MAFS.K.MD.2.3Archived Standard

Classify objects into given categories; count the numbers of objects in each category and sort the categories by count.
General Information
Subject Area: Mathematics
Grade: K
Domain-Subdomain: Measurement and Data
Cluster: Level 2: Basic Application of Skills & Concepts
Cluster: Classify objects and count the number of objects in each category. (Supporting Cluster) -

Clusters should not be sorted from Major to Supporting and then taught in that order. To do so would strip the coherence of the mathematical ideas and miss the opportunity to enhance the major work of the grade with the supporting clusters.

Date Adopted or Revised: 02/14
Date of Last Rating: 02/14
Status: State Board Approved - Archived

Related Courses

This benchmark is part of these courses.
5012020: Grade Kindergarten Mathematics (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 - 2024, 2024 and beyond (current))
5020010: Science - Grade K (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 - 2024, 2024 and beyond (current))
7712015: Access Mathematics - Grade Kindergarten (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2018, 2018 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
7720015: Access Science Grade Kindergarten (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2018, 2018 - 2023, 2023 and beyond (current))
5020070: STEM Lab Kindergarten (Specifically in versions: 2016 - 2022, 2022 - 2024, 2024 and beyond (current))
5012005: Foundational Skills in Mathematics K-2 (Specifically in versions: 2019 - 2022, 2022 - 2024, 2024 and beyond (current))

Related Access Points

Alternate version of this benchmark for students with significant cognitive disabilities.

Related Resources

Vetted resources educators can use to teach the concepts and skills in this benchmark.

Formative Assessments

Sorting Animals:

Students are asked to sort the animals on the Sorting Animals worksheet and then count the number in each group.

Type: Formative Assessment

Shape Sort:

Students sort shapes into categories, record their categories and frequencies, and identify the categories with the most and least.

Type: Formative Assessment

Sorting Buttons:

Students sort illustrations of buttons, explain the how and why, and count the number in each group.

Type: Formative Assessment

Sort the Tiles:

Students sort tiles by color and then count to determine the group with the most and the least number of tiles.

Type: Formative Assessment

Sorting Color Tiles:

Students are asked to sort color tiles into groups of the same color.

Type: Formative Assessment

Sort Objects:

Students sort objects by type and then identify which group of objects has the most and the least.

Type: Formative Assessment

Lesson Plans

Birds of a Feather:

Students will go on a simulated bird-watching trip around the classroom. They will collect and sort images of various birds into categories based on their visible characteristics. They will use these groups of bird images to practice counting and comparing objects in different categories. Students will use descriptions of bald eagles in the book, The Bald Eagle by Norman Pearl, to identify images of bald eagles among their categories and discuss how the bald eagle is a symbol of the United States.

Type: Lesson Plan

Sorting and Saying Through Voting:

Students will have the opportunity to apply knowledge of sorting and responsible voting to a fun and collaborative small group activity in this integrated lesson plan.

Type: Lesson Plan

She’s a Grand Old Flag:

Students will identify the American flag as an important symbol of the United States. They will collect and sort data from the American Flag and compare the attributes. Students will sort and count red stripes and white stripes, long stripes and short stripes, long red stripes and long white stripes, short red stripes and short white stripes. Students will compare the stripes using the number line. They will also count stars by 1’s and 10’s in this integrated lesson plan.

Type: Lesson Plan

Make Believe Homes and Habitats:

In this lesson students will demonstrate an understanding of characteristics of real and make-believe animals, they will sort animals according to characteristics, and they will complete a drawing of a make-believe animal home in a real-world habitat.

Type: Lesson Plan

Kindergarten 5 Senses with Pumpkins:

This unit opens with a field trip to the pumpkin patch. In this project-based learning experience students will use their five senses to discover the world around them. Students will complete a KWL chart, pumpkin chart, and have group discussions. Individually students will use their five senses to describe the taste, touch, smell, look, and sound of different objects. As teams, students will create a poster to present their findings.

Type: Lesson Plan

Birds and Worms :

Camouflage is an important survival strategy in the animal kingdom. In this activity, students will discover the value of protective coloration as they pretend to be birds in search of colored worms or birds.

Type: Lesson Plan

Moving on Up:

In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, students will be working in small groups to figure out what moving company is best for a family that is moving to a different state. The students will be using criteria such as pricing, moving of vehicles, speed, and safety.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought processes. MEAs follow a problem-based, student-centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEAs visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Type: Lesson Plan

Whose Baby is That?:

This inquiry-based 5E lesson provides an initial look at categorizing items into 2 categories. Visuals of animals are used to begin the classifying/categorizing of animals and their babies. Students will practice categorizing in pairs and will be given the categories to use. They will then explain the placement of each item in the category. The teacher will ask guiding questions and facilitate the lesson to ensure comprehension of the material.

Type: Lesson Plan

Sort, Count, and Graph:

In this lesson, students will sort objects, count the number of objects in each category and compare using the terms greater than, less than, or equal to.

Type: Lesson Plan

Counting Colorful Cockatoos:

Poor Professor Dupont! He is missing his prized cockatoos! Help Professor Dupont find his special birds one by one as you turn the page. After helping Professor Dupont find his special cockatoos, create a classroom tree and sort the birds by color. You will have a fine feathered fantastic time counting and sorting!

Type: Lesson Plan

Counting and Sorting Objects:

In this lesson, students will use buttons to sort by like characteristics. In addition, students will be counting and recording the number of buttons in each category. Students will also group equal amounts together to create new categories. 

Type: Lesson Plan

The Fire Wheels:

The Fire Wheels MEA provides students with a problem in which they must work as a team to design a procedure to select the best toy car for a company to sell.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

Caps For Sale, Anyone?:

This lesson has been integrated to cover both math and language concepts. In this lesson, your students will learn new vocabulary in context while identifying story elements, practice counting and sorting colors, as well as enhance their gross motor skills.

Type: Lesson Plan

Shell Sorts:

A resource as plentiful as seashells on the beaches of Florida provides a great springboard for teaching about sorting objects by texture, size and shape. Your students will never look at these beautiful objects in the same way!

Type: Lesson Plan

Every Group Counts!:

The students will be working in whole group, small group and individually to discover measurable attributes of objects and sort the objects into categories. Students will also count and compare the number of objects in each category. 

Type: Lesson Plan

Sorting It All Out:

In this lesson, kindergarten students will learn to sort objects familiar to them by different attributes. They will justify their decisions for classification when objects have more than one similar characteristic.

Type: Lesson Plan

Original Student Tutorials

Stars and Stripes Part 1: Sorting Into Groups:

Learn about the American flag by identifying colors and shapes and sorting parts of flag designs into groups in this interactive S.T.E.M. and civics integrated tutorial.

This is part 1 of 2-part series, click HERE to view part 2.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Sweet Sorting:

Practice sorting, counting, and comparing by visiting the Sorting Sweet Shop in this candy-themed, interactive tutorial. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Teaching Ideas

Thinking Math. Questions to ask and games to play to help children think mathematically.:

This resource provides teaching ideas related to counting and comparing/sorting different items.

Type: Teaching Idea

Thinking Math. Questions to ask and games to play to help children think mathematically.:

This resource provides teaching ideas related to counting and comparing/sorting different items.

Type: Teaching Idea

Introducing The Venn Diagram:

Guide students toward an understanding of the Venn diagram by letting them physically manipulate hula hoops.

Type: Teaching Idea

STEM Lessons - Model Eliciting Activity

Moving on Up:

In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, students will be working in small groups to figure out what moving company is best for a family that is moving to a different state. The students will be using criteria such as pricing, moving of vehicles, speed, and safety.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought processes. MEAs follow a problem-based, student-centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEAs visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

The Fire Wheels:

The Fire Wheels MEA provides students with a problem in which they must work as a team to design a procedure to select the best toy car for a company to sell.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

MFAS Formative Assessments

Shape Sort:

Students sort shapes into categories, record their categories and frequencies, and identify the categories with the most and least.

Sort Objects:

Students sort objects by type and then identify which group of objects has the most and the least.

Sort the Tiles:

Students sort tiles by color and then count to determine the group with the most and the least number of tiles.

Sorting Animals:

Students are asked to sort the animals on the Sorting Animals worksheet and then count the number in each group.

Sorting Buttons:

Students sort illustrations of buttons, explain the how and why, and count the number in each group.

Sorting Color Tiles:

Students are asked to sort color tiles into groups of the same color.

Original Student Tutorials Mathematics - Grades K-5

Sweet Sorting:

Practice sorting, counting, and comparing by visiting the Sorting Sweet Shop in this candy-themed, interactive tutorial. 

STEM Civics Tutorials and Videos - Grades K-12

Stars and Stripes Part 1: Sorting Into Groups:

Learn about the American flag by identifying colors and shapes and sorting parts of flag designs into groups in this interactive S.T.E.M. and civics integrated tutorial.

This is part 1 of 2-part series, click HERE to view part 2.

Student Resources

Vetted resources students can use to learn the concepts and skills in this benchmark.

Original Student Tutorials

Stars and Stripes Part 1: Sorting Into Groups:

Learn about the American flag by identifying colors and shapes and sorting parts of flag designs into groups in this interactive S.T.E.M. and civics integrated tutorial.

This is part 1 of 2-part series, click HERE to view part 2.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Sweet Sorting:

Practice sorting, counting, and comparing by visiting the Sorting Sweet Shop in this candy-themed, interactive tutorial. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Parent Resources

Vetted resources caregivers can use to help students learn the concepts and skills in this benchmark.