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This post has been co-written with Ben Wolfson, a full-time educator and assistant principal in the USA.
First graders love to count, so get them counting on to 20 with this fun fall math center! The cards are set up so that they can be used for either mental math or written equation practice, and the fun pumpkin theme designs will have your student counting forwards from any number in next to no time.
Why Counting Forwards From Any Number Matters
In the first grade classroom, counting forwards from any number is a big skill to master. It requires students to move away from simply learning number words by rote and makes them attach meaning to those words. It’s also important for them to start thinking about matching numbers to words so that they can see spelling patterns and use them to help with pronunciation. Being able to start at a random number and then counting forwards by a set amount requires an understanding of the number system and a concept of scale which makes these pumpkin theme math clip cards an essential part of your fall math center rotations.
Preparing Your Counting On to 20 Math Clip Cards
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There are two ways to print these math clip cards. The first is to have a full size set which you laminate. This can be used for small group instruction or independent self checks. You should also print out a smaller set, possibly 4 to a page, so that students can use them like a deck of cards for the games described below.
Counting Fun with Pumpkins
These pumpkin theme math clip cards have multiple uses in your classroom to help students develop the concepts behind counting on to 20. Beyond using them for an independent center, you could also try some of these activities:
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Use mini pumpkins – a fun way to get kids seeing how to use the cards would be to gather some mini pumpkins (think eraser caps or small pumpkin candies for an added incentive!). Students then have to count out the number of pumpkins on the wooden board and then add the number from the bottom. This will help them with their sense of size as well as building their accuracy.
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Combine with a number line – another way to build your students’ fluency with addition is to have them recreate the equation on a number line. This requires a level of abstract thought, but allows them to begin talking about moving up the number line which will help when you start to talk about subtraction and moving down instead.
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Create a number words to 20 game – making anything into a game will boost your students’ engagement. Make these math clip cards into a game by having students compare the size of their answers, or turn it into a fastest finger first competition where the students turn the card over and have to compete to point to the correct answer. A more collaborative game would be to have students verbally create number sentences for each other to solve using the numbers and pumpkins on the card.
This game is also available as digital Boom Cards which can be used with Seesaw, Google Classroom and other distance learning platforms. Grab these Internet task cards here.
More Pumpkin Themed Centers Perfect for Fall:
My Pumpkin Math and Literacy Themed Centers is a variety pack of 10 games focused on early literacy, math and fine motor skills.
These are the games included:
1) Alphabet Puzzles – 2 piece puzzles to match the capital letter to the lowercase letter.
2) Pumpkin Patch Letter Match – Students will pick a card and decide if the letters on the sign match. They will need to color in their answer on the recording sheet provided.
3) Pumpkin Short Vowel Spin – Use a plastic spinner or paper clip and pencil combination as a wheel. Students will spin the wheel, find a CVC word picture with that short vowel sound and cover it.
4) Sight Word Building – Using the pumpkin letter cards provided, students will need to form 40 Dolch Pre-Primer sight words.
5) Homophone Match – 2 piece puzzles for words like sea and see, tail and tale, etc.
6) Counting Mats to 20 – Provide some pumpkin seeds and tweezers and your one to one correspondence math center is ready to go!
7) Count and Compare – Students will need to count the number of pumpkin seeds in each pumpkin and decide which one has more.
8) Ten Frames – Match up the number with the pumpkin ten frame.
9) Sort by Addition Mats – Cut up the simple addition to 10 equations and have your students sort them according to the sum total.
10) Counting On to 20 – Students are shown a numeral on the card and some pumpkins. From this numeral, they will need to count forwards using the pumpkin pictures to help them and mark their answer with a clothespin or peg.
Check it out in my Teachers Pay Teachers store.
Fun Books About Counting That Rhyme:
Other Fall Printables You’ll Love:
1) Fall Printable Worksheets Pack – 50-page pack for your little one to practice letter recognition, writing, counting, tracing, coloring and so much more.
2) Fall Leaves Number Sorting – Sort out the leaves and find which numbered tree they came from to practice number recognition, reading number words, and count with ten frames.
3) Fall Leaves Pick and Cover Letters – Pick a letter card then find and cover it on the playing mat.
4) Count and Compare Acorns – Your child will count and compare the groups of acorns to help the squirrel chose the bigger one.
5) Acorn Tracing Lines – Practice fine motor skills with these 4 different acorn-themed worksheets to help the squirrel grab the acorn!
6) Scarecrow Sums to 10 – So quick to set up in just a few minutes, you can sit back and relax while your preschooler or kindergartener has fun learning to solve simple sums to 10.
7) Scarecrow Number Tracing Strips – Combine fine motor practice with early math skills in this scarecrow-themed game to practice writing numbers 1 to 10.
8) Scarecrow Arrange By Size – Develop early math skills with these 3 scarecrow-themed image sets to arrange from smallest to biggest.
Educational Tools For Your Classroom:
Browse My Most Popular Math Printables:
1) Parking Cars Tracing Lines – More than 10 different tracing line patterns to choose from, all of which help with pencil control.
2) Scarecrow Arrange By Size – 3 different scarecrow-themed image sets that they will arrange from smallest to biggest.
3) Bumblebee Addition Game – Solve the sum and help the bee land on the correct flower!
4) Farm Shapes Mats – Use playdough, pompoms, stickers etc to learn 2D shapes.
5) Popsicle Stick Number Formation – Kids will love forming the numbers 1 to 10 when ice cream and popsicles are involved!
6) Valentines Printable Worksheets Pack – 50 pages of mixed literacy and math activities.
7) Zoo Animals Number Puzzle Strips – Complete these cute puzzles and learn the numbers 1 to 20.
8) Counting Colorful Bugs – This printable book will help kids count to 10 while also learning about color words.
9) Humpty Dumpty Numbers – In this printable game, your students will practice number recognition using 1 dice or simple addition when using 2 dice.
10) Build A Number Santa – Match the number to the correct number word, tally mark and domino to form a Santa Claus
