You will learn
- Count forwards from any number up to 20.
- Count backwards from 20.
- Say the number that comes next or before.
- Explain which direction numbers get bigger or smaller.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- Count on from any number. You do not go back to one.
- Count back like a countdown: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
- One more is the next number. One less is the number before.
- Forwards numbers get bigger. Backwards they get smaller.
Words to know
Say the next numbers in order, getting bigger.
Say the numbers in order, getting smaller.
In the direction numbers get bigger.
In the direction numbers get smaller.
1. Discover: the rocket countdown
Have you ever heard “5, 4, 3, 2, 1, blast off!”? That is counting backwards. Counting 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 is counting forwards.
2. Understand: forwards and backwards
When we count forwards, each number is one more: 8, 9, 10, 11. When we count backwards, each number is one less: 11, 10, 9, 8.
You can start counting from any number. To count on from 7, say: 8, 9, 10. To count back from 7, say: 6, 5, 4.
Counting back to zero: 3, 2, 1, 0.
Idea 1: Count on from any number
You can start at any number. To count on from 12, say 13, 14, 15. You do not need to go back to one.
Why? You already know the numbers up to 12. Counting on saves time.
Idea 2: Count back
Counting back is like a rocket countdown: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Each number is smaller than the one before.
Try it: count back from 10 to 5.
Idea 3: One more and one less
One more than 8 is 9. It is the next number when we count on.
One less than 8 is 7. It is the next number when we count back.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Count on from 12
Start at 12 and count on 3.
- Start at 12. Do not count it again.
- Say 13, 14, 15.
Answer: You stop at 15.
Example 2 (We do it together): Count back from 10 to 5
Count back from 10 to 5.
- Say 10.
- Each next number is one less: 9, 8, 7, 6, 5.
Answer: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5
Example 3 (You try): One less than 15
What is one less than 15?
Show the steps and answer
- Count back from 15.
- The next number back is 14.
Answer: 14
Did you know?
A rocket is launched after a countdown. Counting back from 10 helps everyone get ready together.
Why this matters
We count back for countdowns, for steps going down and to see how many are left. We count on to carry on from where we are.
4. Explore: steps on the ground
Draw numbers 0 to 20 in chalk or on cards in a line.
- Stand on 5. Step forward and say 6, 7, 8.
- Now stand on 10. Step backward and say 9, 8, 7.
- Start at 20 and step back to 15.
- Take turns to choose a start number for a partner to count on or back from.
Think about it: what did you notice?
Stepping forward gives bigger numbers; stepping backward gives smaller numbers.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- Counting forwards, the number after ___ is ___.
- Counting backwards, the number before ___ is ___.
- One more than ___ is ___.
- One less than ___ is ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. Count forwards from 6: 6, 7, __, __.
8, 9.
Question 2. Count backwards from 9: 9, 8, __, __.
7, 6.
Question 3. What comes after 19 when counting on?
20.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- Count on from 12: 12, __, __, __.
- Count back from 10 to 5.
- What number is one less than 15?
- What number is one more than 15?
- Count back from 20 to 15.
Level 2: Grow
- Count on from 14: 14, __, __, __.
- Count back from 12 to 8.
- What is one more than 18?
Level 3: Stretch
- Start at 9. Count on 5. Where do you stop?
- Start at 17. Count back 6. Where do you stop?
- Mia says counting back from 6 goes 6, 7, 8. What is wrong?
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: everyday mathematics
A lift is on floor 8. It goes down 3 floors, one at a time. What floors does it pass, and where does it stop?
Show a sample answer
It goes to 7, 6, then stops at 5.
Another one. A lift is on floor 9 and goes down to floor 4. Which floors does it pass?
Show a sample answer
It goes 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4. It counts backwards.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Say “backwards means smaller”. The numbers get smaller each time.
Fix: Say a countdown: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Each number must be smaller.
Fix: Do not count the start. Start at 9 and count on 3: say 10, 11, 12.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can count forwards from any number up to 20.
- I can count backwards from 20.
- I can say the number that comes next or before.
- I can tell which way numbers get bigger or smaller.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- Forwards: numbers get bigger, one more each time.
- Backwards: numbers get smaller, one less each time.
- You can start from any number.
11. Next lesson
Lesson 8: Numbers to 50. You will count past 20 up to 50.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- Count on and write the next three numbers: 7, 8, 9, __, __, __ [3 marks]
- Count back and write the missing numbers: 15, 14, __, 12, __ [2 marks]
- What is one more than 16? [1 mark]
- What is one less than 12? [1 mark]
- Zoe starts at 18 and counts back 4. Where does she stop? Show how. [2 marks]
Total: 9 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- 10 [1], 11 [1], 12 [1]
- 13 [1], 11 [1]
- 17 [1]
- 11 [1]
- 14 [1]. 17, 16, 15, 14 [1].
Score guide: 8 to 9 = secure. 6 to 7 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 6 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- Count forwards from 4: 4, 5, __, __.
- Count backwards from 10: 10, 9, __, __.
- One more than 12 is __.
- One less than 20 is __.
- Which way do we count to go from 7 to 3?
- Count on from 8: 8, __, __, __.
- Count back from 7 to 3.
- What is one more than 13?
- What is one less than 20?
- Which way do you count to get smaller numbers?
Homework
Do a countdown from 10 to 0 with a family member, then count forwards from 0 to 20. Try counting back from 20 to 10 too.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Count forwards from 4 | 6, 7 | 2 |
| Count backwards from 10 | 8, 7 | 2 |
| One more than 12 | 13 | 2 |
| One less than 20 | 19 | 2 |
| Direction from 7 to 3 | Backwards | 2 |
| Total | 10 |
Practice answers: Worksheet: 1 6, 7; 2 8, 7; 3 13; 4 19; 5 backwards.
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 A, 3 C, 4 B, 5 B, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 A, Challenge 2 C.
Extra worksheet answers (items 6 onward): 6 9, 10, 11; 7 7, 6, 5, 4, 3; 8 14; 9 19; 10 Backwards.
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 13, 14, 15; 2 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5; 3 14; 4 16; 5 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15. Level 2: 1 15, 16, 17; 2 12, 11, 10, 9, 8; 3 19. Level 3: 1 14; 2 11; 3 Counting back makes numbers smaller. It should go 6, 5, 4..
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Count forwards from any number up to 20 | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Count backwards from 20 | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Say the number that comes next or before | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Explain which direction numbers get bigger or smaller | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: Learners may find counting back hard and count forward instead. Practise with a countdown rhyme.
- Explain another way: use real objects first, then pictures.
- Show a simpler example: Count back from 5 to 0 with objects removed one at a time.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child counts forwards and backwards and finds one more and one less. You do not need to be good at mathematics to help.
- Count steps up and down stairs, forwards and backwards.
- Do a countdown from 10 before a game or before leaving.
- Ask: what is one more than 8? One less than 8?
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: count forwards from any number up to 20; count backwards from 20; say the number that comes next or before; explain which direction numbers get bigger or smaller.
Prerequisite knowledge. Lessons 1 to 6.
Materials. Counters (stones, seeds or bottle tops), paper, pencils, board or chalkboard. Low-resource options: use stones, seeds, sticks, bottle tops or drawings in the sand or on the board instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Gather the counters and draw the example pictures on the board before the lesson.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Count down from 5 to blast off.
Explanation (10 min). Show forwards as one more and backwards as one less on a number line.
Guided activity (10 min). Learners step along a floor number line.
Independent activity (10 min). Learners complete count-on and count-back tasks.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. Do we say the start number when we count on? What happens to numbers when we count back? What is one less than 10?
Teacher explanation notes. Use the concrete, pictorial, abstract order: real objects first, then pictures, then symbols and words. Return to real objects whenever a learner needs support.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use real objects and work with a partner; say each step aloud together. Extension. Ask learners to make up their own example and explain it to a partner.
Formative assessment. Listen to learner explanations, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. Learners may find counting back hard and count forward instead. Practise with a countdown rhyme.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz and worksheet on this page. The 9-mark exam practice scheme, the 10-mark scheme and all answers are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer and the marking scheme before publication.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Count back from 5 to 0 with objects removed one at a time. Enrichment. Invite learners to find or create three more examples at home or in the classroom and explain them. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which concepts learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points named in the Courseversity standard: Common Core State Standards for Mathematics, Cambridge Primary and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Official standards for this topic area. Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (official site): Grade 1 » Number & Operations in Base Ten. These pages list the standards that cover this topic area; read them alongside the lesson.
Research used to shape this lesson. Common Core K.CC.A.2 (counting forward from a given number); Cambridge Primary Mathematics Stage 1. These sources informed the lesson.