New
New
Year 1

Comparing numbers to 20

You can compare groups using the the language 'more than', 'less than', 'fewer than' and 'the same as'.

New
New
Year 1

Comparing numbers to 20

You can compare groups using the the language 'more than', 'less than', 'fewer than' and 'the same as'.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Compare collections of up to 20 items.
  2. Use comparative language of more, less and fewer.
  3. Introduce the idea of one more and one less.
  4. Know that sets of objects can be the same or equal.

Keywords

  • More than - A bigger set has more than a smaller set.

  • Less than - A smaller set has less than a larger set.

  • Fewer than - A smaller set has fewer than a larger set.

  • The same as - Sets can contain the same as each other having the same number of objects, actions or sounds.

  • Equal to - Sets can be equal to each other having the same number of objects, actions or sounds.

Common misconception

Linking one more or one less than a number to the number after or before in the count.

Use objects to model one more being added or one being removed to show one less or fewer.

Some slides are for teacher guidance and you may decide not to show them to the pupils. Start with numbers to 10 and then increase the size of the sets when finding one more or one less and comparing sets.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which number is bigger, 14 or 17?
14
Correct answer: 17
Q2.
Which number is smaller, 15 or 18?
Correct answer: 15
18
Q3.
Which sentence is correct?
Correct answer: 15 is equal to 15.
16 is less than 10.
12 is equal to 15.
8 is more than 9.
Q4.
Complete the comparative sentence: Twenty is sixteen.
Correct Answer: more than, greater than, bigger than
Q5.
Which comparative sentence is correct?
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: Both hands show an equal number of fingers.
The left hand shows more fingers than the right hand.
The right hand shows more fingers than the left hand.
Q6.
Which number is smallest out of 9, 12 and 5?
9
12
Correct answer: 5

6 Questions

Q1.
Which answer shows one more cake?
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Q2.
Which sentence describes the beads?
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: 15 is one fewer than 16.
15 and 16 are equal.
16 is one fewer than 15.
Q3.
Which of these sentences is true?
Correct answer: twelve is one more than eleven
six is one more than three
eleven is one more than twelve
three is one more than six
Q4.
What is one less than seventeen?
Correct answer: sixteen
seventeen
seven
Q5.
What number is one more than 19?
19
18
Correct answer: 20
17
Q6.
Match each sentence so that it is true.
Correct Answer:12 is one more than ,11

11

Correct Answer:13 is one less than ,14

14

Correct Answer:17 is one less than ,18

18

Correct Answer:19 is one fewer than ,20

20

Correct Answer:9 is one more than ,8

8

Correct Answer:11 is one greater than ,10

10

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