Counting Strategies for Circles and Rows

Khan Academy

A focused mathematics tutorial that demonstrates strategies for counting objects arranged in different patterns, specifically circles, scattered groups, and arrays. The narrator guides viewers through four distinct counting exercises involving animated dogs, mice, and cookies, modeling the thought process required to count accurately without making common errors. The video specifically emphasizes the concept of "one-to-one correspondence" and strategies to avoid double-counting, particularly when objects are arranged in a continuous circle. By explicitly marking a starting point mentally and stopping before overlapping, the narrator models critical metacognitive strategies for early learners. This resource is highly valuable for early childhood classrooms as a direct instruction tool or intervention for students struggling with counting accuracy. It moves from simple circular arrangements (numbers 5-10) to more complex arrays involving teen numbers (up to 19), providing a scaffolded approach to learning cardinality.