Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v5 - Grade R
Numbers 0–10: counting forwards and backwards – Week 3 focus
Download the Lessonotes Mobile South Africa app for faster lesson access on Android and iPhone.
Numbers 0–10: counting forwards and backwards – Week 3 focus
Download the Lessonotes Mobile South Africa app for faster lesson access on Android and iPhone.
Subject: Mathematics
Class: Grade R
Term: 2nd Term
Week: 3
Theme: General lesson support
This page supports the lesson note with a companion video and a short classroom-ready summary.
For class groups and homework, share this lesson page so learners also get the summary, objectives, and full lesson context.
This week, we're diving deeper into the world of numbers, focusing on counting forwards and backwards from 0 to
1
0. Understanding how to count forwards and backwards is like learning the alphabet – it's a fundamental building block for all other math concepts! Being able to count helps us in our everyday lives, from knowing how many sweets we have to sharing toys fairly with our friends and family. Think about lining up for lunch at school; knowing how to count helps us find our place in the queue.
Counting Forwards: Counting forwards means starting at a small number (like 0 or 1) and adding one each time to get to the next bigger number. It's like climbing stairs, one step at a time!
We go: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,
1
0. Each number is one more than the number before it.
Example 1: Imagine you have one apple. Then your friend gives you another apple. Now you have two apples! This is counting forward from 1 to
2. Example 2: Let’s use our fingers. Start with a closed fist (zero). Now put up one finger (one). Put up another finger (two). Keep going until all ten fingers are up! We've counted forward to 10!
Counting Backwards: Counting backwards is the opposite of counting forwards. It means starting at a bigger number (like 10) and taking away one each time to get to the next smaller number. It's like descending stairs, one step at a time!
We go: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1,
0. Each number is one less than the number before it.
Example 1: You have five sweets, and you eat one. Now you have four sweets! This is counting backward from 5 to
4. Example 2: Let’s use our fingers again. Start with all ten fingers up. Now put down one finger (nine). Put down another finger (eight). Keep going until all fingers are down (zero). We've counted backward to 0!
Number Before and After: Each number (except 0 and 10) has a number that comes before it and a number that comes after it. The number that comes before is always one less. For example, the number before 5 is
4. The number that comes after is always one more. For example, the number after 5 is
6. Example: What number comes before 8?
Let's count backwards: 8,
7. So, 7 comes before
8. Example: What number comes after 3?
Let's count forwards: 3,
4. So, 4 comes after
3. Guided Practice (With Solutions)
Question 1: Count forwards from 2 to 6 using stones.
Solution: Start with 2 stones.
Add one stone: Now you have 3 stones.
Add another stone: Now you have 4 stones.
Add another stone: Now you have 5 stones.
Add another stone: Now you have 6 stones.
We have counted forwards: 2, 3, 4, 5,
6. Question 2: Count backwards from 9 to 5 using your fingers.
Solution: Start with 9 fingers up (five on one hand, four on the other).
Put one finger down: Now you have 8 fingers up.
Put another finger down: Now you have 7 fingers up.
Put another finger down: Now you have 6 fingers up.
Put another finger down: Now you have 5 fingers up.
We have counted backwards: 9, 8, 7, 6,
5. Question 3: What number comes after 4? Use counters to help.
Solution: Place 4 counters on the table. Add one more counter. Count all the counters. There are 5 counters.
Therefore, the number that comes after 4 is
5. Question 4: What number comes before 7? Use a number line if it helps.
Solution: Imagine a number line: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 The number to the left of 7 is
6. Therefore, the number that comes before 7 is
6. Independent Practice (Questions Only) Count forwards from 1 to
5. Write down the numbers. Count backwards from 8 to
2. Write down the numbers. What number comes after 2? What number comes before 6? Use beads to count forwards from 3 to
7. How many beads do you have at the end? Use your fingers to count backwards from 10 to
6. How many fingers are you holding up at the end? What number comes after 9? What number comes before 1?
Complete the pattern: 4, 5, __, 7, __ Complete the pattern: 9, 8, __, 6, __