. By spring, they can count a pile of up to 20 objects and solve simple add or take-away problems within 10.

  • Counting to 100
  • Writing numbers
  • Adding and subtracting
  • Comparing groups
  • Shapes
  • Sorting objects
Source: Alabama Alabama Course of Study
Year at a glance
How the year usually goes. Every school and district set their own curriculum, so treat this as a guide, not official pacing.
  1. 1

    Counting and number names

    Students learn to count out loud to 100 and start writing numbers from 0 to 20. They practice counting groups of objects and saying how many are in each group.

  2. 2

    Comparing groups and numbers

    Students compare two groups of objects and decide which has more, less, or the same. They also compare written numbers up to 10 using words like greater than and less than.

  3. 3

    Adding and subtracting within 10

    Students use fingers, blocks, and drawings to put numbers together and take them apart. They solve simple word problems and start to add and subtract small numbers from memory.

  4. 4

    Teen numbers and place value

    Students take apart numbers from 11 to 19 and see that each one is a group of ten with some extra ones. This sets up place value work in first grade.

  5. 5

    Shapes, sorting, and measuring

    Students name flat and solid shapes like circles, cubes, and cones, and describe where things are using words like above and beside. They sort objects into groups and compare which is longer, taller, or heavier.

Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Kindergarten.
Foundations of Counting
  • Know number names and the count sequence

    K.FC.A

    Students learn the names of numbers and practice counting in order. This is the foundation for everything they do with numbers in kindergarten and beyond.

  • Count forward orally from 0 to 100 by ones and by tens

    K.FC.A.1

    Students count out loud from 0 to 100, one number at a time or by tens. They also count backward from 10 down to 0.

  • Count to 100 by ones beginning with any given number between 0 and 99

    K.FC.A.2

    Students pick any number and count forward from there, all the way to 100. This builds the habit of seeing numbers as a continuous sequence, not just a list that always starts at one.

  • Write numerals from 0 to 20

    K.FC.A.3

    Students practice writing the numbers 0 through 20 by hand. This is about forming each numeral correctly on the page, not just recognizing what it looks like.

  • Represent 0 to 20 using concrete objects when given a written numeral from 0 to…

    K.FC.A.3.a

    Students pick up the right number of objects to match a numeral on the page. If the numeral is 0, they show an empty hand or empty space.

  • Count to tell the number of objects

    K.FC.B

    Students count a small group of objects and say how many are in the pile. This is the first step toward adding and subtracting later.

  • Connect counting to cardinality using a variety of concrete objects

    K.FC.B.4.

    Students count a group of objects and understand that the last number they say tells how many are in the whole group.

  • Say the number names in consecutive order when counting objects

    K.FC.B.4.a

    Students count a group of objects by saying number names in order: one, two, three. They don't skip numbers or say them out of sequence.

  • Indicate that the last number name said tells the number of objects counted in…

    K.FC.B.4.b

    When students count a group of objects, the last number they say tells how many are in the group. Counting five blocks and saying "five" means there are five, not that five comes next.

  • Indicate that the number of objects in a set is the same regardless of their…

    K.FC.B.4.c

    Count a small group of objects, then rearrange them and count again. Students learn that the total stays the same no matter how the objects are moved or which one they count first.

  • Explain that each successive number name refers to a quantity that is one…

    K.FC.B.4.d

    Each new number in the counting sequence means one more object than the number before it. Students learn that five is one more than four, six is one more than five, and so on.

  • Count to answer "how many?" questions

    K.FC.B.5

    Students count a group of objects and say how many there are. This is the skill behind every "how many apples?" or "how many kids?" question.

  • Count using no more than 20 concrete objects arranged in a line, a rectangular…

    K.FC.B.5.a

    Students count up to 20 objects laid out in a row, a grid, or a circle. The arrangement helps them keep track of what they've already counted and what's left.

  • Count using no more than 10 concrete objects in a scattered configuration

    K.FC.B.5.b

    Students count up to 10 objects arranged randomly on a table or floor, not in a neat row. The arrangement changes, but the total stays the same.

  • Draw the number of objects that matches a given numeral from 0 to 20

    K.FC.B.5.c

    Students see a number and draw that many objects to match it. Works with any number from 0 to 20, including drawing nothing at all for zero.

  • Compare numbers

    K.FC.C

    Students look at two groups of objects and decide which group has more, which has less, or whether both groups are equal.

  • Orally identify whether the number of objects in one group is <em>greater/more…

    K.FC.C.6

    Students look at two small groups of objects and say out loud which group has more, which has fewer, or whether they match. Groups have up to 10 objects.

  • Compare two numbers between 0 and 10 presented as written numerals

    K.FC.C.7

    Students look at two written numbers (up to 10) and say which one is bigger, which is smaller, or whether they are the same. No symbols needed, just the words.

Operations and Algebraic Thinking
  • Understand addition as putting together and adding to

    K.OA.A

    Addition means putting groups together to get a bigger number. Subtraction means splitting a group apart or taking some away. Students practice both with small numbers using objects, fingers, and drawings.

  • Represent addition and subtraction up to 10 with concrete objects, fingers…

    K.OA.A.8

    Students show addition and subtraction using things they can touch or see, like fingers, coins, or drawings. They practice combining and taking away with numbers up to 10.

  • Solve addition and subtraction word problems

    K.OA.A.9

    Students solve simple adding and subtracting problems (within 10) by drawing pictures or using objects like blocks or counters to figure out the answer.

  • Decompose numbers less than or equal to 10 into pairs of smaller numbers in…

    K.OA.A.10

    Students practice breaking a small number into two parts, finding as many ways as they can. For example, 7 could be 3 and 4, or 5 and 2. They draw pictures or write simple equations to show each split.

  • For any number from 0 to 10, find the number that makes 10 when added to the…

    K.OA.A.11

    Students pick a number between 0 and 10, then figure out what to add to reach 10. They show their thinking with a drawing or a simple equation like 6 + 4 = 10.

  • Fluently add and subtract within 5

    K.OA.A.12

    Students quickly solve any addition or subtraction problem where the answer is 5 or less. Think of it as knowing that 2 + 3 or 4 - 1 without stopping to count on fingers.

  • Understand simple patterns

    K.OA.B

    Students spot what comes next in a repeating pattern, like red-blue-red-blue, and continue it. They learn to see the rule behind the sequence.

  • Duplicate and extend simple patterns using concrete objects

    K.OA.B.13

    Students copy a repeating pattern (like red, blue, red, blue) and then keep it going using blocks, shapes, or other objects.

Operations with Numbers
  • Work with numbers 11-19 to gain foundations for place value

    K.ON.A

    Numbers 11 through 19 are a ten plus some leftover ones. Students learn to see 14 as one group of ten and four extra, building the foundation for how our number system works.

  • Compose and decompose numbers from 11 to 19 by using concrete objects or…

    K.ON.A14

    Students build numbers like 13 or 17 by grouping ten blocks together and counting the leftovers. This shows that every teen number is just a group of ten plus a few more.

Data Analysis
  • Collect and analyze data and interpret results

    K.DA.A

    Students gather simple information, sort it into groups, and answer questions about what they found. Think of counting how many classmates prefer apples versus bananas and talking about which group is bigger.

  • Classify objects into given categories of 10 or fewer

    K.DA.A.15

    Students sort objects into groups (by color, shape, or size), count how many are in each group, and figure out which group has the most or fewest.

  • Categorize data on Venn diagrams, pictographs

    K.DA.A.15.a

    Students sort real objects or pictures into groups on simple charts and diagrams, like a yes-no chart or a picture graph, to show how things are alike or different.

Measurement
  • Describe and compare measurable attributes

    K.M.A

    Students compare objects by size, length, or weight using everyday words like "bigger," "shorter," or "heavier." They notice what can be measured before they use any tools.

  • Identify and describe measurable attributes

    K.M.A.16

    Students pick up an object and describe it using size words: long or short, heavy or light, tall or short. This is the first step in learning to measure.

  • Directly compare two objects with a measurable attribute in common to see which…

    K.M.A.17

    Students pick two objects and compare them directly, such as holding two pencils side by side to see which is longer or shorter. They put the difference into words.

Geometry
  • Identify and describe shapes

    K.G.A

    Students name and describe everyday shapes, from flat ones like squares and triangles to solid ones like cubes and spheres. They learn to spot these shapes in the world around them.

  • Describe objects in the environment using names of shapes

    K.G.A.18

    Students look at everyday objects around them and name their shapes. They also describe where things are, saying whether something is above, below, beside, or in front of something else.

  • Correctly name shapes regardless of their orientations or overall sizes

    K.G.A.19

    Students learn that a triangle is still a triangle whether it's big, small, or tipped on its side. The name of a shape doesn't change just because it looks a little different.

  • Identify shapes as two-dimensional

    K.G.A.20

    Students sort shapes into two groups: flat shapes like a square or circle that lie on paper, and solid shapes like a ball or box that you can pick up and hold.

  • Analyze, compare, create

    K.G.B

    Students sort, compare, and build shapes by describing what makes each one different. They put shapes together to make new ones.

  • Analyze and compare two- and three-dimensional shapes, in different sizes and…

    K.G.B.21

    Students look at flat shapes (like triangles and squares) and solid shapes (like cubes and balls), then describe how they are alike or different using words like "corners," "sides," and "round."

  • Model shapes in the world by building them from sticks, clay balls

    K.G.B.22

    Students build and draw basic shapes using materials like sticks or clay. They connect the shapes they see in the real world to ones they can make with their hands.

  • Use simple shapes to compose larger shapes

    K.G.B.23

    Students put together small shapes, like triangles or squares, to build a bigger shape. Two triangles might form a rectangle, or four squares might form a larger square.

Common Questions
  • What math should students know by the end of the year?

    Students should count to 100, write numbers 0 to 20, and add and subtract small amounts up to 10. They should also name common shapes, sort objects into groups, and compare which is taller, heavier, or longer.

  • How can I help with counting at home?

    Count real things together: stairs as students climb, grapes on a plate, cars in the driveway. Ask how many are left after eating two, or how many more are needed to make ten. Five minutes a day matters more than a long session once a week.

  • My child can say numbers to 100 but miscounts objects. Is that normal?

    Yes. Saying numbers in order and counting actual objects are two different skills. Practice touching each object once while saying the number, and ask how many there are at the end. That last number is the answer.

  • How should I sequence number work across the year?

    Start with counting and matching numbers to sets of objects in the fall. Move into comparing groups and decomposing numbers under 10 by midyear. Save teen numbers as ten plus some ones for spring, since it sets up first grade place value.

  • Which skills usually need the most reteaching?

    Counting objects in a scattered pile, writing numbers without reversals, and seeing teen numbers as ten and some more. Build in short practice on these all year rather than one unit. Many students also confuse greater than and less than language well into spring.

  • How do I help with addition and subtraction without flashcards?

    Use fingers, pennies, or snacks. Ask questions like how many crackers are left after eating two, or how many more are needed to make five. Students should be quick with sums and differences up to 5 by the end of the year.

  • What does mastery of shapes look like at this age?

    Students should name circles, squares, triangles, rectangles, hexagons, cubes, cones, cylinders, and spheres, even when the shape is rotated or a different size. They should also describe corners and sides and build bigger shapes from smaller ones.

  • How do I know a student is ready for first grade math?

    Look for steady counting to 100, fluent adding and subtracting within 5, and the ability to break ten into pairs like 7 and 3. Students should also see a teen number such as 14 as ten and four more.