877-542-5504 877-542-5504

Counting Fun with Gummi Bears Lesson Plan

Want to Help Fellow Teachers?

Please help us grow this free resource by submitting your favorite lesson plans.

Lesson Plan #: AELP-ATH0028
Submitted by: Amy Richardson
Email: acrst10+@pitt.edu
School/University/Affiliation: University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown Date: September 20, 1999


Grade Level(s): Preschool education, Kindergarten

Subject(s):

  • Mathematics/Arithmetic

Duration: one 45-minute session Description: This is one of my favorite lessons and when I found out that I had the opportunity to share it with others in the teaching profession I became very excited. I used this particular lesson in a kindergarten classroom and it was a great success. I hope you find it as enjoyable and as useful as I did. The main purpose of the lesson is to help children understand the concept of numbers using familiar manipulatives.

Goals: The goal of this lesson is to familiarize the young learner with the numbers one through ten.

Objectives: The students will be able:

  • count the numbers one through ten out loud
  • identify the numbers one through ten
  • show the numbers one through ten using manipulatives
  • Materials:

    • Boegehold, Lindley (1999). The Gummi Bear Counting Book . Anness Publishing Inc.
    • A sandwich bag for each student in the class containing ten gummi bears.
    • Cut outs in the shape of bears with the numbers one through ten written on their stomach (make sure there is enough for each student to have a set).

    Procedure:

  • Begin the lesson by showing a stuffed animal of a bear.
  • Ask the student what animal it is that you are holding.
  • Continue the discussion by allowing them to talk about any stuffed animals they might own.
  • Explain to the students that they will be learning something very special today, to count, using bears.
  • Introduce the book, The Gummi Bear Counting Book . As the story is being read to the students place the teddy bear cut outs on the blackboard which display the corresponding number. After the story is completed, as a class, review the bears on the blackboard by counting aloud together.
  • Next comes the fun part!

  • Explain to the student that they will each be given a bag that has ten gummi bears in it.
  • Make sure to enforce the rule that they are not to eat them until it is snack time!
  • Also show them the bear cut outs they will receive and show them how they each have a different number on them.
  • After the material is passed out begin the game by calling out a number one through ten.
  • The task of the student is to find the bear that has that number on its stomach and using their gummi bears show that number on their cut out.
  • It is a great idea to have bears already made displaying the correct number of gummi bears to use as an aid in checking the answers.
  • Note: This activity is a great way to introduce the concept of counting. The book I have mentioned in this lesson is excellent and is appealing to the younger student. I hope this can offer some inspiration and variation to the teacher of a younger class. Assessment:

    Assessment for this particular lesson can come in a variety of forms:

    • One way is to have the students get into small groups and play the game themselves, using each other to check their understand of numbers.
    • Or, a class handout could be given to the students asking them to demonstrate the numbers one through ten.


    Note: I feel that the type of assessment for a lesson really depends on the teacher and the type of class one is dealing with.