1st Grade Counting and Numbers to 20 Lesson (Free PDF)
This numbers to 20 lesson for 1st Grade covers counting and numbers to 20 (Common Core 1.NBT.A.1), with a free PDF to print.
Counting means saying one number for each object, and the last number said tells how many there are. Ten frames show numbers from 11 to 20 as one full ten and some more ones. One more is the next number when you count forward. One less is the number just before when you count back.
Grade 1 · Common Core State Standards: 1.NBT.A.1
Key facts in this numbers to 20 lesson
- Touch each object once and say one number for each touch.
- The last number you say tells how many objects there are.
- A full ten frame holds 10 counters; a second frame shows 11 to 20.
- One more is the next number; one less is the number before.
- A numeral such as 14 is the written symbol for fourteen.
How do you count objects up to 20?
Touch each thing one time. Say one number for each touch. The last number you say tells how many there are.
What is a ten frame?
A ten frame has two rows of five boxes. When all ten boxes are full, you have ten. Extra counters go in a second frame. That makes every number from \(11\) to \(19\) easy to see: one full ten and some more.
| Numeral | Word | Think |
|---|---|---|
| \(11\) | eleven | ten and one more |
| \(12\) | twelve | ten and two more |
| \(13\) | thirteen | ten and three more |
| \(14\) | fourteen | ten and four more |
| \(15\) | fifteen | ten and five more |
| \(16\) | sixteen | ten and six more |
| \(17\) | seventeen | ten and seven more |
| \(18\) | eighteen | ten and eight more |
| \(19\) | nineteen | ten and nine more |
How do you find one more and one less?
On a number line, the next number to the right is one more. The next number to the left is one less. Counting forward gives one more each time. Counting back gives one less each time.
How do you count on from any number?
- Say the number you start with.
- Say the next number. Hold up one finger.
- Keep going until you reach the number you need.
Example: Start at \(16\) and count on four numbers. Say \(17\), \(18\), \(19\), \(20\). Four fingers are up, so you stop at \(20\).
You can also write numbers. A teen number has two digits. The first digit is \(1\) because there is one ten. The second digit tells how many ones. For \(17\) the second digit is \(7\). The number \(20\) has two tens and no ones.
Numbers to 20 lesson: questions and answers
What does the last number said mean when counting?
The last number said tells how many objects are in the group. If you count 1 to 8 and stop, there are 8 objects.
How can a ten frame help with 13?
Fill one whole ten frame with 10 counters. Put 3 more counters in a second frame. That shows ten and three more, which is 13.
What number is one more than 19?
Count forward one step from 19. You say 20. So 20 is one more than 19.
How do you count back from 15?
Say 15, then 14, then 13. Each number is one less than the number before it.
Why does 17 begin with a 1?
The 1 stands for one ten. The 7 stands for seven ones. So 17 is one ten and seven ones.
How to use this numbers to 20 lesson
Read the definitions first, then follow the worked method line by line and redo the example on paper without looking. When every step makes sense, move on to the worksheet, then check yourself with the quiz.
Download the numbers to 20 lesson as a PDF with the button below and keep it with your notes.
All Grade 1 chapters: Grade 1 math.
