MAFS.K.CC.2.5Archived Standard

Count to answer “how many?” questions about as many as 20 things arranged in a line, a rectangular array, or a circle, or as many as 10 things in a scattered configuration; given a number from 1–20, count out that many objects.
General Information
Subject Area: Mathematics
Grade: K
Domain-Subdomain: Counting and Cardinality
Cluster: Level 1: Recall
Cluster: Count to tell the number of objects. (Major Cluster) -

Clusters should not be sorted from Major to Supporting and then taught in that order. To do so would strip the coherence of the mathematical ideas and miss the opportunity to enhance the major work of the grade with the supporting clusters.

Date Adopted or Revised: 02/14
Content Complexity Rating: Level 1: Recall - More Information
Date of Last Rating: 02/14
Status: State Board Approved - Archived

Related Courses

This benchmark is part of these courses.
5012020: Grade Kindergarten Mathematics (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
7712015: Access Mathematics - Grade Kindergarten (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2018, 2018 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
5020070: STEM Lab Kindergarten (Specifically in versions: 2016 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
5012005: Foundational Skills in Mathematics K-2 (Specifically in versions: 2019 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))

Related Access Points

Alternate version of this benchmark for students with significant cognitive disabilities.

Related Resources

Vetted resources educators can use to teach the concepts and skills in this benchmark.

Educational Games

Curious George - Flower Garden:

Flowers are popping up everywhere! Help George keep track of how many there are by counting with him.

Type: Educational Game

Mingle & Count: A Game of Number Sense:

In this 5-minute video Barbara McCormick demonstrates an activity that helps her Kindergarten students develop number sense. Students mingle and, on the teacher's signal, form themselves into groups of a given number. This active experience with equal groups helps build the foundation for multiplication and division with remainders. A sidebar provides reflection questions for viewers. A downloadable transcript (doc) of the video is included.

Type: Educational Game

Formative Assessments

How Many Dots?:

Students are shown dot cards and asked to determine how many dots are on each card.

Type: Formative Assessment

How Many Cubes?:

Students are asked to count cubes arranged in lines, arrays, and circles.

Type: Formative Assessment

How Many Cubes Are There?:

Students are asked to count sets of cubes and determine how many cubes are in each set. Next, students are given a set of cubes and asked to count out a given number of cubes.

Type: Formative Assessment

How Many Cubes Does Brianna Need?:

Students are asked to show 12 cubes.

Type: Formative Assessment

Lesson Plans

Spring Festival Flower:

In this MEA, students will help pick a flower that will be the focus of the Spring Festival.  They will practice counting pictures and representing the number of pictures with a written numeral.

Type: Lesson Plan

Mathematical Magic: A basic plan for setting up successful math centers:

In this lesson, students will learn the desired procedures and successful outcomes for conducting daily math centers that will help them become better learners. This lesson includes station activities for counting objects and representing the number with a written numeral. The procedure for math centers can be adapted for use in other grade levels.

Type: Lesson Plan

Vegetables…in Cupcakes?!:

In teams, students will make decisions about how to select the best bakery based on various cupcake characteristics (e.g., taste, smell).

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

Counting to Ten With Ten Black Dots:

In this lesson, students will practice one-to-one correspondence and counting to 10 using black dots as manipulative.

Type: Lesson Plan

How Many? Lesson 2 of 3:

In this lesson, students will show understanding of the conservation of numbers regardless of the order in which they were counted. Student will be able to tell "how many" without recounting objects and be able to explain that the amount is the same because no objects were added or taken away.

Type: Lesson Plan

Let's Count the Steps:

Students will count items with numbers ranging from zero to twenty in an outdoor environment (can also be done indoors) and, when given a number up to 20, will count steps, using body movement in the form of "taking steps" on a number line to enhance learning.

Type: Lesson Plan

Ten and Some More (Exploring Numbers 11-20):

In this lesson, students will represent numbers 11-19 using a unit of ten and a group of ones using objects. As an optional extension task, students will be challenged to use their knowledge of numbers 11-20 represented as a unit of ten and a group of ones to complete posters in a mock real-world situation involving free tickets.

Type: Lesson Plan

Original Student Tutorials

We Have 2 Bones! Recognizing and Writing Number 2:

Help Lucy and Izzy learn to recognize and write the number 2. In this interactive tutorial, you'll also count two objects and use a 10 frame and a number line. 

This is part 2 in a multi-part series. Click below to open the other tutorials.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Where Is My Bone? Recognizing and Writing Numbers 0 and 1:

Help Lucy and Izzy explore the numbers 0 and 1 using writing, ten frames and number lines in this interactive tutorial.  

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Teaching Ideas

Thinking Math. Questions to ask and games to play to help children think mathematically.:

This resource provides teaching ideas related to counting and comparing/sorting different items.

Type: Teaching Idea

Thinking Math. Questions to ask and games to play to help children think mathematically.:

This resource provides teaching ideas related to counting and comparing/sorting different items.

Type: Teaching Idea

How Many Seeds?:

In this activity, students demonstrate that they know the value of numbers by writing numerals and gluing seeds on paper apples.

Type: Teaching Idea

Text Resource

Bibliography of Counting Books:

A printable list of nine counting book references.

Type: Text Resource

Unit/Lesson Sequences

Let's Count to 20:

In this 6-lesson unit, students make groups of 10 to 20 objects, connect number names to the groups, compose and decompose numbers, and use numerals to record the size of a group. Visual, auditory, and kinesthetic activities are included in each lesson.

Individual Lessons

    • This lesson focuses on numbers 0-10, having students making groups of objects, identifying and writing numerals, and recording the number of objects in groups. First the teacher will use the concept of a "high five" to get students to make "high tens" and so on with numbers up to ten. Next they will use connecting cubes to build towers and compare them using descriptive vocabulary. They will use ten frames to lay down the conceptual framework for benchmark numbers, fives and tens. Finally they will make bean sticks to be used in a later lesson.
  • Lesson 2: Building Sets of 11 and 12
    • This lesson focuses on learning the numerals 11 and 12. First students will be shown the numeral 11 and asked how many tens and ones are in it. They will be given 10 each of two different colors of connecting blocks, and asked to make a tower of ten of one color, then add one of the other color. This will reinforce the concept of ten as a single unit. Next they will make a tower of 12, and then they will trace their tower and color it accordingly.
  • Lesson 3: Building Sets of 13 and 14
    • This lesson focuses on learning the numerals 13 and 14. First students will be shown the numerals 13 and 14 and asked to clap and count to each. They will be given 10 each of two different colors of connecting blocks, and asked to make a tower of ten of one color, then add the appropriate number of the other color. They will then trace their tower and color it accordingly. They will then use two ten frames to place the cubes and count out their numbers individually.
  • Lesson 4: Building Sets of 15 and 16
    • This lesson focuses on learning the numerals 15 and 16. First students will be given connecting cubes arranged in a set of 12-16 cubes and are asked to separate them into a group of ten and the rest singles. Then they are given loose cubes of two colors and asked to make a tower of 10 of one color, and add 5 of the other color. Students will trace the tower and color it accordingly, then write "15" using the first crayon color for the "1" and the other color for the "5". They will repeat this activity for 16. Next, they will then use two ten frames to place the cubes and count out their numbers individually. Lastly, they will use their bean sticks to count out and draw 15 and 16.
  • Lesson 5: Building Sets of 17 and 18
    • This lesson focuses on learning the numerals 17 and 18. First students will be distributed number cards and bags of connecting cubes, then asked to determine if their numeral card matches the number of cubes in the bag. If not, they are to determine whose bag does and trade with them. Next, they will be shown the numeral 18 and asked to clap and count it out. They will be given connecting cubes and asked to model 18 (and then 17) in ten frames. Then they will sort the cubes and record them into as many sets of two as they can. The next activity uses a spinner applet to randomly pick numbers 10-20 for the students to assemble towers and model bean sticks.
  • Lesson 6: Building Sets of 19 and 20
    • This lesson focuses on sets of 19 and 20. Students use ten frames, connecting cubes and bean sticks to compare other sets to a set of 20, construct and decompose, identify, write, and record groups of up to 20.

Type: Unit/Lesson Sequence

Let's Count to 10:

In this 8-lesson unit, students make groups of zero to 10 objects, connect number names to the groups, compose and decompose numbers, and use numerals to record the size of a group. Visual, auditory, and kinesthetic activities are included in each lesson.

Individual Lessons

    • Students group from zero to five objects, identify and use number names for groups, compose and decompose numbers, and record groups by writing with numerals. Students will acquire a sense of number through visual, auditory and kinesthetic activities.
  • Lesson 2: Writing Numbers to Five
    • Students construct groups up to five, identify how many in a group, and record them using numerals. They will learn the words for numbers through five in order (rote counting), and develop the ability to count rationally.
  • Lesson 3: Building Sets of Six
    • Students will construct sets of six, compare sets of up to six objects and learn to write the numeral 6. They will use a Ten Frame and recording charts to show sets of six.
  • Lesson 4: Building Sets of Seven
    • Students will learn to identify and construct sets of seven, compare them to sets of up to seven and record them in chart form.
  • Lesson 5: Building Sets of Eight
    • Students will learn to identify and construct sets of eight, compose and decompose to eight, and write the numeral 8.
  • Lesson 6: Building Sets of Nine
    • Students will learn to identify and construct sets of nine, write the numeral 9, and record it in chart form. They will also be required to identify sets of up to nine in a game.
  • Lesson 7: Building Sets of Ten
    • Students will learn to identify and construct sets of up to ten objects, compose and decompose sets, practice writing numerals 0 through 10, count back from ten, and record it in chart form.
  • Lesson 8: Wrapping Up the Unit
    • Students will review all that they have learned in the other 7 lessons in this unit by composing, decomposing, and comparing sets of zero through ten, and by writing cardinal numbers for each set.

Type: Unit/Lesson Sequence

Virtual Manipulatives

Fishy Count:

This fun game will allow the learners to practice their counting skills. The learner is required to count the fish shown and click on the shell with the correct number.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

Five Frame :

This applet contains four games (How Many?, Build, Fill, and Add) that utilize a frame with five slots for students to place objects, which helps students develop counting and addition skills.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

Ten Frame:

This applet contains four games (How Many?, Build, Fill, and Add) that utilize a frame with ten slots for students to place objects, which helps students develop counting and addition skills.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

Bobbie Bear:

Using a virtual manipulative, children construct combinations of different colored shirts and pants to help Bobbie Bear, who is planning a vacation and wants to know how many different outfits he will be able to make from these combinations.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

STEM Lessons - Model Eliciting Activity

Spring Festival Flower:

In this MEA, students will help pick a flower that will be the focus of the Spring Festival.  They will practice counting pictures and representing the number of pictures with a written numeral.

Vegetables…in Cupcakes?!:

In teams, students will make decisions about how to select the best bakery based on various cupcake characteristics (e.g., taste, smell).

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

MFAS Formative Assessments

How Many Cubes Are There?:

Students are asked to count sets of cubes and determine how many cubes are in each set. Next, students are given a set of cubes and asked to count out a given number of cubes.

How Many Cubes Does Brianna Need?:

Students are asked to show 12 cubes.

How Many Cubes?:

Students are asked to count cubes arranged in lines, arrays, and circles.

How Many Dots?:

Students are shown dot cards and asked to determine how many dots are on each card.

Original Student Tutorials Mathematics - Grades K-5

We Have 2 Bones! Recognizing and Writing Number 2:

Help Lucy and Izzy learn to recognize and write the number 2. In this interactive tutorial, you'll also count two objects and use a 10 frame and a number line. 

This is part 2 in a multi-part series. Click below to open the other tutorials.

Where Is My Bone? Recognizing and Writing Numbers 0 and 1:

Help Lucy and Izzy explore the numbers 0 and 1 using writing, ten frames and number lines in this interactive tutorial.  

Student Resources

Vetted resources students can use to learn the concepts and skills in this benchmark.

Original Student Tutorials

We Have 2 Bones! Recognizing and Writing Number 2:

Help Lucy and Izzy learn to recognize and write the number 2. In this interactive tutorial, you'll also count two objects and use a 10 frame and a number line. 

This is part 2 in a multi-part series. Click below to open the other tutorials.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Where Is My Bone? Recognizing and Writing Numbers 0 and 1:

Help Lucy and Izzy explore the numbers 0 and 1 using writing, ten frames and number lines in this interactive tutorial.  

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Educational Game

Curious George - Flower Garden:

Flowers are popping up everywhere! Help George keep track of how many there are by counting with him.

Type: Educational Game

Virtual Manipulatives

Five Frame :

This applet contains four games (How Many?, Build, Fill, and Add) that utilize a frame with five slots for students to place objects, which helps students develop counting and addition skills.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

Ten Frame:

This applet contains four games (How Many?, Build, Fill, and Add) that utilize a frame with ten slots for students to place objects, which helps students develop counting and addition skills.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

Parent Resources

Vetted resources caregivers can use to help students learn the concepts and skills in this benchmark.

Text Resource

Bibliography of Counting Books:

A printable list of nine counting book references.

Type: Text Resource

Virtual Manipulatives

Fishy Count:

This fun game will allow the learners to practice their counting skills. The learner is required to count the fish shown and click on the shell with the correct number.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

Ten Frame:

This applet contains four games (How Many?, Build, Fill, and Add) that utilize a frame with ten slots for students to place objects, which helps students develop counting and addition skills.

Type: Virtual Manipulative