Foundational Math Topics
Age/Grade Levels
Content Formats
Series
Foundational Math Topic: Number Sense
Number sense is the ability to understand the quantity of a set and the name associated with that quantity. Strong number sense developed in the early years is a key building block of learning arithmetic in the primary grades, as it connects counting to quantities, solidifies and refines the understanding of more and less, and helps children estimate quantities and measurements. © Erikson Institute’s Early Math Collaborative. Reprinted from Big Ideas of Early Mathematics: What Teachers of Young Children Need to Know (2014), Pearson Education.
Series: Focus on Play
Match ‘Em All
September 26, 2018
This bingo-like game allows children to think about numbers in different ways. It focuses children on the attribute of quantity of small sets and helps them build a more robust number sense.
- Topic: Number Sense
- Age/Grade Level: Kindergarten, Pre-K
- Tags Dice, game, subitize, Subitizing
Series: Focus on Play September 25, 2018
The Hoop Game
This game played with a hula hoop and bean bags demonstrates all the math that can be explored with a simple tossing game. Each round gives children practice seeing and naming smaller parts of a total number in a variety of ways.
- Topic: Number Sense
- Age/Grade Level: Kindergarten, Pre-K
- Tags Games, subitize, Subitizing
Series: Ideas at Work September 11, 2018
Preschool Number Sense Routine Perfect for Transitions
Moving from one activity to another just got a lot more mathematical with this simple routine that builds early number sense with preschoolers.
- Topic: Number Sense
- Age/Grade Level: Kindergarten, Pre-K
- Tags Dot cards, Subitizing
Series: Focus on the Lesson August 17, 2018
Dot Card Transition Activity
Transition time is a great time for mathematizing a daily routine. This dot card transition is a relatively simple routine that builds number sense in a concrete way.
- Topic: Number Sense
- Age/Grade Level: Kindergarten, Pre-K
- Tags Dot cards, Subitizing
Series: Book Ideas January 10, 2018
3 Children’s Books that Build an Understanding of Equivalency
Long before young children are writing equations with the equal sign, they are exploring how amounts that look different can actually be equivalent.
- Topic: Number Operations, Number Sense
- Age/Grade Level: 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, Kindergarten, Pre-K
- Tags Books, equal, equivalence, number sense
Series: Focus on Play July 25, 2017
A Race to Ten, Both Fun and Mathematical
Creating grid games from classroom materials can be a great opportunity for fun and mathematical discussions involving small sets.
- Topic: Counting, Number Sense
- Age/Grade Level: Kindergarten, Pre-K
- Tags Games, Subitizing
Series: Focus on Play July 25, 2017
The Math in Ten Using a Grid Game
Grid games can be some of the earliest experiences children have with board games. And they can be both fun and mathematical.
- Topic: Counting, Number Sense
- Age/Grade Level: Kindergarten, Pre-K
- Tags Games, Subitizing
Series: Book Ideas February 15, 2017
Explore Estimation While Enjoying a Whopper of a Tale!
This book is a delightful way to start a discussion about estimation in the early grades. Is it reasonable that Hugh Thomas caught a million fish?
- Topic: Number Sense
- Age/Grade Level: 1st Grade, Kindergarten, Pre-K
- Tags Animals, Books, Estimation, Subitizing
Series: Focus on the Lesson September 26, 2016
Attendance Routine to Build Number Sense
This Spanish-language example of a rekenrek attendance routine demonstrates how one teacher can mathematize an everyday activity.
- Topic: Counting, Number Sense
- Age/Grade Level: Kindergarten, Pre-K
- Tags English Language Learner, Rekenrek
Series: Focus on Play August 25, 2016
Matching Cards Game in PreK
A quick matching game with dot cards is a fun way for preschoolers to practice recognizing small sets without counting.
- Topic: Number Sense
- Age/Grade Level: 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, Kindergarten, Pre-K
- Tags Dot cards, Games, Subitizing
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