MA.K.DP.1.1

Collect and sort objects into categories and compare the categories by counting the objects in each category. Report the results verbally, with a written numeral or with drawings.

Examples

A bag containing 10 circles, triangles and rectangles can be sorted by shape and then each category can be counted and compared.

Clarifications

Clarification 1: Instruction focuses on supporting work in counting.

Clarification 2: Instruction includes geometric figures that can be categorized using their defining attributes.

Clarification 3: Within this benchmark, it is not the expectation for students to construct formal representations or graphs on their own.

General Information

Subject Area: Mathematics (B.E.S.T.)

Grade: K

Strand: Data Analysis and Probability

Standard: Develop an understanding for collecting, representing and comparing data.

Date Adopted or Revised: 08/20

Status: State Board Approved

Benchmark Instructional Guide

Connecting Benchmarks/Horizontal Alignment

Terms from the K-12 Glossary

Vertical Alignment

Previous Benchmarks
VPK

Next Benchmarks
MA.1.DP.1.1
MA.1.DP.1.2

Purpose and Instructional Strategies

The purpose of this benchmark is to develop a foundation for statistical thinking, as well as providing a context to support the development of counting skills (MTR.5.1).In grade 1, students will organize data using tally marks or pictographs and compare categories by counting the objects in each category.

Instruction reinforces the counting and comparing benchmarks within the Number Sense and Operations strand (MTR.5.1).
Instruction reinforces the identifying and sorting of figures benchmarks within the Geometric Reasoning strand (MTR.5.1).

Common Misconceptions or Errors

Students may not clearly define categories for sorting objects which may lead to inaccurate data collection as objects fit into multiple categories.
When students are presented with objects to be sorted into predefined categories, they may be frustrated that some objects don’t fit into any category.
Students may misrepresent the count for each category.

Strategies to Support Tiered Instruction

Instruction includes opportunities for students to sort objects by given attributes.
- For example, have students sort themselves into categories based on transportation to school (bus rider, car rider, extended day, walker). Students can report their sorting using drawings or numerals.
- For example, provide students crayons and ask students to sort crayons by color. Students will sort the crayons into 4 categories: red, blue, green, and yellow. Possible questions to ask during this activity:
  - How many red crayons are there?
  - How many green crayons are there?
  - Which category has the most crayons?
  - Which category has the least crayons?
  - How many more blue crayons are there than yellow crayons?
Instruction includes opportunities to sort two-dimensional and three-dimensional geometric figures by attributes. For example, teacher places foam, wood and/or pattern blocks into a bucket. Students are asked to sort the figures. The teacher will see how students sort the figures and ask the students to explain why they sorted the figures a particular way (could be by color, size, texture etc.) If students are unsure of where to place a figure, help students determine what category in which to place the figure by having a discussion on the attributes of the figure in relationship to the attributes of the sorted figures. Students will count how many figures are in each of their categories and record the numeral. The teacher asks comparing questions about the groups such as:
- “How are these shapes different from one another?”
- “Are there more red shapes or blue shapes?”
- “Are there more squares than triangles?”
- The teacher will then ask the students to sort the figures another way and repeat the activity after the figures have been classified a new way.

Instructional Tasks

Instructional Task 1(MTR.5.1)

Provide students with cards or objects that can be sorted multiple ways (i.e., shapes that are various colors and could be sorted by shape or color). In a group, give students time to think and discuss the various ways the cards or objects can be sorted. After a discussion, the group will decide a way to sort the cards or objects and do so. Then the teacher asks questions such as:

“Which category has the most?”
“Which category has the least?”
“How many are in [fill in the blank] category”?

After a discussion, the cards or objects can be sorted using a different attribute and the task can begin again.

Instructional Task 2(MTR.3.1)

Ask students to sort the figures into groups of circles, rectangles and triangles.

Which shape appears the most?
How many more triangles are there than circles?
How many squares are there?
How many figures have straight sides?

Discuss how sorting makes answering the questions easier.

Instructional Task 3(MTR.1.1, MTR.7.1)

Provide students with a “Question of the Day”. For example, post the question “What is your favorite food - pizza, spaghetti or tacos?” After each student has selected one option, have students to work in groups to represent the data in drawings or numerals. Possible questions to ask during this task:

Which favorite food had the greatest number of votes?
Which favorite food has the least number of votes?
Are there any favorite foods with the same number of votes?

Instructional Items

Instructional Item 1

Based on the “Question of the Day” - What color is your shirt – blue, green, pink or red?
Part A: Sort the data.
Part B: Report the data with drawings.

Instructional Item 2

Part A. Circle the buttons that are shaped like triangles.
Part B. How many buttons are shaped like a triangle?

buttons shaped like triangles

Instructional Item 3

Part A: Sort the figures by color.
Part B: How many figures are green?

Figures

*The strategies, tasks and items included in the B1G-M are examples and should not be considered comprehensive

Related Courses

This benchmark is part of these courses.

5012020: Grade Kindergarten Mathematics (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 - 2024, 2024 and beyond (current))

7712015: Access Mathematics - Grade Kindergarten (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2018, 2018 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))

5012005: Foundational Skills in Mathematics K-2 (Specifically in versions: 2019 - 2022, 2022 - 2024, 2024 and beyond (current))

Related Access Points

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

MA.K.DP.1.AP.1: 1 Sort objects by characteristic (e.g., size, shape or color). Count the objects in each category and report the results.

Related Resources

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

Formative Assessments

Sorting Animals:

Students are asked to sort the animals on the Sorting Animals worksheet and then count the number in each group.

Type: Formative Assessment

Shape Sort:

Students sort shapes into categories, record their categories and frequencies, and identify the categories with the most and least.

Type: Formative Assessment

Sorting Buttons:

Students sort illustrations of buttons, explain the how and why, and count the number in each group.

Type: Formative Assessment

Sort the Tiles:

Students sort tiles by color and then count to determine the group with the most and the least number of tiles.

Type: Formative Assessment

Sorting Color Tiles:

Students are asked to sort color tiles into groups of the same color.

Type: Formative Assessment

Sort Objects:

Students sort objects by type and then identify which group of objects has the most and the least.

Type: Formative Assessment

Lesson Plans

How does Generative AI work?:

Students will explore Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the basics on how generative AI models use Large Language Models (LLMs) and Natural Language Processing NLP to generate outputs. This K-3 lesson is an integrated Computer Science, ELA and Math lesson designed for application of math and ELA content knowledge while exploring and using computational thinking to understand how generative AI works, making cross-curricular connections to understand emerging technologies.

Type: Lesson Plan

Exploring Machine Learning to Train an AI Model:

Students will explore Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) and pretrain a model to recognize and identify objects, including geometric shapes and aircraft. They will used unplugged activities to mimic sorting and classification of the objects using their prior knowledge and then make connections to human learning and Machine Learning. Students will then problem solve and propose solutions using an iterative process to improve the ML model to better recognize the objects. This lesson is an integrated Computer Science, Science and Math lesson designed for students in K-2 to apply math and science content knowledge while exploring and using computational thinking like people in Computer Science careers do.

Type: Lesson Plan

Tell Me About Your Stuffed Animal (Lesson 3):

In this integrated lesson, students will work as a class to categorize and sort stuffed animals by physical attributes. They will then work in groups to categorize and sort shapes.

Type: Lesson Plan

Birds of a Feather:

Students will go on a simulated bird-watching trip around the classroom. They will collect and sort images of various birds into categories based on their visible characteristics. They will use these groups of bird images to practice counting and comparing objects in different categories. Students will use descriptions of bald eagles in the book, The Bald Eagle by Norman Pearl, to identify images of bald eagles among their categories and discuss how the bald eagle is a symbol of the United States.

Type: Lesson Plan

Sorting and Saying Through Voting:

Students will have the opportunity to apply knowledge of sorting and responsible voting to a fun and collaborative small group activity in this integrated lesson plan.

Type: Lesson Plan

She’s a Grand Old Flag:

Students will identify the American flag as an important symbol of the United States. They will collect and sort data from the American Flag and compare the attributes. Students will sort and count red stripes and white stripes, long stripes and short stripes, long red stripes and long white stripes, short red stripes and short white stripes. Students will compare the stripes using the number line. They will also count stars by 1’s and 10’s in this integrated lesson plan.

Type: Lesson Plan

Make Believe Homes and Habitats:

In this lesson students will demonstrate an understanding of characteristics of real and make-believe animals, they will sort animals according to characteristics, and they will complete a drawing of a make-believe animal home in a real-world habitat.

Type: Lesson Plan

Whose Baby is That?:

This inquiry-based 5E lesson provides an initial look at categorizing items into 2 categories. Visuals of animals are used to begin the classifying/categorizing of animals and their babies. Students will practice categorizing in pairs and will be given the categories to use. They will then explain the placement of each item in the category. The teacher will ask guiding questions and facilitate the lesson to ensure comprehension of the material.

Type: Lesson Plan

Sort, Count, and Graph:

In this lesson, students will sort objects, count the number of objects in each category and compare using the terms greater than, less than, or equal to.

Type: Lesson Plan

Counting Colorful Cockatoos:

Poor Professor Dupont! He is missing his prized cockatoos! Help Professor Dupont find his special birds one by one as you turn the page. After helping Professor Dupont find his special cockatoos, create a classroom tree and sort the birds by color. You will have a fine feathered fantastic time counting and sorting!

Type: Lesson Plan

If You Give a Teacher a Cookie...:

More than, less than, or equal to? Which would you rather have? Well, it depends upon the situation. Let's compare objects and numbers and decide if it is best to have more of something, less of something, or just as much as someone else.

Type: Lesson Plan

Finding the One!!:

Students will sort and classify rocks by observable properties, such as size, shape, color and texture. (The properties of temperature and weight are not addressed in this lesson).

Type: Lesson Plan

Counting and Sorting Objects:

In this lesson, students will use buttons to sort by like characteristics. In addition, students will be counting and recording the number of buttons in each category. Students will also group equal amounts together to create new categories.

Type: Lesson Plan

The Fire Wheels:

The Fire Wheels MEA provides students with a problem in which they must work as a team to design a procedure to select the best toy car for a company to sell.

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

Every Group Counts!:

The students will be working in whole group, small group and individually to discover measurable attributes of objects and sort the objects into categories. Students will also count and compare the number of objects in each category.

Type: Lesson Plan

Sorting It All Out:

In this lesson, kindergarten students will learn to sort objects familiar to them by different attributes. They will justify their decisions for classification when objects have more than one similar characteristic.

Type: Lesson Plan

Original Student Tutorial

Sweet Sorting:

Practice sorting, counting, and comparing by visiting the Sorting Sweet Shop in this candy-themed, interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

STEM Lessons - Model Eliciting Activity

The Fire Wheels:

The Fire Wheels MEA provides students with a problem in which they must work as a team to design a procedure to select the best toy car for a company to sell.

MFAS Formative Assessments

Shape Sort:

Students sort shapes into categories, record their categories and frequencies, and identify the categories with the most and least.

Sort Objects:

Students sort objects by type and then identify which group of objects has the most and the least.

Sort the Tiles:

Students sort tiles by color and then count to determine the group with the most and the least number of tiles.

Sorting Animals:

Students are asked to sort the animals on the Sorting Animals worksheet and then count the number in each group.

Sorting Buttons:

Students sort illustrations of buttons, explain the how and why, and count the number in each group.

Sorting Color Tiles:

Students are asked to sort color tiles into groups of the same color.

Original Student Tutorials Mathematics - Grades K-5

Sweet Sorting:

Practice sorting, counting, and comparing by visiting the Sorting Sweet Shop in this candy-themed, interactive tutorial.

Student Resources

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

Original Student Tutorial

Sweet Sorting:

Practice sorting, counting, and comparing by visiting the Sorting Sweet Shop in this candy-themed, interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Parent Resources

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

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