Skip counting forward and backward by 2s to 10

General

In this lesson students learn to skip count forward and backward by 2s to and from numbers to 10.

Common core standard(s)

2.OA.C.3

Relevance

Discuss with students the importance of being able to skip count by 2s, counting forward and backward to 10, as they need this to learn to do calculations. In addition, it also makes counting faster.

Introduction

As a class, count the objects shown on the interactive whiteboard. Discuss with students how you could count the objects by skip counting. Instead of using the shoes shown on the whiteboard, you can also use the shoes of your students in class. Set the shoes in groups of 2 on the ground and ask students to count how many shoes there are. Then hand out number cards to 10 to the class. Say a number and ask students to count back to 1, showing their number cards as the number is called.

Development

Start by counting from 1 to 10. Then explain that you can count quicker if you skip count by 2s. Explain that when you skip count by 2s, you skip one number. Start by 2 and skip count by 2s to 10. Ask the students to take turns counting and then complete the number row. Then count using the odd numbers. Start at 1 and skip count by 2s. Ask the students to take turns counting and then complete the number row. Repeat this process with counting backward, start with the even numbers and then the odd numbers. As a class, practice filling in the missing numbers in the number sequences.

Check that students are able to skip count forward and backward by 2s to 10 by asking the following questions/giving the following exercises:
- How do you skip count by 2s?
- Skip count forward by 2s starting at the number 3.
- Skip count backwards by 2s starting at the number 8.

Guided practice

Students start with skip counting exercises in which the beginning or end of the counting sequence is shown. They are then asked to start from random numbers and to skip count without visual support.

Closing

Discuss with students that it is important to be able to skip count forward and backward by 2s to 10, so you can solve math problems, and so you can count quicker! Check that they are able to skip count by 2s. The interactive whiteboard shows a few numbers. Draw a line between the numbers which skip count by 2s. The starting number is 4. Then ask a student to come to the front and show them a number from 1 to 10. They must then jump to that number. Each jump represents a skip jump by 2s, and the rest of the class must guess which number they jump to. Practice this jumping forward (and counting forward) and jumping backward (counting backward).

Teaching tips

Students who have difficulty with skip counting by 2s can be supported by using a number line. They can draw arrows representing the jumps in which they "skip" one number each time. Start by practicing skip counting forward on the even numbers, and then practice the odd numbers, before counting backward.