Number sense is a very important strand in mathematics that we will be focusing on for three months.
In the classroom we will be using 5 frames, 10 frames, subitizing (recognizing quantities by sight), Rekenreks, number lines and 100s charts to focus on developing number sense. The
DreamBox Learning on-line program is an excellent program that helps students develop their number sense. This program uses 5 frames, 10 frames, subitizing, Rekenreks, number lines, base ten blocks and 100s boards. I hope to be sending home information soon on how your child can use DreamBox Learning at home.
I have also posted the number sense songs (e.g., Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed) that we are singing in class on the right side of the blog under
Poems and Songs.
5 FRAME
*Use the 5 frame to focus on quantities 1 to 5.
*Use the 5 frame to add and subtract to 5.
10 FRAME 
*Use the 10 frame to focus on quantities 6 to 10.
*Use the 10 frame to add and subtract to 10.
SUBITIZING (recognizing quantities by sight) 
*Use dice, dominoes and home-made dot pattern cards to work on subitizing.
*Flash a quantity represented with a dot pattern for a couple of seconds and ask your child to identify the quantity by sight (not by counting).
REKENREK 
*Use the Rekenrek to count.
*Use the Rekenrek to focus on subitizing.
*Use the Rekenrek to focus on doubles.
*Use the Rekenrek to add and subtract.
NUMBER LINE 
*Use the number line to count forwards and backwards.
*Use the number line to skip count (count by 2s, 5s, 10s).
*Use the number line to find/identify numbers.
*Use the number line to add and subtract.
COUTING BEADS 
*Use the counting beads to count forwards and backwards.
*Use the counting beads to skip count (count by 5s and 10s)
*Use the counting beads to add and subtract.
100s BOARD 
*Use the 100s board to count forwards and backwards.
*Use the 100s board to skip count (count by 2s, 5s, 10s).
*Use the 100s board to find/identify numbers 1-100.
*Use the 100s board to add and subtract
COUNTING 
*The students are practicing counting objects one-to-one.
*The students are practicing counting forwards and backwards.
*The students are practicing counting on forwards and backwards from a number other than 1 (e.g., counting on from 5: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10). This helps students with adding and subtracting.
*The students are practicing skip counting by 10s (SKs are also starting to practice counting by 2s and 5s).
IDENTIFYING & PRINTING NUMERALS 
*The students are practicing identifying the numerals from 0 to 10.
*The SK students are also practicing identifying the tricky teens (11 to 19) and numerals 20 to 100.
*The students are/will be practicing printing numerals without reversals. They are/will be learning that numerals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 start on the left side. 0 and 8 start in the middle and 9 starts on the right. When printing 0, 8 and 9 we start by going counter clockwise.
CONCEPT OF 5 & 10 
*Having a strong concept of 5 and 10 is very important.
*The students are/will be discovering different ways to make 5 and 10 (we will call them partner numbers) (e.g., 1 + 4 is 5, 2 + 3 is 5, 1 + 9 is 10, 2 + 8 is 10, 3 + 7 is 10, 4 + 6 is 10, 5 + 5 is 10).
*The students are/will be learning that when we reverse the partner numbers, we have the same total (e.g., 1 +4 is the same as 4 + 1; 2+ 3 is the same as 3 + 2).
*The students are learning to use their fingers, Unifix Cubes, 5 frames, 10 frames and Rekenreks to construct different ways to make 5 and 10.
*The students are learning how other numbers are related to 5 and 10 (e.g., 6 is one more than 5; 4 is one less than 5; 9 is one less than 10).
*The students are playing the game
What's Missing? to work on the concept of 5 and 10. The students start with 5 or 10 pennies. Someone hides some of the pennies and the students determine how many pennies are missing.
DOUBLES 
*The SKs will be introduced to doubles (e.g., 1 +1, 2 + 2, 3 + 3).
*I have posted the doubles facts poster (on the right side of the blog under Online Number Sense Games) that I will be introducing to the SK students.
