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Learning Standards Standards

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year numbers stop being a song and start meaning something. Students count real objects up to 20, learn that the last number said is how many there are, and begin adding and subtracting small groups using fingers, drawings, and simple equations. They also name common shapes, compare which object is longer or heavier, and start reading a clock to the hour. By spring, students can count out 15 buttons, write the number, and tell you if that pile is more or less than yours.

  • Counting to 100
  • Adding and subtracting
  • Comparing groups
  • Shapes
  • Telling time
  • Patterns
Source: Alaska Alaska Standards
Year at a glance
How the year usually goes. Every school and district set their own curriculum, so treat this as a guide, not official pacing.
  1. 1

    Counting and writing numbers

    Students count out loud to 100 and learn to write the numbers 0 through 20. They practice counting groups of objects and saying how many there are without losing track.

  2. 2

    Comparing groups and amounts

    Students figure out which pile has more, which has fewer, and when two groups are equal. They start comparing written numbers up to 10 and putting them in order.

  3. 3

    Adding and taking away

    Students use fingers, blocks, and drawings to add and subtract within 10. They break small numbers into pairs, find what makes 5 and 10, and get quick with sums up to 5.

  4. 4

    Teen numbers as ten and more

    Students see that numbers like 13 or 18 are one group of ten plus some extra ones. They show this with cubes, drawings, and simple equations like 14 = 10 + 4.

  5. 5

    Shapes, time, and coins

    Students name flat and solid shapes, build new shapes by combining them, and use words like above and beside. They also name coins, name the days of the week, and tell time to the hour.

  6. 6

    Measuring and sorting

    Students compare objects by length and weight and say which is longer or heavier. They sort objects into groups by color, shape, or size and count how many are in each group.

Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Kindergarten.
Counting and Cardinality

  • Count to 100 by ones and by tens

    K.CC.1

    Students count from 1 to 100, one number at a time, then practice counting by tens: 10, 20, 30, all the way to 100.

  • Count forward beginning from a given number within the known sequence

    K.CC.2

    Starting from any number (not just 1), students count forward from that spot. For example, starting at 6 and counting up: 7, 8, 9, 10.

  • Write numbers from 0 to 20

    K.CC.3

    Students write the numbers 0 through 20 and match each number to a group of objects. Zero means nothing is there.

  • Understand the relationship between numbers and quantities

    K.CC.4

    Counting isn't just reciting numbers in order. Students learn that the last number they say when counting a group of objects tells them how many objects are in that group.

  • When counting objects, say the number names in standard order, pairing each…

    K.CC.4.a

    Students count a group of objects by touching each one and saying one number out loud per object. Every object gets exactly one number, and no number gets used twice.

  • Understand that the last number name said tells the number of objects counted

    K.CC.4.b

    When counting a group of objects, the last number said is the total. It doesn't matter how the objects are arranged or which one students count first, the answer stays the same.

  • Understand that each successive number name refers to a quantity that is one…

    K.CC.4.c

    Counting up means each number is exactly one more than the one before it. Students learn that 6 is one more than 5, 7 is one more than 6, and so on.

  • Count to answer "how many?" questions about as many as 20 things arranged in a…

    K.CC.5

    Students count up to 20 objects arranged in a line, a circle, or a grid, and up to 10 objects scattered randomly. They also start with a number and count out exactly that many objects.

  • Identify whether the number of objects in one group is greater than, less than

    K.CC.6

    Students look at two groups of objects and decide which group has more, which has fewer, or whether both groups have the same amount.

  • Compare and order two numbers between 1 and 10 presented as written numerals

    K.CC.7

    Students look at two written numbers and decide which is bigger, which is smaller, or whether they match. Numbers stay between 1 and 10.

Operations and Algebraic Thinking

  • Represent addition and subtraction with objects, fingers, mental images…

    K.OA.1

    Students show adding and taking away using whatever makes sense: fingers, drawings, claps, or a simple number sentence. The idea is to connect the action to the math, not just memorize a rule.

  • Add or subtract whole numbers to 10

    K.OA.2

    Students solve simple addition and subtraction problems with numbers up to 10. They use objects, fingers, or drawings to figure out how many there are altogether or how many are left.

  • Decompose numbers less than or equal to 10 into pairs in more than one way

    K.OA.3

    Students break a small number into two parts, then find a different way to break it apart again. For example, 7 can be 3 and 4, or 5 and 2.

  • For any number from 1 - 4, find the number that makes 5 when added to the given…

    K.OA.4

    Students figure out what number is missing to reach 5 or 10. If you have 3, what do you need to make 5? They work it out with blocks or drawings, then write the answer.

  • Fluently add and subtract numbers up to 5

    K.OA.5

    Adding and subtracting small numbers becomes quick and reliable. Students practice until they can answer any addition or subtraction problem with numbers up to 5 without stopping to count.

  • Recognize, identify and continue simple patterns of color, shape

    K.OA.6

    Students spot a repeating pattern (like red, blue, red, blue) and figure out what comes next. This works with colors, shapes, or sizes.

Number and Operations in Base Ten

  • Compose and decompose numbers from 11 to 19 into ten ones and some further ones

    K.NBT.1

    Students learn that teen numbers are really just ten plus a little more. They practice breaking 13 into 10 and 3, or building 17 from 10 and 7, using drawings or simple equations.

Measurement and Data

  • Describe measurable attributes of objects

    K.MD.1

    Students look at everyday objects and name what can be measured about them, like how long or how heavy something is. They also learn which tool fits each job, pairing a ruler with length or a scale with weight.

  • Make comparisons between two objects with a measurable attribute in common, to…

    K.MD.2

    Students pick two objects and compare them by one quality, like length or weight, then say which has more or less of it. "This pencil is longer than that crayon" is the kind of thinking this standard builds.

  • Classify objects into given categories

    K.MD.3

    Students sort everyday objects into groups by color, shape, or size, then count how many are in each group. No group has more than 10 objects.

  • Name in sequence the days of the week

    K.MD.4

    Students learn the seven days of the week in order, from Sunday through Saturday. They practice saying them aloud until the sequence becomes automatic.

  • Tell time to the hour using both analog and digital clocks

    K.MD.5

    Students read a clock to say what hour it is, like "3 o'clock." They practice with both the kind of clock that has hands and the kind that shows numbers.

  • Identify coins by name

    K.MD.6

    Students learn to tell apart a penny, nickel, dime, and quarter by sight and name each one correctly.

Geometry

  • Describe objects in the environment using names of shapes and describe their…

    K.G.1

    Students name shapes they see in the room, like circles, squares, and triangles, then say where those shapes are: above, below, beside, or in front of something else.

  • Name shapes regardless of their orientation or overall size

    K.G.2

    Students learn to recognize a triangle, square, or circle whether it's tiny or large, tilted or straight. The shape's name stays the same no matter how it's turned or how big it is.

  • Identify shapes as two-dimensional

    K.G.3

    Students sort shapes into two groups: flat shapes like circles and squares, and solid shapes like cubes and spheres. They name which group each shape belongs to.

  • Analyze and compare two- and three-dimensional shapes, in different sizes and…

    K.G.4

    Students look at flat shapes like squares and circles alongside solid shapes like cones and cubes, then describe what makes them alike or different. They notice things like how many sides a shape has or whether its sides are all the same length.

  • Build shapes (e.g., using sticks and clay) and draw shapes

    K.G.5

    Students build shapes out of materials like sticks and clay, then draw those same shapes on paper. Hands-on making comes before abstract drawing.

  • Put together two-dimensional shapes to form larger shapes

    K.G.6

    Students fit smaller flat shapes together to build a bigger one, like joining two triangles side by side to make a rectangle.

Common Questions
  • What math should students know by the end of the year?

    Students should count to 100, write numbers up to 20, and add and subtract small numbers up to 10. They should also name common shapes, tell time to the hour, and identify coins by name.

  • How can I help my child practice counting at home?

    Count real things together: stairs going up, grapes on a plate, cars on the street. Once counting to 20 feels easy, practice starting from a number other than one, like counting from 7 up to 20. Counting by tens to 100 is a good car ride game.

  • My child can say numbers to 100 but miscounts a pile of objects. Is that a problem?

    It is common and worth practicing. Saying numbers in order is different from counting a set. Put 12 to 20 small objects on the table and have them touch each one as they say a number. The last number they say is how many there are.

  • How should I sequence number work across the year?

    Start with counting, matching numbers to sets, and writing numbers to 10. Move into comparing groups, then addition and subtraction within 5, then within 10. Save teen numbers as ten and some more ones for later in the year once counting to 20 is solid.

  • Which skills usually need the most reteaching?

    Writing numbers without reversals, counting scattered piles accurately, and seeing teen numbers as ten and some more. Plan to revisit these in short bursts all year rather than teaching them once and moving on.

  • What can we do at home to get ready for addition and subtraction?

    Play with small groups of objects. Ask questions like, I have 3 crackers and you have 2, how many in all? Or, there were 5 grapes and you ate 2, how many are left? Fingers, snacks, and toys all work.

  • How much should students know about shapes?

    Students should name circles, squares, triangles, and rectangles, plus solid shapes like cubes, spheres, and cylinders. They should notice shapes around them and describe where things are using words like above, below, and next to.

  • How do I know a student is ready for first grade math?

    They can count and write numbers to 20, add and subtract fluently within 5, and solve word problems within 10 using objects or drawings. They can also compare two groups to tell which has more, and they recognize teen numbers as a ten and some ones.

  • Does my child need to memorize math facts this year?

    Quick recall is only expected for sums and differences up to 5. For numbers up to 10, students can still use fingers, drawings, or counters. Speed is not the goal yet. Understanding is.