AC9M1N06_E1
Model repeated equal-group situations, such as determining how many wheels are needed for 3 cars, using materials, drawings and number records.
About This Year 1 Maths Topic
Equal sharing and grouping help students build the foundations for multiplication and division. In Year 1, students solve practical problems by making equal groups, sharing collections fairly and checking that every group has the same amount.
Students use physical and virtual materials, diagrams, drawings and spoken explanations to represent repeated equal-group situations. They may investigate questions such as how many wheels are needed for several cars or how many objects belong in each group.
Equal-sharing situations include sharing dominoes, counters, classroom materials or play money between a given number of people. Students count or subitise to confirm that each person receives an equal share.
Money-sharing activities provide an everyday context for sorting coins by denomination, sharing coins fairly and checking that each person receives equal amounts.
These activities support the Australian Curriculum Version 9.0 content descriptor AC9M1N06 and its associated elaborations.
Australian Curriculum Alignment
AC9M1N06
Use mathematical modelling to solve practical problems involving equal sharing and grouping. Represent the situations with diagrams, physical and virtual materials, and use calculation strategies to solve the problem.
AC9M1N06_E2
Model practical equal-sharing situations, such as sharing a set of dominoes between 2 players and checking that both players receive the same number of tiles.
AC9M1N06_E3
Model money problems involving equal sharing, including sorting coins by denomination, sharing them equally between people and checking that each person receives equal amounts of each denomination.
Learning Intentions
Students will learn to:
- recognise equal groups in practical situations;
- make repeated groups with the same number of objects;
- share a collection fairly between people or groups;
- check that every group has an equal amount;
- represent grouping problems using materials and drawings;
- represent equal-sharing problems using diagrams;
- count or subitise to compare shares;
- record the result of a grouping or sharing problem;
- sort and share coins by denomination;
- explain how their model solves the problem.
Student Success Criteria
I can make equal groups.
I can share objects fairly.
I can check that each group has the same amount.
I can use materials to model a grouping problem.
I can draw a picture of equal groups.
I can count how many objects are in each group.
I can record the total number of objects.
I can share coins equally.
I can explain how I know the shares are fair.
I can solve a practical sharing or grouping problem.
Key Vocabulary
equal
share
sharing
group
grouping
fair
same
each
altogether
total
repeated groups
model
represent
diagram
coin
denomination
count
subitise
Teacher Guide
Recommended Materials
- counters, cubes, buttons or bottle caps;
- toy cars, animals or classroom figures;
- sorting trays, hoops or small bowls;
- dominoes and playing cards;
- equal-sharing mats;
- equal-group templates;
- paper plates or cups;
- play Australian coins;
- coin-sorting trays;
- mini whiteboards and markers;
- picture cards and story problem cards;
- virtual manipulatives or digital grouping tools.
Suggested Teaching Sequence
- Begin with practical situations involving equal groups.
- Build repeated groups using small collections of objects.
- Check that each group contains the same number.
- Draw and record the equal groups.
- Introduce fair-sharing situations with two recipients.
- Share objects one at a time until the collection is used.
- Count or subitise each share to check equality.
- Extend sharing to three or four recipients.
- Introduce money sharing by sorting coins into denominations.
- Ask students to explain and justify the solution.
Teacher Questions
- How many groups do we need?
- How many objects should be in each group?
- Are all the groups equal?
- How can you check?
- How many objects are there altogether?
- How could you draw the groups?
- How many people are sharing?
- Does everyone have the same amount?
- Are there any objects left over?
- How many coins of each type does each person receive?
- What does your diagram show?
- How do you know your answer is fair?
Common Misconceptions
Making groups with different numbers of objects
Ask students to count each group and compare them side by side. Use trays or hoops to keep the groups clearly separated.
Sharing several objects with one person before moving on
Model one-at-a-time sharing so each recipient receives one object in turn.
Confusing the number of groups with the number in each group
Use sentence frames such as “There are ___ groups with ___ objects in each group.”
Ignoring leftover objects
Place leftover objects in a separate space and discuss whether the collection can be shared equally.
Sharing coins equally by number but not by denomination
Sort coins by denomination first, then share each type separately and compare the amounts.
Recording only the answer without showing the model
Ask students to connect the materials, diagram and number record to the original situation.
Year 1 Equal Sharing and Grouping Activities
Activity 1: Wheels for Cars
Give students 3 toy cars or car pictures. Ask how many wheels are needed altogether if each car has 4 wheels.
Students build equal groups, draw the cars and record the total number of wheels.
Curriculum connection: AC9M1N06_E1
Activity 2: Build Repeated Equal Groups
Give students a number of groups and a group size. Students build the repeated groups using counters or cubes.
They count the total and explain how they know every group is equal.
Curriculum connection: AC9M1N06_E1
Activity 3: Draw the Groups
Present a practical grouping problem. Students make the groups with materials, then draw a matching diagram.
They label the number of groups, the number in each group and the total.
Curriculum connection: AC9M1N06_E1
Activity 4: Share the Dominoes
Give a set of dominoes to two players. Students share the dominoes one at a time until the set is distributed.
Count or subitise each share to check that both players have the same number.
Curriculum connection: AC9M1N06_E2
Activity 5: Teddy Bear Picnic
Share pretend food, plates or cups equally between toy bears.
Students check each bear’s share and record whether any objects are left over.
Curriculum connection: AC9M1N06_E2
Activity 6: Fair or Unfair?
Display several sharing arrangements. Some should be equal and others unequal.
Students identify which are fair, correct the unfair shares and explain their reasoning.
Curriculum connection: AC9M1N06_E2
Activity 7: Share Between Three or Four
Give students a collection and three or four recipients. Students share the objects one at a time.
They check whether each recipient receives an equal amount.
Curriculum connection: AC9M1N06
Activity 8: Sort and Share Coins
Give students a mixed collection of play coins. Students sort the coins by denomination before sharing them equally.
They compare the number and value of coins received by each person.
Curriculum connection: AC9M1N06_E3
Activity 9: Money Box Challenge
Present a money-box collection to be shared between four people.
Students share each denomination equally and record how many coins of each type each person receives.
Curriculum connection: AC9M1N06_E3
Activity 10: Create a Sharing Problem
Students create a practical equal-sharing or grouping problem using classroom objects, toys or coins.
A partner models, draws and solves the problem.
Curriculum connection: AC9M1N06
Differentiation
Support
- begin with two equal groups;
- use small collections below 12;
- share objects one at a time;
- use sorting trays or equal-sharing mats;
- provide pre-drawn circles for each group;
- use identical objects before mixed collections;
- count each group aloud together;
- provide sentence starters and adult prompting;
- allow oral explanations before written recording.
Extension
- use larger collections and more groups;
- include problems with leftovers;
- compare two different grouping arrangements;
- write repeated-addition number sentences;
- create missing-group or missing-share problems;
- share mixed coin denominations while preserving equal value;
- solve two-step grouping and sharing problems;
- create original problems for classmates;
- explain why more than one model may be correct.
Mathematical Sentence Starters
There are _____ groups.
There are _____ objects in each group.
There are _____ objects altogether.
I shared the objects between _____ people.
Each person received _____.
The groups are equal because _____.
The sharing is fair because _____.
There are _____ objects left over.
My diagram shows _____.
Each person received _____ coins of each denomination.
I checked my answer by _____.
Assessment Ideas
Observe whether the student can:
- recognise equal groups;
- construct repeated groups accurately;
- share a collection fairly;
- check that each group has the same number;
- count or subitise each share;
- represent grouping with materials and drawings;
- record the number of groups and group size;
- identify and discuss leftovers;
- sort and share coins by denomination;
- explain how the model solves the problem.
Quick Exit Ticket
- Give the student 12 counters.
- Ask the student to share them equally between 3 people.
- Draw the groups and record the share.
- Explain how they know the sharing is fair.
Printable Teacher and Student Resources
Use the buttons below to open the available AC9M1N06 teaching materials and printable activities in a new browser tab.
Main Worksheets
Fair Sharing and Grouping Activities
Equal Groups Word Problems
Repeated Equal Groups Worksheets
Grouping Objects Activities
Grouping Objects – Extra Practice
Additional Grouping Activities
Equal Sharing Worksheets
Fair Sharing Activities
Money Sharing Activities
Sharing Money Equally
Extra Practice
Extra Practice 1
Extra Practice 2
Extra Practice 3
Resources open in a new tab. Browser PDF settings may affect whether a file opens in the browser or downloads.
Home Learning Ideas
Families can practise equal sharing and grouping using toys, snacks, socks, pegs, buttons, coins, blocks or household objects.
Ask the child to make equal groups or share a collection fairly, then explain how they checked that every group was equal.
Ask questions such as:
- How many groups do we need?
- How many objects are in each group?
- Can you share these fairly?
- Does everyone have the same amount?
- Are there any leftovers?
- How many objects are there altogether?
- Can you draw the groups?
- How do you know the sharing is fair?