Working on number concepts with your students?  Check out this Counting Adapted Book Series.  The set includes “How Many Do You See?”, “Let’s Count the Animals!”, and “I Can Count!”  Each book has a different format but the goal is to work on those 1 to 1-10 number concepts.  These books are simple and repetitive in nature to help increase student participation which is why I love using adapted books with my students.  My students have been enjoying these books while still learning!  There are also lots of different fun counting games and activities you can pair with the books to continue to target those number concepts but let’s take a closer look at these books.

How Many Do You See?

For this book the student has to find the number to match the number of items on that page.  Across the top of each page we read that same question, “How many do you see?”  I move to the bottom of the page and read “I see…” and point to the pictures in the middle of the page and have my students if they can count the items with me.  Then my student places the correct number in the blank box along the bottom of the page.  We read the entire sentence again, “I see 2 t-shirts”.    

This book starts with one school bus and goes up to 10 crayons but you don’t have to bind the book pages in that 1-10 order.  You can start with the pages in the correct chronological order but then switch up some of the pages and read it again later.  If your students are just beginning to work on their number concepts just give the student the number as you read the book.  There is no reason to make them guess every time and get it wrong.  Use it the first few times you read it as a teaching book.  “I see….one, two, three, four hammers.”  Hand the student the number “four” so they get to place it in the book.  Then have them touch each hammer as you count them again.

As they gain skills with identifying those numbers give them a choice of 2 numbers to select from instead of trying to look at all the numbers.  After you count those 5 cupcakes give them a choice but maybe say the numbers as you show the choices.  “Is it 5 or 8?”  Maybe they can select the 5 and place it in the box.

Some of my student who have been working on their number concepts are able to say/read most the book by themselves and find the correct number to go with each page.  It’s fun to see them so successful and take pride in doing the book almost independently. 

Let’s Count the Animals!

With this book the student has to select the correct number along the bottom of the page to identify how many animals are on that page.  For example, “Let’s count the frogs”.  Then we touch each frog as we count from 1-4.  The student selects the number 4 and places in the empty box.  We read the entire sentence, “I see 4 frogs.”  I model that number concept multiple times.   

This book also targets 1-10 number concepts but the pages are not in chronological order.  You can put them in any order you want just make sure you attach the correct number choices along the bottom of each page.  You might need to model those number concepts along the bottom of each page to help your students learn and recognize those numbers.  This will also help them select the correct number to fill in the blank of how many animals are on that page.   

For some of your students you can work on them answering that “how many…?” question at the end of each page. “How many lions?”  Just to continue to practice understanding and answering those “how many…?” questions.  You can also work on expanding those utterances…. “I see seven lions.”

I Can Count!

This book is different because instead of finding the number the student has to count out the correct number of food items to put on the plate.  This is often challenging for my students because they want to just put all the items on the plate.  We practice counting up to the number concept as we place the food items on the plate.

For each page you cut up and attach all 6 food items along the bottom of the page.  Then each page has you put anywhere from 1-6 of those food items on the plate.  Along the top of every page it reads “I can count”.  I like repetition!  Then we move to the bottom and read, “put 2 pizzas on the plate.”  We count each piece of pizza on the plate, “one, two”.  Then we say “stop, no more, no less.”  Really working on stopping after we reach the number of items we need to put on the plate.  This is very difficult for my students. 

I also work on asking “how many…?” after we put the items on the plate.  For example, “how many muffins?”  The goal is they can answer “four” without counting again and again every time.  Sometimes as soon as I ask “how many?” my student just starts counting which is great but I want to work on them being able to answer the question especially after we have counted the items multiple times already.

If you are interested in this series of books you can find them on TPT with the link – Counting Adapted Book Series