K.2.A
The Standard
count forward and backward to at least 20 with and without objects
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Mathematics
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students say number names in order going up and going down through 20. They count objects one at a time, then repeat the sequence without objects.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student counts aloud from 1 to 20 and from 20 to 1 without pauses or skipped numbers. The student keeps the sequence accurate while adding or removing objects one at a time.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may skip numbers, repeat a number, or reverse 12 and 13. They may count objects twice, stop matching one number to each object, or struggle when counting backward.
How to Assess It
- Give a student 20 counters. Ask the student to count them forward, remove one at a time while counting backward, then repeat without counters.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give pairs 20 linking cubes to build a train while counting forward, then remove cubes one at a time while counting backward.
Ask, “What number comes before and after 14?” and have students explain how they know without using objects.
Play Number Path Hop, where students move a marker forward or backward on a 1 to 20 path based on direction cards.
Count students as they line up for recess, then count backward as each student leaves the room.
Keep exploring
Related Standards
- K.2.C
count a set of objects up to at least 20 and demonstrate that the last number said tells the number of objects in the set regardless of their arrangement or ord...
- 2.4.A
recall basic facts to add and subtract within 20 with automaticity
- K.2.B
read, write, and represent whole numbers from 0 to at least 20 with and without objects or pictures
- 1.5.B
skip count by twos, fives, and tens to determine the total number of objects up to 120 in a set
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