The Last Number Tells How Many

Know the last number counted is how many, even after the things move or the count starts somewhere else.

Warm-up, learn, try it together, practice, then a quick check. About 15 minutes.

What children learn in Level 4

When you count, the last number you say tells how many. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. The last number is 6, so there are 6 snails!
Now the snails moved all around. How many are there? Still 6! Nothing came, and nothing went away.
You can start counting with any one. Here, the count starts with a different snail. The last number is still 6!
Your turn! Tap to count the butterflies. The last number you say is how many butterflies there are.
Try it with a grown-up! Count some blocks, then mix them up. How many now? You know without counting again!

Georgia's K-12 Mathematics Standards:

K.NR.1.2 — When counting objects, explain that the last number counted represents the total quantity in a set (cardinality), regardless of the arrangement and order.