Mathematics · Year 1

Active learning ideas

Skip Counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s

Active learning works for skip counting because movement and visuals turn abstract number sequences into tangible patterns. Students hear, see, and feel the rhythm of multiples, which cements fluency faster than rote memorization alone.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9M1N01
• AC9M1A01

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

Activity 01

• Think-Pair-Share
• 30 min · Pairs

Hundreds Chart Coloring: By 2s, 5s, 10s

Provide printed hundreds charts. Instruct students to color multiples of 2 in blue, 5s in green, and 10s in red. Discuss patterns: even rows for 2s, right column for 10s. Pairs share one observation each.

Explain why all numbers in the 'tens' skip count end in zero.

Facilitation Tip

For Hundreds Chart Coloring, have students use two different colors to trace the paths of 2s and 5s, then compare the two patterns side by side.

What to look for

Present students with a partially completed skip count sequence (e.g., 10, 20, __, 40). Ask them to write the missing number and explain the pattern they used to find it.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 02

• Think-Pair-Share
• 25 min · Whole Class

Skip Count Hopscotch: Outdoor Multiples

Draw hopscotch grids numbered by 2s to 50 on pavement. Students hop and call numbers aloud while tossing a stone. Switch to 5s and 10s grids. Whole class rotates turns.

Justify how skip counting helps find a total faster than counting by ones.

Facilitation Tip

During Skip Count Hopscotch, ask students to call out the numbers aloud as they hop to reinforce auditory and kinesthetic memory.

What to look for

Ask students: 'Imagine you have 6 pairs of socks. How could you use skip counting to find the total number of socks? Which skip counting pattern would you use and why?'

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 03

• Think-Pair-Share
• 35 min · Small Groups

Bead Chain Relay: Sequence Building

Give groups pipe cleaners and colored beads for 2s (pairs), 5s (groups of five), 10s (tens). Teams link chains while skip counting aloud, racing to 100. Compare lengths and patterns.

Analyze the patterns observed on a 100s chart when coloring in every second number.

Facilitation Tip

In Bead Chain Relay, provide a limited number of beads to force quick decisions and peer collaboration.

What to look for

Give each student a 100s chart. Ask them to color in all the numbers they say when skip counting by 5s, starting from 5. Then, ask them to write one sentence describing the pattern they see on the chart.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 04

• Think-Pair-Share
• 20 min · Whole Class

Clap and Count Circle: Rhythmic Patterns

Form a circle. Leader claps beat for 2s, class echoes numbers. Rotate leaders for 5s and 10s. Record sequences on board for reference.

Explain why all numbers in the 'tens' skip count end in zero.

Facilitation Tip

Use Clap and Count Circle to normalize mistakes by having the whole group clap and count together, reducing pressure on individual students.

What to look for

Present students with a partially completed skip count sequence (e.g., 10, 20, __, 40). Ask them to write the missing number and explain the pattern they used to find it.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach skip counting by starting with the most concrete: counting groups of objects, like beads or socks. Move to the hundreds chart to reveal the structure of multiples, then add movement to solidify the rhythm. Avoid teaching multiplication symbols too early; focus on the patterns first. Research shows that students who physically group items into sets of 2, 5, or 10 before coloring charts internalize the concept more deeply.

Successful learning looks like students confidently reciting sequences, recognizing patterns on the hundreds chart, and applying skip counting to solve simple real-world problems. They should explain why 10s end in zero and why 5s alternate between odd and even numbers.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Hundreds Chart Coloring, watch for students who assume all multiples of 5 are even.

  Have them trace the 5s pattern with a finger while saying each number aloud, then pair them to explain why 5 and 15 are odd while 10 and 20 are even.

• During Bead Chain Relay, listen for students who say numbers like 15 when counting by 10s.

  Ask them to hold up a group of 10 beads after saying each number to reinforce that multiples of 10 must equal a full group, not a partial one.

• During Skip Count Hopscotch, watch for students who describe the pattern on the chart as random or unrelated to the numbers they say.

  After the game, bring them back to the chart and ask them to point to the rows they hopped, then describe how the numbers grow as they move down the chart.

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Methods used in this brief

• Think-Pair-Share