Using Technology to Develop Number Sense

Number Sense Activities/Projects Enhanced with Technology

Number Sense Book Projects with Apps

Number Sense  Using Ujam (Android App, Website)

You Tube Video for Students

Assessing Number Sense

Number Sense Assessment "Mathematically Minded"

Activities on Pinterest

Pinterest Numaracy Activities
Pinterest Learning4Kids

Defining Number Sense

My definition is that students can use their understanding of numbers, amounts flexibly.  They need skills but also need to be able to interact with math with an open and flexible approach.

Notes from Discussion of Number Sense

• Count by any number, to any number, starting at any number
• Understands wholes and parts including fractions
• Proportional thinking

My Ideas about Number Sense

• I add the ability to create a visual but maybe not the necessity
• I add the ability to utilize a related simpler or real life situation to solve
• Answer the question, "Is my answer reasonable?"

How to Build Number Sense (This video needs to be forwarded to about 4 minutes. This is over one hour long.  The focus is on early elementary.)  Related Website (See Assessing Number Sense)

We Took Inventory (Extending Counting and Number Sense)

Math Kindergarten Level:  See Common Core Standards

Each Set of Stairs is a Group of Ten

Counting, Counting More and Building Number Sense

I inherited a classroom with many manipulative and a lot of stuff.  It took me several weeks in the beginning of the year to organize everything but it was well worth it. This school year a few of my students took inventory of each item in the room. This was serious business and involved developing number sense and counting.

We start by putting all of the Unfix cubes into groups of 5 or 10. We have two tubs of larger cubes and one tube of smaller size cubes.  Each student counted within the range that they need to work on but with guided practice begin to develop schema for larger quantities.   After we counted Unfix cubes, we counted math tiles, pattern blocks, Cuisenaire Rods, pennies, chips, bears, farm animals, jungle animals, small clocks, books and so on.  While working I interjected the vocabulary and concept of estimation but this was not our primary focus.   The lesson was differentiated with change  The end of the year inventory is finally accurate.   Classroom inventory was followed with working with larger numbers using place value.

Prior to Inventory    

Prior to this project my students were provided with many opportunities for counting and learning numbers.  One of my favorite resources, EPIC BOOKS, offers several concept books that my students found enjoyable:

Lassieur, A., 2012, Cars 100 years ago: Mankato, MN, Amicus.

Lassieur, A., 2012, Phones 100 years ago: Mankato, MN, Amicus.

Mattern, J., M., and B. D. Learning, 2013, Make It 100!: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.

McGrath, B. B., B. Shaw, and Y. Canetti, 2011, The baseball counting book = Cuenta con el béisbol: United States, Hatch.

Schwartz, A., 2014, 100 things that make me happy: New York, Harry N Abrams Inc.

Sorenson, A. N., and D. Miles, 2016, The very cold, freezing, no-number day: Sanger, CA, Familius LLC.