The purpose of this How Many Do You See? is for students to recognize and name small groups of dots and describe how they see them.

• “We’re going to play a game called “Is it 3?” When I show you fingers or dots, think about if it is 3. If it is 3, give a thumbs up. If it is not 3, touch your shoes.”
• Display each image and ask “Is it 3?” each time.
• Display 1 finger, 4 fingers, and 3 fingers and ask “Is it 3?” each time.

The purpose of this activity is for students to recognize, name, and match groups with the same number of images. This matching task gives students opportunities to analyze the same number of images organized in different arrangements and make connections (MP7). When students say that two cards match because they have the same number of objects, they attend to precision in their language (MP6). While students may count the groups of images on each card, the number of images in each group stays within 4 so that students can subitize and match the quantities without counting.

• Display cards A and E.
• “What is the same about these cards? What is different?” (They both have yellow things. The number is different. There are 4 bananas and 3 stars.)
• Display cards A and G.
• “What is the same about these cards? What is different?” (They both have 4 things. One has bananas and one has umbrellas.)
• Display or write “4."
• “These cards both have the same number of things. They both have 4.”

The purpose of this activity is for students to choose from activities that focus on using math tools and recognizing and naming quantities without counting.

Students choose from any of the previously introduced stages of these centers:

• Connecting Cubes
• Pattern Blocks
• Geoblocks
• Picture Books

• Invite previously selected students to share their picture book page. 
• “What groups do you see in _____’s picture book page?”