Understand the idea.
One record at a time
A list keeps the answers where we can read and count them. Write or draw one answer on each line. Numbered lines help us find a record again.
Keep a line for each answer, even when the same word appears again. Two different people can both choose blue. Their matching choices are still two separate answers.
| Card | Colour |
|---|---|
| 1 | Blue |
| 2 | Red |
| 3 | Blue |
| 4 | Green |
| 5 | Red |
| 6 | Blue |
Read a list for a purpose
First decide what you are counting: all the answers, or just one kind. To count red answers, start at the top and look at every line for red.
Mark each matching line once, then count the marks. Matching answers need not sit next to each other. Moving the lines into a new order would not change their count.
See the method in action.
Read separated entries
The list is blue, red, blue, green, red, blue. How many times is red recorded?
| Card | Colour |
|---|---|
| 1 | Blue |
| 2 | Red |
| 3 | Blue |
| 4 | Green |
| 5 | Red |
| 6 | Blue |
Worked solution
- 1
Read the whole list from left to right.
Red appears in the second and fifth places, with other colours between them.
- 2
Count those two red entries.
Each red entry is one recorded answer, so red is recorded 2 times.
2.
Repair a list
A child records the same person's answer on lines 2 and 3 by mistake. How should the list be fixed?
Worked solution
- 1
Check who gave the two recorded answers.
Lines 2 and 3 repeat the same person's answer, and that person was asked for only one choice.
- 2
Remove one repeated record and keep the other.
The person's choice must stay in the list once, rather than being counted twice or removed altogether.
Remove the repeated record, keeping the person's answer once.
Try it yourself.
Check your understanding
Read: dog, cat, dog, bird. How many responses are in the list?
Show answer & reasoning
4.
Count each entry: dog, cat, dog, bird. There are 4 responses. The two dog entries both count, even though they name the same kind of pet.
Keep practising
6 worksheet questions
Read the questions online
- Read: apple, pear, apple. How many entries are recorded?
- Read: bus, walk, car, walk. How many walk entries are there?
- Use the six-card list. What colour is on line 4?
Six colour cards, recorded once each. Card Colour 1 Blue 2 Red 3 Blue 4 Green 5 Red 6 Blue - Write a list for these three choices, using one choice per line: red, green, blue.
- A list has two children choosing dog. Should one dog response be erased just because the words match?
- How can numbering the lines help you check a list?
Read the worked solutions
- Read: apple, pear, apple. How many entries are recorded?
Count each entry in the list.
3. - Read: bus, walk, car, walk. How many walk entries are there?
Walk appears second and fourth.
2. - Use the six-card list. What colour is on line 4?
Six colour cards, recorded once each. Card Colour 1 Blue 2 Red 3 Blue 4 Green 5 Red 6 Blue Read the fourth record.
Green. - Write a list for these three choices, using one choice per line: red, green, blue.
There should be exactly three records.
Red on one line, green on the next, blue on the third. - A list has two children choosing dog. Should one dog response be erased just because the words match?
They are two different responses in the same category.
No. - How can numbering the lines help you check a list?
Check there are no missed or repeated line numbers.
The last line number helps show the number of records, if each line has one record.
Curriculum reference & lesson scope
Australian Curriculum v9 / SA Curriculum 2026
Year 1 categorical questions, response collection, lists, one-to-one displays and comparison of frequencies.
Official curriculum source ↗