Mathematics · Foundation

Active learning ideas

One More, One Less

Active learning builds number sense by connecting abstract ideas to real movements and objects. For One More, One Less, students need to physically experience how a single change shifts the total before they can internalize the pattern. Hands-on tasks with familiar materials turn counting into a concrete skill they can trust.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9M6N03

• 20–35 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Plan-Do-Review
• 25 min · Pairs

Partner Relay: More or Less Toss

Pairs face each other with 10 counters each. One student says a number from 0-9; partner tosses one counter into a bowl for 'one more' or removes one for 'one less,' then counts aloud to confirm. Switch roles after 5 turns. Record final scores on a class chart.

If there are 8 books on the shelf and we add one more, how many are there?

Facilitation Tip

During Partner Relay: More or Less Toss, position students closer together so the toss is quick and the counting is immediate.

What to look for

Present a small collection of 5-7 counters. Ask the student: 'If I add one more counter, how many will there be?' Then, remove one counter and ask: 'Now how many are there? Can you show me one less?'

• Remember
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Decision-Making
• Self-Awareness

Activity 02

• Plan-Do-Review
• 30 min · Whole Class

Whole Class: Number Line March

Create a giant floor number line 0-10 with tape and cards. Teacher calls 'one more than 5' or 'one less than 8'; whole class moves to positions, using claps or jumps to count. Discuss positions as a group before next call.

Can you show me one less than 10 using your blocks?

Facilitation Tip

In Whole Class: Number Line March, stand on the same line as students so your steps model the same size and rhythm.

What to look for

Hold up a card with a numeral (e.g., 7). Ask: 'What number is one more than 7?' Then ask: 'What number is one less than 7?' Encourage students to use their fingers or draw a picture to explain their answer.

• Remember
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Decision-Making
• Self-Awareness

Activity 03

• Plan-Do-Review
• 35 min · Small Groups

Small Groups: Block Tower Challenge

Groups of 3-4 build towers to match numbers 0-10, then add or remove one block as directed by cards (e.g., 'one more than 7'). Count and compare towers, noting changes. Photograph for a class display.

What number is one more than 6? What number is one less?

Facilitation Tip

For Small Groups: Block Tower Challenge, provide only enough blocks for two stacks so students focus on the comparison, not the building.

What to look for

Give each student a small card with a picture of 4 objects. Ask them to draw one more object and write the total number of objects. On the back, ask them to draw one less object and write the new total.

• Remember
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Decision-Making
• Self-Awareness

Activity 04

• Plan-Do-Review
• 20 min · Individual

Individual: Finger Counting Cards

Students draw cards with numbers 0-9, show one more or less on fingers, then draw or stamp the new amount. Complete 10 cards, self-check with a number line strip.

If there are 8 books on the shelf and we add one more, how many are there?

Facilitation Tip

Use Individual: Finger Counting Cards, give each student a card with the numeral already written so they add or remove objects next to a clear visual.

What to look for

Present a small collection of 5-7 counters. Ask the student: 'If I add one more counter, how many will there be?' Then, remove one counter and ask: 'Now how many are there? Can you show me one less?'

• Remember
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Decision-Making
• Self-Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach this topic through movement and objects first, then connect to symbols. Avoid rushing to worksheets; students need to feel the shift from 4 to 5 with their bodies before they see it on paper. Use consistent language: “add one, take one away” instead of mixing it with “plus one, minus one.” Research shows that young learners develop number concepts through repeated, varied sensory experiences before symbolic fluency appears.

Students will confidently count forward and backward within 0 to 10, explain the effect of adding or removing one object, and use precise vocabulary like “one more” and “one less” in context. They will also start to predict sequences without recounting every time.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Partner Relay: More or Less Toss, watch for students who skip zero when counting down.

  Place a bowl labeled ‘0’ on the floor and have students physically drop the last counter into it, saying ‘from 1 to 0’ aloud while you model counting fingers from one hand down to zero.

• During Whole Class: Number Line March, watch for students who step from 9 directly to 11.

  Have the whole class march slowly, counting aloud together, and mark each step on a floor number line so the progression from 9 to 10 is physically felt before moving to 11.

• During Small Groups: Block Tower Challenge, watch for students who think ‘one more’ always means the tallest possible tower.

  Ask students to compare two towers and explain why one is exactly one block taller, using sentence stems like ‘This tower has one more block than that one because...’ to reinforce relative change.

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Methods used in this brief

• Plan-Do-Review