K-4 MATHEMATICS STANDARDS

    NUMBER SENSE AND NUMERATION ACTIVITY

    Standard's bullets addressed by activity

    • construct number meanings through real-world experiences and the use of physical materials
    • understand our numeration system by relating counting, grouping, and place-value concepts
    • develop number sense

    Materials needed

    • Counters such as dry beans, small shells, small stones, color chips, or the like
    • Teddy's Mat activity sheet (included) or something similar

    Description of Activity

  • Group or classroom management practices

      • Students work in pairs.

    Ask the first partner to place two counters on one side of Teddy's Mat while counting aloud. Tell the second partner to put three counters on the other side of the mat while counting aloud. Which side has more? Ask students to show a justification for their answer.

    Repeat the activity, using different numbers. Allow different children to tell about their counters, and continue to ask questions:

    • The first person has five counters. What number could the second person place on the other side so that there would be fewer?
    • If you put seven counters on the other side, would that be more or fewer than five?
    • If we want to have the same number of counters on each side, who can tell what we might do?
  • Extensions

    • Use this activity as a mathematics learning center game by having the children take turns rolling a die and placing that many counters on their side of Teddy's Mat. The children then compare to see who has more counters, fewer counters, or the same number of counters.

    Reference

    Burton, G., Coburn, T., Del Grande, J., Lindquist, M., Morrow, L., Clements, D., Firkins, J., & Joyner, J. (1991). Curriculum and evaluation standards for school mathematics addenda series. Grades K-6: Kindergarten book. Reston, VA: NCTM. pp. 9, 12.

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