Skip-Counting Patterns: a week of ready-to-teach maths
Five days of lessons for Year 1 Algebra. Children learn to count in twos, fives and tens, to see the steady jump that drives each pattern, and to make their own. Print this pack and the week is prepared: each day has a one-page plan and a student worksheet, plus cut-out number cards, a mini-check and every answer.
Start here: five minutes to Monday
- Skim the week at a glance on the next page.
- Print the five days. Each day is two A4 sheets: a plan and a worksheet.
- Cut out the two card sheets once; the number cards are reused all week.
- Open the free interactive unit on your board. Every plan tells you which picture to show and when.
- Teach straight from the plan. Timings, talk prompts, misconceptions and answers are all on the one page.
No maths background needed
This pack is written for the busy generalist teacher. Each plan explains the idea in plain words, lists the misconceptions children bring, and gives model answers, so you can walk in and teach it.
One day, one lesson
The five lessons fill a week of maths, one short lesson of about 40 minutes a day. Run them in order: twos first, then fives, then tens, then all three together on the chart, and finally each child makes their own. Every lesson can also split into a carpet warm-up and a table task if your timetable runs small blocks.
The week at a glance
One short lesson a day for a week. Each day stands on the day before, so run them in order.
| Day | Lesson | Children learn and do | On screen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Counting in twos | Skip count by 2s and find the +2 jump; meet the even numbers | “What is the jump?” |
| 2 | Counting in fives | Skip count by 5s using hands and tallies; numbers end in 5 or 0 | “The pattern machine” |
| 3 | Counting in tens | Skip count by 10s with bundles of ten; numbers end in 0 | “Tower steps” |
| 4 | Highways on the fifty chart | Colour the 2s, 5s and 10s highways on a 1 to 50 chart | “Highways on the fifty chart” |
| 5 | Make your own skip-count | Choose a jump and build your own sequence with objects and numbers | “Make your own pattern” |
How the week builds
Day 1 counts in twos and names the +2 jump; Day 2 counts in fives; Day 3 counts in tens; Day 4 lays all three on a fifty chart so the rules become highways you can see; and Day 5 lets each child choose a jump and build their own sequence. It grows out of counting one by one, which children already know — skip counting is counting in equal jumps — and it opens the way to place value and multiplication.
Materials for the week (one trip)
- From the classroom: counters or buttons, scissors, pencils or crayons, this pack printed.
- Coins or bottle tops: a small handful to count in twos, fives and tens with hands before pencils.
- A printed hundred or fifty chart: one is inside this pack, on the Day 4 worksheet.
- Cut out once, use all week: the number cards in this pack. No maths equipment to buy.
Dear families
This week in maths, Year 1 is learning to skip count: counting in twos, fives and tens instead of one by one. We look for the steady jump in each pattern, keep the pattern going, and make our own. Skip counting is the first step toward place value and times tables.
Try this at home
- Count socks in twos as you sort the washing: 2, 4, 6, 8 ...
- Count fingers in fives: hold up each hand and say 5, 10, 15, 20.
- Count coins in tens with ten-cent pieces or bottle tops: 10, 20, 30, 40.
- Start a skip-count and let your child keep it going. Ask, what is the jump each time?
My skip-counting this week
Fill one row a day. Tick when you count out loud and when you find the jump.
| Day | What we counted | I counted | I found the jump |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | □ | □ | |
| Tuesday | □ | □ | |
| Wednesday | □ | □ | |
| Thursday | □ | □ | |
| Friday | □ | □ |
Printed from the free seegongsik Skip-Counting Patterns teaching pack · seegongsik.com/au/y1/algebra/AC9M1A01/pack
Counting in twos
Skip counting is counting in equal jumps instead of one by one. Today the jump is two: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10. These are the even numbers, the numbers we land on when we count things in pairs. The whole week rests on hearing that steady jump, so today we count it, build it and name it.
We are learning to
- count in twos to twenty and beyond,
- see that the jump from one number to the next is two,
- know the even numbers as the numbers we say counting by twos.
Success criteria
- I can count in twos out loud.
- I can say the jump is plus two.
You need
Counters or buttons, a small handful per pair, to build in twos. The number cards for twos (cut-out sheet 1), one set per pair. The worksheet, one per child.
Lesson flow (about 40 minutes)
| 10 min | Count the pairs On the carpet, count things that come in twos: pairs of socks, or hands around the circle. Point and chant 2, 4, 6, 8 as each pair is added. Ask: “We did not say one, two, three. How many more did we add each time?” |
| 20 min | Build towers of two Pairs build a row of towers, two counters in each, and read the running total: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10. Then they write the sequence on the worksheet. Ask: “Put your finger on six. What is two more? How do you know without counting all the counters?” |
| 10 min | Find the jump Show 2, 4, 6, 8 on the board and ask how big each hop is. Draw the plus two between the numbers. Ask: “How big is the hop from one number to the next? Is every hop the same size?” |
Two half-sessions instead? End Session A after counting the pairs on the carpet. Start Session B by building the towers of two.
Watch for these ideas
- Counting every number, one, two, three, instead of skipping to the next two.
- Letting the jump change partway, so the hops are not all the same size.
- Thinking a skip-count must begin at two. Starting at zero is fine: 0, 2, 4, 6.
Answers
- Count the pairs: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10.
- Keep it going: 8, 10, 12.
- Find the jump: every box is plus two.
- Circle the numbers you say: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 (the even numbers).
Count in twos
Counting in twos goes 2, 4, 6, 8, 10. The jump is plus two every time.
Here are groups of two counters. Write how many there are so far under each group.
Fill the next three numbers.
Write the jump in each box. How big is the hop each time?
Counting in fives
Yesterday the jump was two; today it is five: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30. A hand is a natural five, so fingers make skip counting by fives easy to feel. Notice the numbers we say all end in five or zero.
We are learning to
- count in fives to thirty and beyond,
- see that the jump from one number to the next is five,
- notice that counting by fives lands on numbers ending in five or zero.
Success criteria
- I can count in fives out loud.
- I can say the jump is plus five.
You need
Hands are enough for the warm-up. The number cards for fives (cut-out sheet 1), one set per pair. The worksheet, one per child. Pencils for tally marks.
Lesson flow (about 40 minutes)
| 10 min | Count the hands Children hold up a hand each. Count around the circle in fives: 5, 10, 15, 20. Every new hand adds five. Ask: “Each hand has how many fingers? So how many more do we count each time a hand goes up?” |
| 20 min | Tally and count Pairs make tally marks in bundles of five, then count the bundles: 5, 10, 15. They write the sequence on the worksheet. Ask: “A bundle of tallies is five. How many is two bundles? Three bundles?” |
| 10 min | Ends in five or zero Write 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 on the board and look at the last digit of each. Ask: “What do you notice about the last number of every one? Would seven ever be in this count?” |
Two half-sessions instead? End Session A after counting the hands. Start Session B with the tally bundles.
Watch for these ideas
- Writing 5, 6, 7, counting on by one instead of jumping by five.
- Skipping unevenly, missing a five so the hops are not the same.
- Thinking the count must start at five. Starting at zero is fine: 0, 5, 10.
Answers
- Count the hands: 5, 10, 15, 20.
- Keep it going: 20, 25.
- Find the jump: every box is plus five.
- Four hands have 20 fingers.
Count in fives
Counting in fives goes 5, 10, 15, 20, 25. The jump is plus five every time.
Each hand has five fingers. Write how many fingers there are so far under each hand.
Fill the next two numbers.
Write the jump in each box.
Count in fives. Four hands have ______ fingers.
Counting in tens
Today the jump is ten: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50. Ten things bundled together make one ten, and each new bundle adds ten. Notice the numbers we say all end in zero. This is the count that opens the door to place value.
We are learning to
- count in tens to fifty and beyond,
- see that the jump from one number to the next is ten,
- notice that counting by tens lands on numbers ending in zero.
Success criteria
- I can count in tens out loud.
- I can say the jump is plus ten.
You need
Counters to bundle in tens, or ten-cent coins or bottle tops. The number cards for tens (cut-out sheet 1), one set per pair. The worksheet, one per child.
Lesson flow (about 40 minutes)
| 10 min | Bundles of ten On the carpet, make bundles of ten counters. Count the bundles, not the single counters: 10, 20, 30. Ask: “One bundle is ten. We did not count all the counters one by one. How much did each bundle add?” |
| 20 min | Tens towers and coins Pairs build towers of ten, or lay ten-cent coins, and read 10, 20, 30, 40, 50. They write the sequence on the worksheet. Ask: “Put your finger on thirty. What is ten more? How do you know so quickly?” |
| 10 min | Ends in zero Write 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 on the board and look at the last digit of each. Ask: “What is the same about the last number of every one? Would twenty-five ever be in this count?” |
Two half-sessions instead? End Session A after bundling tens. Start Session B with the tens towers or coins.
Watch for these ideas
- Writing 10, 11, 12, counting on by one instead of jumping by ten.
- Confusing counting by tens with counting by ones: 10, 20, 30 not 1, 2, 3.
- Losing a bundle so the hops are not all ten.
Answers
- Count the bundles: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50.
- Keep it going: 40, 50.
- Find the jump: every box is plus ten.
- Four ten-cent coins are 40 cents.
Count in tens
Counting in tens goes 10, 20, 30, 40, 50. The jump is plus ten every time.
Each bundle has ten counters. Write how many there are so far under each bundle.
Fill the next two numbers.
Write the jump in each box.
Ten-cent coins are worth ten each. Four ten-cent coins are ______ cents.
Highways on the fifty chart
When we colour the numbers we skip-count on a chart, the rule turns into a picture. The twos stripe every second number. The fives fall in two straight columns. The tens fall in one. Best of all, the tens sit on both the twos highway and the fives highway, because ten is made of twos and made of fives.
We are learning to
- colour the twos, fives and tens on a number chart,
- see each skip-count become a highway you can look at,
- notice where the highways cross.
Success criteria
- I can colour the numbers I say when I count by twos, fives and tens.
- I can say what the coloured pattern looks like.
You need
The worksheet with the fifty chart, one per child. Crayons or pencils in three colours. A shared chart on the board is handy for the warm-up.
Lesson flow (about 40 minutes)
| 10 min | Colour the twos On a shared chart, colour the numbers you say counting by twos: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10. Stand back and look. Ask: “What does the coloured pattern look like? Is every second number coloured?” |
| 20 min | Three highways On their own chart, children colour the twos in one colour, the fives in another and the tens in a third, then describe what they see. Ask: “The fives make columns. How many columns? Where do the tens go?” |
| 10 min | Where they cross Look at a number like twenty or thirty. It is coloured more than once. Ask: “Is twenty on the twos highway? Is it on the fives highway too? Why is it on both?” |
Two half-sessions instead? End Session A after colouring the twos. Start Session B with the fives and tens highways.
Watch for these ideas
- Miscounting the grid and colouring the wrong square.
- Thinking the highways never cross. The tens sit on both the twos and the fives.
- Colouring 5, 6, 7 in a block instead of skipping to the next five.
Answers
- Twos coloured: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 ... all the way to 50.
- Fives coloured: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50.
- Tens coloured: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50.
- The tens are coloured on both the twos highway and the fives highway.
Highways on the fifty chart
Colour the numbers you say when you count. Use a different colour for each highway. Then look at the picture your colours make.
- Colour the twos: 2, 4, 6, 8 ...
- Circle the fives: 5, 10, 15, 20 ...
- Draw a box around the tens: 10, 20, 30 ...
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
| 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 |
| 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 |
Which numbers wear more than one mark? Write what you notice.
Make your own skip-count
All week the jumps were chosen for the children. Today they choose. Pick a jump, two, five or ten, and build a sequence with objects and with numbers. The one rule: the jump must stay the same the whole way. Making a pattern, not just reading one, is where the idea becomes theirs.
We are learning to
- choose a jump of two, five or ten,
- build a sequence with objects and write the numbers,
- say what the jump is and keep it the same.
Success criteria
- I can make my own skip-counting pattern.
- I can tell you my jump.
You need
Counters, buttons, coins or bottle tops to build with. The number cards (cut-out sheet 1), one set per pair. The worksheet, one per child.
Lesson flow (about 40 minutes)
| 10 min | Pick a jump together The class votes on a jump, then builds it together with objects, saying each number. Ask: “We chose a jump of five. What will our sequence be? Say it as we build it.” |
| 20 min | Build and write Each child chooses two, five or ten, lays objects in equal groups, and writes the numbers under them on the worksheet. Ask: “Is every group the same size? Then your jump stays the same the whole way.” |
| 10 min | Say the jump Children share a sequence and the class works out the jump from the numbers. Ask: “Listen to the numbers. How big is the jump? Did it stay the same all the way?” |
Two half-sessions instead? End Session A after the class builds one together. Start Session B with each child building their own.
Watch for these ideas
- Changing the jump partway, so the groups are not all the same size.
- Building a sequence but not being able to say what the jump is.
- Writing numbers that do not match the objects in the groups.
Answers
- Own patterns vary. Check the jump is two, five or ten and that it stays the same the whole way.
- The numbers under the groups should climb by the chosen jump, for example 5, 10, 15, 20.
Make your own skip-count
Choose your jump. Then build your own pattern with objects and numbers.
Circle the jump you choose.
Draw your groups of objects in the box. Make every group the same size.
Write how many there are after each group.
My jump is plus ______. It stays the same the whole way.
Skip-counting number cards
Cut out the cards. Lay a set in a row to build a skip-count, or shuffle a set and order it again. The twos, fives and tens are kept apart so children can match each set to its jump. One set per pair is plenty.
Twos (jump plus two)
Fives (jump plus five)
Tens (jump plus ten)
Teacher note: these are the same numbers children meet on screen. Ordering the shuffled cards is a quick check that the jump is understood.
Counters and ten-frames
Cut out the counters to build in equal groups: pairs for twos, hands of five for fives, and fill a ten-frame for tens. Lay the counters, then read the skip-count they make.
Counters
Ten-frames
Teacher note: a full ten-frame is one ten, so counting full frames is counting in tens.
What we know: Skip-Counting Patterns
Work on your own. Count out loud if it helps.
- Count by twos. Fill the next two:2468
- Count by fives. Fill the next one:51015
- Count by tens. Fill the missing one:102040
- What is the jump?46810The jump is plus ______.
- Circle the numbers you say counting by tens:10202530404550
Answers and marking guide
Answers
- 10, 12 (the jump is plus two).
- 20 (the jump is plus five).
- 30 (the jump is plus ten).
- The jump is plus two.
- Circle 10, 20, 30, 40, 50. Leave 25 and 45, they are not said counting by tens.
A quick three-level guide
| Idea | Working towards | At standard | Beyond |
|---|---|---|---|
| Find the jump (Q4) | says a number is added but not which | names the jump as plus two | explains that the jump lives in the gaps, not the first number |
| Continue by twos (Q1) | adds a number but not always the right one | continues by twos: 10, 12 | continues past the page without slipping |
| Continue by fives and tens (Q2, Q3) | continues with materials | continues by fives (20) and by tens (30) | fills a gap inside a sequence, not just the end |
| Skip count by tens (Q5) | circles some tens | circles only the numbers said counting by tens | explains that the tens all end in zero |
Five questions, four ideas. A child at standard finds the jump and continues a skip-count by twos, fives and tens.
Weekly class record
Jot a tick as you move around the room; the mini-check fills any gaps. A tick a day is plenty.
| Name | Twos | Fives | Tens | Highways | Make own |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The five columns are the five days: count by twos, by fives, by tens, colour the highways, and make your own.