Number Sense Routines: Building Numerical Literacy Everyday in Grades K-3
By Jessica Shumway
Recently I was asked to read and review this book for our district's math facilitators to see if this book would be valuable as we work to strengthen our Tier I instruction. I found it to be a valuable resource for us to use.
The author of this book describes routines as “daily warm-ups that help students internalize and deepen their facility with numbers.” This is an easy read which has student/teacher examples and also includes conversations with children. The big idea of this book to me is to help teachers gain an understanding of why we have our students engage in these activities and what skills these activities help students to develop.
Page 9 gives an early number sense learning trajectory. I think this is really helpful to know the sequence of the big ideas and mathematical development. Each big idea has a short explanation which would be great to share with parents. Big ideas are:
subitizing, magnitude, counting, one to one correspondence, cardinality, hierarchical inclusion, part/whole relationships, compensation, unitizing
Pages 22-29 tells what each routine described in the book helps with, how it works, and questioning strategies for each routine. This is a great section!
Many of the routines described in the book are routines that we are already using. I think the value of this book is that it explains why these routines are good for mathematical development and specifically what area each routine targets. Some of the routines described are:
Math Talk
Quick Images
Ten Frames
Counting Around the Circle
Calendar and Data Routines
Rekenreks
Choral Counting
Start and Stop
Ways to Make a Number
Today’s Number
Mental Math
Counting the Days in School
I think this would be a great tool for math facilitators to use next year for professional development with teachers for Tier 1 instruction.
Currently you can browse the entire book online at: http://www.stenhouse.com/shop/pc/viewprd.asp?idProduct=9336
Click on the table of contents tab to find the “browse the entire book” link. Stenhouse doesn’t usually keep these online very long so look at it soon!
1 comment:
Hi Sue Ellen,
I haven't read the book you mentioned, but I looked at it a little on line. I have a suggestion for an accompanying book. You probably already have read it, but for those who haven't it may go well with the Number Sense book. Its Constance Kamii's Young Children Reinvent Arithmetic, where she explains how children learn about the idea behind numbers. Anyway, it's one of my favorites. Hope all is well!
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