Number Stairs Slides
Kindergarten Math • Module 1 Lesson 32
Standard: K.Mod1.AD7
Step Down the Number Stairs!
Counting backward from 10 to 0 with the 1-Less Pattern
Sunrise & Sunset Motion
Cubes 10 to 0
Big Question: What happens each time we step down? 1 Less Every Step! 📉
Fluency Warm-Up (5 Mins)
Show Me the Math Way: 1 Less!
Hands Ready! ✋
1
Teacher says:
"Show 6!"
Students hold up 6 fingers the Math Way.
2
Teacher calls:
"1 Less is...?"
Students fold down 1 finger!
3
Class chants:
"5!"
"6; 1 less is 5!"
Ready for round two? Try starting with 10, then 8, then 4!
Launch (10 Mins)
Be the Counting Sun! ☀️
Stand Up & Move!
SUNRISE • 1 MORE
Start crouching down low at 1...
"1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10!"
Rise a little higher every time we add 1!
Arms stretched high at 10! 🌅
SUNSET • 1 LESS
Start tall at 10 high in the sky...
"10... 1 less is 9... 8... 7... 0!"
Slowly bend down lower with each 1 less!
Back crouching on the ground at 0! 🌙
Notice: As the sun sets, the numbers get smaller by 1!
Learn: Whole-Class Display
Count Back with Number Stairs
Echo Chant: "10, 1 less is 9!"
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Look at stair 0! Why is there no cube tower?
0 means none!
Class Computer Activity
Touch & Step: The 1-Less Mystery
Whole Class Smartboard Game
STAIR 8
"We are at step 8. What stair comes next?"
7
"8, 1 less is 7!"
STAIR 4
"We are at step 4. What stair comes next?"
3
"4, 1 less is 3!"
STAIR 1
"We are at step 1. What stair comes next?"
0
"1, 1 less is 0!"
Teacher Cue: Invite a student volunteer to tap the board and explain using full sentences!
Hands-On Practice (15 Mins)
Build Your Number Stairs!
Partner Pairs 🤝
Builder Instructions
- 1 Start with a tower of 10 cubes on the left.
- 2 Take 1 cube away to make 9. Put it next to 10.
- 3 Keep removing 1 cube until you reach 0!
Talk to Your Partner
"How does stair 7 help you make stair 6?"
👉 "Take off 1 cube!"
"Where would stair 11 be?"
👉 "Before 10, it would be 1 taller!"
Leave your stairs on your desk for the Quiet Gallery Walk!
Debrief & Land (5 Mins)
What Did We Discover?
Mathematician Minds 🧠
"What happens to the numbers as we count back from 10 to 0?"
"They keep getting smaller by 1!"
"Each next number is 1 less!"
Our Backward Chant 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0!
Our Big Math Rule Minus 1 Cube Each Step Down
Great job, kindergarten math champions! 🌟 Next up: Math Centers!
Number Stairs Lesson Plan
Eureka Math • Kindergarten Module 1 • Lesson 32 Standard: K.Mod1.AD7
Building Number Stairs: The 1-Less Pattern
Focus Question: What do you notice as we count backward from 10 to 0?
Total Time 45 Minutes
Grouping Whole Group & Pairs
Key Vocabulary 1 less, backward, stair, 0
Materials Linking cubes, slides, mats
1. FLUENCY
Show Me the Math Way: 1 Less (5 mins)
Teacher Call & Response: Teacher says, "Show 6 the Math Way!" Students hold up 6 fingers (5 on left hand, 1 on right).
Teacher prompts: "Show 1 less!" Students quickly fold down 1 finger and call out: "5! 6; 1 less is 5!"
Cycle briskly through starting numbers: 10 → 9, 8 → 7, 4 → 3, and 1 → 0 (tucking in the last finger to show an empty fist).
2. LAUNCH
Sunrise & Sunset: Movement Counting (10 mins)
🌅 Sunrise (1 More)
Start crouching low at 1. Rise a bit higher with each forward count: "1, 2, 3... 10!" Arms stretch high into the sky at 10.
🌇 Sunset (1 Less)
From 10, bend down a little lower with each backward count: "10; 1 less is 9... 8... 0!" Return to crouching on floor at 0.
Key Teaching Point: Ask students: "What happened to our bodies as the sun set? Why did we go down? Because each number is 1 less!"
3. LEARN (PART 1)
Echo Chant & Digital Number Stairs (10 mins)
Project Slide 4 & 5 on the smartboard showing the 10-cube tower. Advance through the sequence using echo singing:
🎵 Teacher sings: "Ten, one less is nine!" 👉 Students echo: "Nine, one less is eight!"
Interactive Computer Activity: Have individual students come up to tap or cross off the top cube on the smartboard to reveal the new stair height.
Kindergarten Math Lesson 32 • Teacher Guide Page 1 of 2
Hands-On Application & Centers Guide Lesson 32 Continued
Partner Building, debrief & Centers
3. LEARN (PART 2)
Partner Stair Building (15 mins)
Partner Task:
- Build tower of 10 cubes on the left.
- Take 1 off to make 9; place next to 10.
- Continue step-by-step down to 1 and 0.
- Keep stairs standing for a gallery walk!
Assessing & Advancing Questions:
Number Stairs Activity Sheet
Kindergarten Math • Lesson 32 Problem Set Standard: K.Mod1.AD7
Step Down: 1-Less Number Stairs
Name:
Date:
Part 1: Count back from 10 to 0. Color the squares to make your stairs!
Color 1 less square each step!
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Part 2: Cross out 1 cube (X). How many are left? Write the 1-less number.
There are 6 cubes Cross 1
✕
6; 1 less is
There are 4 cubes Cross 1
✕
4; 1 less is
There is 1 cube Cross 1
✕
1; 1 less is
Mathematician Check: Touch each stair and count aloud: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0! ⭐ 😊 🌟
Kindergarten Math Lesson 32 • Student Problem Set Page 1 of 2
Math Center Station • Hands-On Building Mat Center 1 & 3 Activity
Build & Step Down: 10 to 0 Mat
Partner Names:
Directions: Place snap cube towers or number tiles on each stair column from 10 down to 0. 1 Less Every Step!
10
10
9
9
8
8
7
7
6
6
5
5
4
4
3
3
2
2
1
1
0
✂️ Cut-Out Tiles (Cut apart & scramble to order backward from 10 to 0) Reusable Center Tiles
10 ten
9 nine
8 eight
7 seven
6 six
5 five
4 four
3 three
2 two
1 one
0 zero
Partner Center Challenge:
[ ] We built 10 to 0 [ ] We chanted 1-less [ ] We said "0 means none!"
Kindergarten Math Lesson 32 • Math Center Mat Page 2 of 2
