Skip Counting By 5s
The Skip Counting by 5s mat was designed to help students practice multiplication and division by 5s.
Have your students start with the Pre-Test below. Then, spend some time jumping on the sticker, using the activities below to guide you!
PRE-TEST
Before hopping on the mat:
Ask your child how many of these by problems they know. (Mark it off and try to remember for the final survey!)
5×1
5×2
5×3
5×4
5×5
5×6
5×7
5×8
5×9
5×10
NOW, LET'S TRY SOME ACTIVITIES!
Have your student take the number walk from zero to twenty. As your student steps on each number,
encourage them to simultaneously say the number name. If the counting gets ahead of the number
they are stepping on, encourage them to go back and start over. Stepping on the number and saying
the number name simultaneously builds skill in one-to-one correspondence. Be sure your student’s
stepping is in sync with saying the number!
Have your students match up the numerals with the same number of objects. Place one object on
number one. Place two objects on number two. Choose two of the same thing—like two shoes, two
books, or two toy cars. Place three objects on number three. Consider choosing three mittens, rocks,
or spoons. Continue placing objects on the numbers! For bigger numbers like ten, try ten pennies,
paper clips, or acorns. (If real objects are not available, try printing out images of common objects
instead!)
Have your student jump on the one and say “one.” Then, have them crouch down and trace the
number one with two fingers and say, “o-n-e, one.” Then, have them count the one dot on the mat
by touching the dot and counting out loud. Next, have your student jump on the two and say “two.”
Then, have them crouch down and trace the number two with two fingers and say “t-w-o, two.” Then,
have them count the two dots on the mat by touching each dot and counting each one out loud.
Continue for each number to twenty.
Write addition and subtraction problems on cards and use the mat as a number line. If the math
problem says 8 + 3, the student will stand on the eight and take three steps forward to eleven.
Make sure the students say the numbers they are on as they move through the mat. For subtraction
problems, have students walk backward.
Have a student start on zero. Then, have them point out the pattern that the blue boxes with the feet
follow. Explain to them that these boxes are showing the multiples of two.
Whisper Loud: To begin learning multiples of two, start with the whisper loud technique to have
students jump down the mat. Have students follow this pattern: Jump on the one. Whisper, “one.”
Jump on the two. Shout, “TWO!” Jump on the three. Whisper, “three.” Jump on the four. Shout,
“FOUR!” Continue with this pattern down the mat to twenty.
Skip Counting: Once they are more comfortable with the multiples of two, you can have students
skip count down the mat, only jumping on the blue boxes. Make sure they are saying the number
confidently and correctly when they land on each multiple. If their jumps get ahead of the numbers,
have them start again.
Give a student a multiplication by 2s problem (verbally, flashcard, worksheet, etc.).
Example: 2 x 6
The student will begin on 0. They will jump forward 6 times, only landing on the multiples of two.
When they land on the sixth number, 12, they will say, “2 x 6 = 12.”
You can also have students practice each multiplication fact as they hop down the mat:
Jump on 2. Say, “2 x 1 = 2.” Jump on 4. Say, “2 x 2 = 4,” etc.