You will learn
- Say what equal groups are.
- Count how many groups and how many in each.
- Find the total of equal groups.
- Tell equal groups from unequal groups.
Version 0.1 · published for early use · expert review pending Standards alignment: pending verification. Not yet reviewed against the Courseversity scorecard.
Student lesson
Words to know
A set of things together.
The same amount.
All of them added together.
Every one of the groups.
1. Discover: bags of oranges
A seller packs oranges in 3 bags. Each bag has 4 oranges. How many oranges are there in all?
2. Understand: equal groups
Equal groups have the same number in each group. Three bags with 4 oranges each are 3 equal groups of 4.
To find the total, count all the oranges: 4, 8, 12. There are 12 oranges.
3 bags with 4, 4 and 5 oranges are not equal groups.
3. Explore: make equal groups
You need 12 counters and 3 pieces of paper.
- Put 4 counters on each paper.
- Say: 3 groups of 4.
- Count all the counters.
- Make 2 groups of 5 and find the total.
Think about it: what did you notice?
3 groups of 4 = 12. 2 groups of 5 = 10.
4. Practise
Guided practice
Question 1. 3 bags with 4 oranges each. Total?
12.
Question 2. Are groups of 3, 3 and 4 equal?
No.
Question 3. 2 groups of 6?
12.
Independent practice
- 3 groups of 4 = ?
- 2 groups of 5 = ?
- 4 groups of 2 = ?
- 5 groups of 3 = ?
- Are groups of 3, 3, 4 equal?
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
5. Apply: everyday mathematics
4 children each have 3 pencils. How many pencils in all?
Show a sample answer
12 pencils.
6. Common mistake
Fix: Check each group has the same number.
7. Check and master
Answer all questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
8. Key takeaways
- Equal groups have the same amount.
- Find the total.
- Count how many groups and how many in each.
9. Next lesson
Next lesson: Repeated addition. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Printable worksheet
- 3 groups of 4
- 2 groups of 5
- 4 groups of 2
- 5 groups of 3
- Are 3, 3, 4 equal groups? (yes/no)
Homework
Make equal groups of beans at home. Draw one and write the total.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 3 groups of 4 | 12 | 2 |
| 2 groups of 5 | 10 | 2 |
| 4 groups of 2 | 8 | 2 |
| 5 groups of 3 | 15 | 2 |
| Are 3, 3, 4 equal groups? (yes/no) | no | 2 |
| Total | 10 |
Practice answers: Worksheet: 1 12; 2 10; 3 8; 4 15; 5 no.
Quiz answers: 1 A, 2 B, 3 C, 4 A, 5 B, challenge C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Say what equal groups are | 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 how many groups and how many in each | 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 Find the total of equal groups | 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 Tell equal groups from unequal groups | 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 |
Proposed Courseversity thresholds for this page: Bronze = at least 3 of 5 core questions correct; Silver = all 5; Gold = all 5 plus the challenge. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: Counting groups that are not equal. Check each group has the same number.
- Explain another way: use real objects first, then pictures.
- Show a simpler example: Use plates and counters to make equal groups 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.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: say what equal groups are; count how many groups and how many in each; find the total of equal groups; tell equal groups from unequal groups.
Prerequisite knowledge. Grade 1 addition and counting.
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. 35–45 minutes.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Start with the Discover situation and let learners suggest ideas before you teach.
Explanation (10 min). Teach the Understand section with real objects first, then pictures, then symbols and words.
Guided activity (10 min). You need 12 counters and 3 pieces of paper. Learners follow the Explore steps in pairs.
Independent activity (10 min). Learners complete the independent practice and the worksheet.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
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. Counting groups that are not equal. Check each group has the same number.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz and worksheet on this page. The 10-mark scheme and all answers are in the answer key above. Re-check every answer and the marking scheme before publication.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Use plates and counters to make equal groups 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
Alignment is pending verification and no external 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. Specific standard codes will be added once checked against the official documents.