Alice’s Seedling Tray

Alice and Dad were getting ready for the school garden fair. Five little bean plants stood beside an empty tray. “I want to take every plant,” said Alice. “Let’s count them before we go.”

Alice pointed quickly. “One, two, three, four, five, six!” Dad looked at the plants. “Did your finger visit one pot twice?” he asked. Alice was not sure. The leaves were close together.

“I need a way to keep track,” said Alice. She put the tray on the ground. Then she moved one pot into it. “One,” she said. This time, her finger and her voice worked together.

Alice moved each of the other pots once. “Two, three, four, five.” Now the tray held five plants. No pots were left beside it. “Five! That’s how many we have,” said Alice.

At the fair, Alice put the five pots in a row. Dad asked, “Are there still five?” Alice touched each pot once. “Yes! Moving the plants did not make any more plants.”

A breeze blew through the garden. The tallest plant wobbled near the edge. Alice moved the pots into a small circle. She left space between the leaves so that she could see every pot.

“How many now?” asked Dad. “I think there are still five,” said Alice. She checked slowly. One touch for each pot, and one number for each touch. There were five in the circle.

Alice smiled at her little display. First she had counted one pot twice. Now she knew how to check. “A row or a circle,” she told Dad, “five plants are still five plants!”