Teddy Picnic Lesson Plan Early Math • Pre-K & Kindergarten Duration: 40 Mins
Teddy Bear Picnic Lesson Plan
Standard CCSS.MATH.K.CC.B.4
Core Objective Children will count up to 5 play food items onto plates for their stuffed animals, demonstrating one-to-one correspondence (one touch per number word) and understanding that the last number spoken tells the total quantity (cardinality).
Essential Math Vocabulary
Touch-Count Touching 1 item per word
One-for-One Each plate gets 1 piece
How Many? The total number of food
Fair Share Taking turns to serve
Materials & Prep
1 stuffed animal or teddy bear per child (or pair)
5 counting plates per student (Picnic Feast Mats)
Pretend food tokens or counters (apples, berries, cookies)
1 demonstration basket with 5 large play food items
1
Warm-Up: Five Hungry Teddies Fingerplay
10 Minutes • Circle Time
Gather students in a circle with their teddy bears sitting quietly in their laps. Teach the tactile fingerplay rhyme:
“Five hungry teddy bears sitting on the grass, waiting for a crunchy red apple to pass!ONE , right onto the plate! (Hold up 1 finger, tap teddy’s plate once)
Teacher Cue: Have students tap their teddy’s tummy once for each number count. Check for 1 tap per spoken word.
2
Direct Instruction: "One Touch, One Word, One Plate"
10 Minutes • Teacher Modeling
Step 1: Place Plate
Set out 3 plates in a neat straight line before Brownie Bear. Point out the empty circles.
Step 2: Tag & Place
Model touching 1 apple: say “ONE”, place on plate 1. Take second apple: say “TWO”, place on plate 2.
Step 3: Total Count
Point back along the line: “1, 2, 3! Brownie Bear has THREE apples in all!” (Cardinality)
Pitfall Check: Model the mistake of saying "1-2-3" while only dropping one item, and let children correct you!
Teddy Bear Picnic • Page 1 of 2 Instructional Guide
Guided Partner Center & Differentiation
Phase 3 & 4
3
Partner Center: “Feed the Hungry Teddies!”
15 Minutes • Pairs
Children sit face-to-face in pairs with their teddy bears and a shared basket of food counters. They assign roles and swap after each serving order:
Role 1: The Picnic Chef
Picks a picnic order card (e.g., “Feed 4 Strawberries”).
Takes one food piece at a time from the basket.
Counts aloud: “One... two... three... four!”
Places exactly one item onto each numbered plate.
Role 2: Teddy's Helper (Checker)
Holds the stuffed animal and watches attentively.
Touch-counts each plate to verify: “1, 2, 3, 4!”
Says: “Teddy says Yum! Thank you for 4 berries!”
Passes the basket: “Now it's your turn to be Chef!”
Turn-Taking Routine: Use the printable "Chef Spoon" token. Whoever holds the spoon serves first, then slides the spoon across the blanket.
Differentiated Learning Pathways
Support (1-3)
Limit plates to 1–3. Use pre-drawn dot targets inside each plate for direct matching. Offer hand-over-hand touch support.
On Target (1-5)
Serve quantities up to 5 in linear order. Prompt: “How many pieces did Teddy eat altogether?” to secure cardinality.
Challenge (Compare)
Serve two bears different amounts (e.g., 3 vs 5). Ask: “Which bear has more? Which has fewer? How many more to make them equal?”
Formative Observation Rubric
Quick Teacher Scan
Math Skill
Mastered (Consistently)
Developing (Needs Prompt)
Intervention Focus
1:1 Tagging
Touches exactly 1 item per number word spoken.
Occasionally double-counts or rushes fingers.
Guide finger physically to tap each plate.
Cardinality
Answers “How many?” immediately with last number.
Recounts from 1 when asked how many total.
Emphasize final number: “1, 2, THREE! Three in all!”
Turn-Taking
Passes basket politely; waits for partner’s turn.
Needs 1 verbal reminder to share the food tokens.
Use tactile turn-taking spoon token.
Closing Routine (5 min): Sing “Teddy Bear Picnic Goodbye” while packing 5 items back into the basket one-by-one.
Tidy Up Math
Teddy Bear Picnic • Page 2 of 2 Assessment & Differentiation
Picnic Rhyme Warmup Cards Circle Time Math Warm-Up
Five Hungry Teddies Rhyme
Activity Type Rhyme & Movement
Sing to the tune of “Five Little Ducks” or recite as a rhythmic fingerplay. Have children hold up their fingers and gently tap their teddy bear’s tummy for each count.
Interactive Circle Chant Tune: Five Little Ducks
1
One hungry teddy sitting by the tree, Looking for a berry just as sweet as can be!Action: Tap 1 finger on teddy’s plate! “One for you! Yum!”
2
Two hungry teddies sniffing out a treat, Counting shiny apples that are juicy and sweet!Action: Tap two fingers: “One... TWO! Two apples!”
3
Three hungry teddies marching in a line, Three golden sandwiches tasting mighty fine!Action: Tap 3 plates in a row: “One... two... THREE!”
4
Four hungry teddies rubbing tummies round, Four sweet honey pots sitting on the ground!Action: Pat tummies 4 times together: “1, 2, 3, 4!”
5
Five hungry teddies happy as can be, Eating picnic feast under the big oak tree!Action: Flash both hands (5 fingers wide): “FIVE teddies are full!”
The Golden 1-to-1 Rule Chant: “One touch, one word, one treat on the plate! That’s how teddies celebrate!”
Teddy Bear Picnic • Warm-Up Poster Page 1 of 2
Circle Time Pocket Chart Cue Cards
Cut & Display
Cut along the dashed lines to display on your pocket chart, easel, or small-group math station as visual anchors.
Visual Anchor 1 Rule Card
One-to-One Touch Rule
Tap each food item once as you say the number.
🍎
1
“One”
🍎
2
“Two”
🍎
3
“Three”
1 Touch = 1 Spoken Word
Visual Anchor 2 Cardinality
How Many in All?
The last number you say tells the whole feast!
🍓 🍓 🍓 🍓
Count: 1, 2, 3... FOUR!
When someone asks “How many?”, do not start over! Say the last number with a cheer!
“Teddy has 4 berries in all!”
Visual Anchor 3 Subitizing & Dots
Picnic Number Track
Match the dots to your plates.
1
2
3
4
5
Finger count matches each dot!
Visual Anchor 4 Social Skills
Picnic Turn-Taking Song
Sharing food and counting together.
🧑🍳
Chef counts: “Here are 3 honey pots for your bear!”
🧸
Teddy Friend checks: “1, 2, 3! Thank you! Now I will serve!”
“First me, then you, fair and true!”
Teddy Bear Picnic • Pocket Chart Cue Cards Page 2 of 2
Picnic Feast Activity Mats Teddy's Picnic Feast Mat
Count one food treat onto each plate for your stuffed animal!
Name:
Date:
🧸
Picnic Guest of Honor Spot
Seat your teddy bear here! Touch each plate as you count: “1, 2, 3, 4, 5!”
Rule: 1 Treat Per Plate
🧺 The Five Picnic Plates (Serve Left to Right)
1
Plate 1
ONE 1 dot
2
Plate 2
TWO 2 dots
3
Plate 3
THREE 3 dots
4
Plate 4
FOUR 4 dots
5
Plate 5
FIVE 5 dots
Picnic Check & Tell! (Cardinality Practice)
Partner Routine
1 Point & Touch-Count:
Touch each plate with your finger as you speak: “One, two, three, four, five!”
2 Tell Teddy the Total:
“My teddy bear has 5 delicious treats in all!”
How many treats did you count for Teddy? Circle the total number below:
1
2
3
4
5
Swap Roles: Now slide the mat to your partner! They become the Picnic Chef!
Fair Share Routine
Teddy Bear Picnic • Student Counting Mat Page 1 of 2
Printable Food Counters & Order Cards
Cut along dashed lines for tactile math play and partner ordering.
Counters & Cards
Teddy's Food Counters (25 Pieces) 5 of each treat
5 Apples:
🍎 Apple
🍎 Apple
🍎 Apple
🍎 Apple
🍎 Apple
5 Honey:
🍯 Honey
🍯 Honey
🍯 Honey
🍯 Honey
🍯 Honey
5 Sandwiches:
🥪 Sandwich
🥪 Sandwich
🥪 Sandwich
🥪 Sandwich
🥪 Sandwich
5 Berries:
🍓 Berry
🍓 Berry
🍓 Berry
🍓 Berry
🍓 Berry
5 Cookies:
🍪 Cookie
🍪 Cookie
🍪 Cookie
🍪 Cookie
🍪 Cookie
Teddy's Picnic Order Cards (Draw One!) Cut along dashed line
Order Card 1
2 Apples
🍎 🍎
Order Card 2
3 Honey Pots
🍯 🍯 🍯
Order Card 3
4 Berries
🍓 🍓 🍓 🍓
Order Card 4
5 Cookies
🍪 🍪 🍪 🍪 🍪
Partner Turn-Taking Badges Pass to switch turns
🧑🍳
My Turn
Picnic Chef
“I place and count the food onto the plates!”
🧸
My Turn
Teddy Checker
“I touch-count and tell Teddy how many in all!”
Teddy Bear Picnic • Cut-Out Counters & Cards Page 2 of 2
