Early Childhood Special Education Lesson Plan

Teacher Candidate: Katy Lough

Grade Level: K, ASD Nest; 11 children, 4 with an IEP; 4-6 yr olds

Lesson: Counting the letters in your name

Unit of Study: Math Workshop - Analyzing numbers using first names

Goal of Lesson (Common Core State Standards/Division of Early Childhood where appropriate)
Counting and Cardinality
Know number names and the count sequence.
Count to tell the number of objects.
Compare numbers - Identify whether the number of objects in one group is greater than, less than, or equal to the number of
objects in another group, e.g., by using matching and counting strategies.
Objectives: Students will be able to count the number of letters in their name. Students will be able identify whether the number of
letters in their name is more, less, or "equal to" another student's name. Students will be able to write the numeral that
represents the number of letters in their name.
Language and Communication: Students will use comparative language when comparing the number of letters and cooperative
language (turn taking) during a turn and talk.
Cognitive: Students will count and illustrate cardinality by counting letters in their name and answering "how many." Students will
unscramble letters of their name and put them in the correct order.
Fine Motor: Students will paste index card strips in onto sentence strip paper. Student will use a pencil with proper writing grip to
write the numeral and the letters of their name.
Vocabulary: compare, equal, more, most, less, least
L&C Accommodations: Review vocabulary words with ELL learners prior to lesson

Pre-Assessment:
The students have all participated in a counting jar activity where the items in a jar need to be counted and an equivalent set made
with another object. Some children have difficulty with counting one number for one object, while others have trouble with
cardinality. The children have trouble identifying numbers, as well as writing them. Additionally, the students participate in math
related activities during morning meeting, where they count the number of days we have been in school and compare the number of
sunny/windy/snowy/cloudy/rainy days each month. All need practice with understanding "more," "most" and "less" and "least."
Post-Assessment:
Did the student spell their name correctly with the letters?
Was the student able to successfully count the number of letters in his/her name?
Did the student write the correct numeral to represent the number of letters?
Could the student fill the name into the 10-frame appropriately?
Did the student accurately compare his or her name with a partner's name using comparative words (more, most, less than,
least, greater than)?
Materials:
- Each child's name on index cards and cut up by letter
- Paper template with outlines for index card names, 10-frame, number line, and sentence (1 per child)
- Sentence strip: "I have ____ letters in my name."
- 10-frame (1 per child)
- Number line to 10, with boxes for letters
- Pencils
- Whiteboard, dry erase markers
- Glue stick
- Post-its
Each paper should have room to glue the 10-frame, number line, sentence strip and letters.
Use of Technology: A timer will be used to assist with transitions from tables to meeting area. Music will be played from computer to
facilitate movement break.

Differentiation:
Modifications to make easier:
- first and/or last letter glued down
- boxes where each letter should go
- first and/or last letter written in 10 frame
- first and/or last letter written into number line boxes
Modifications to make harder:
- require student to write number as a word
- ask student to figure out who has the most and least letters in their name at their group
Specific Modifications
James will sit on a bumpy cushion and use a footrest. He will use a slant board at his table for writing. Boxes will be given to show
him where to glue his name. James will be reminded that he can earn a chip if he stays on task or is flexible as he works.
Seating Configuration/Use of Physical Space:
The class utilizes assigned seating in the meeting area to accommodate those who need to sit in chairs (Musique, Cecilia, Leo and
James) and those who need more attention nearest to the teachers (Khiyair and Shon).
All students will work in the groups they sit with (Button table, Rockstar table, and Superhero table).
Teaching roles and collaboration:
Teaching Model: direct instruction, small group, large group discussion
Teacher's Role
- Introduction, activate prior knowledge
- Sing song
- Model my name
- Give directions
- Assist with transition
- Facilitate individual work
- Facilitate discussion
Assistant's Role
- Each teacher in the classroom will monitor a table of 3-4 children, facilitating student independent work and guide where needed.

Classroom Management: The class uses a positive behavior star chart. When children earn 5 stars they get to choose something
from the treasure box at the end of the day. The chart is often used to help remind students who are not behaving appropriately to
fix their behavior. Additionally if a child is having difficulty and refuses a direction, their name may move up the think about it
chart to act as a warning and reminder of how to behave in the classroom. Several children also have an individual behavior
intervention plan where they can earn stars by working on a specific behavior. James is working on being flexible and using whole
body listening (for increments of 9 minutes). Upon fulfilling those goals, he earns a chip. Three chips earn him a star. The same
process is used for Cecilia and Ysabella for being flexible; for Leo, Shon and Kierra for speaking up in a clear loud voice; and for
Khiyair for getting straight to work at his table.
Engagement of students/anticipatory set/Motivation: The teacher and students will create their names using scrambled letters.
Something that is so personal, like a name, generates excitement and interest. Though many of the children have trouble writing
this early in the school year, they can all write their name, which also gives them confidence in the activity.
Connection to Previous lesson/Prior Knowledge:
"We have been counting many things in K-202-- the days of the week, our weather days (sunny, rainy, windy, etc), and even bears in
a jar. Today we are going to count the number of letters in our first names. Then we are going to COMPARE that number to our
friends, just like we COMPARE the number of windy days to the number of rainy days and cloudy and sunny each day during morning
meeting. We talk about which weather has the MOST and which has the LEAST. We are going to find out whose name has the MOST
letters and whose has the LEAST amount of letters. Some of you have short names, like Leo, or medium sized names like James. We
will compare the number of letters in our names and also see if maybe some of you even have the SAME amount of letters.
Estimated time: 5 min

Lesson Presentation:
Sing the name song with the students, allowing each child to say their name. The teacher will share her name.
The teacher should unscramble the letters in her name. Ask the students to read the name.
Count together how many numbers are in the name. Have a student record the name in the sentence blank.
Another student can help write letters of the teachers name on the number line. Recount the number of letters with the
class.
Then write letters in the 10-frame. Show where to begin to write the letters (left to right, starting at the top). Put a marker
there so students can see which box to start with. Compare that 10-frame with the day counter 10-frame chart.
Remind students what to do first, back at their tablesunscramble the name. Then write their name in the number line, the
10-frame, write the number in the sentence and again on a post it.
Transition to desks by having students count off. Say their number to dismiss them back to their desk. Hand them their
letters and paper template.
Children will unscramble their names and paste them in order on the sentence strip. When they finish that, teachers will give
them the next task-- filling in the number line. After that, the 10-frame, and finally the sentence and post-it.
Collect papers and bring them to the meeting area. Children should hold onto their post-it to help make a class graph.
Use (number line, 10-frame) to justify their answers during discussion in meeting area
First do a turn and talk to person next to them who has more letters in their name? Have children share their answers.
Allow children stronger with number skills to try to create a graph by using post-its of the childrens names. If not, reveal a
graph that has nothing on the y axis and numbers 1 10 on the x axis. Call out by number, did any student have 1 letter in their
name, 2 letters? Student should put the post-it with their number on the graph to build a bar graph. Complete the graph.
-

What do you notice about this graph? Allow students to make comments. Guide them to SAME, LEAST, and MOST answers.
Which students have the SAME number of letters in their name?
Which student has the LEAST?
Which student has the MOST?
Estimated Time: 20min

Guided Practice/Active Involvement/Small group work/Independent Practice

Creating their name with letter cards.
Writing their name in boxes over a number line.
Writing their name in a 10 frame.
Writing the number in the sentence.
Writing the number on Post-its.
Estimated Time: 20 min
Final Summary/Closure: As a class, put the childrens papers in order from least to greatest to create a book of names.
Estimated Time: 5 minutes
Extension:
The childrens papers will be made into a classroom name book that children can review and recount how many letters are in their
name or a friends name.

Letters in a
Name
James
Musique
Ysabella
Kenny
Cecilia
Leo
Shon
Jocelyn
Khiyair
Kierra
Luz

Spell
name?

Count
correctly?

Write the
number?

Fill in 10frame?

Use
comparative
words?