Professional Documents
Culture Documents
This summary sheet outlines what a number talk is and gives an overview of the routine along with a
description of the teacher’s role during a number talk.
http://www.mathperspectives.com/pdf_docs/number_talks.pdf
This article by Sherry Parrish, the author of the book Number Talks: Helping Children Build Mental Math
and Computation Strategies, Grades K-5, includes part of a transcript from a multiplication number talk
and describes the key components for successful number talks.
http://www.mathsolutions.com/documents/numbertalks_sparrish.pdf
This article from NCTM’s Teaching Children Mathematics outlines 13 “rules” that elementary students
are often taught that do not hold true mathematically, such as “subtraction and division make numbers
smaller” (½ ÷ ¼ = 2, and 2 is greater than 1/2).
http://www.nctm.org/Publications/teaching-children-mathematics/2014/Vol21/Issue1/13-Rules-That-
Expire/
When you have time, but little energy, this 1-hour video of Sherry Parrish, respected author of Number
Talks, might be just the thing as she talks about how to strengthen students’ accuracy, efficiency and
flexibility with mental math and computation strategies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twGipANcIqg
This article by the Cathy Humphries and Ruth Parker, authors of Making Number Talks Matter, supports
the reading from the first two chapters of the book.
http://www.middleweb.com/23254/use-number-talks-to-boost-math-reasoning/
This article from Scholastic lists mental strategies that use reasoning for addition/subtraction and
multiplication/division and calls out strategies that aren’t appropriate for the numbers at hand.
https://mathreasoninginventory.com/Pdfs/ReasoningStrategiesWholeNumbers.pdf
Kristin Gray reflects on a list of “stages of math reasoning” that might offer teachers some ideas about
how to help students “construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others” (SMP 3). Among
https://mathmindsblog.wordpress.com/2015/06/27/math-reasoning-stages/
Just like it sounds, this article offers tips for successful number talks in the primary classroom.
Just like it sounds, this article offers tips for successful number talks in the intermediate classroom.
This sheet summarizes the principles outlined in Chapter 3 of Making Number Talks Matter.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjQrbKG2
4TLAhVNxmMKHbRECGoQFggbMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Frmcrsc.schoolwires.net%2Fcms%2Flib4%2FWA0700177
5%2FCentricity%2FDomain%2F169%2FSummary%2520of%2520Guiding%2520Principles%2520for%2520Number%
2520Talks.docx&usg=AFQjCNGeJOQy6wjTjWb_VbqaEDoLDF-ptg&bvm=bv.114733917,d.cGc
Without describing specific student responses, Shelly Craig reflects briefly on three Number Talks,
explaining why she selected subtraction problems and the general ups and downs of the sessions.
Craig, Shelly. “Beginning Number Talks.” Math Is Elementary Blog. (November 22, 2015).
https://mathiselementary.wordpress.com/2015/11/22/beginning-number-talks/
Often student misconceptions arise during Number Talks, and addressing those mistakes in a positive,
safe way for the student can be challenging. Crystal Morey, a middle school teacher, shares what
happened in her class and debriefs with Ruth Parker, co-author of Making Number Talks Matter.
https://www.teachingchannel.org/blog/2015/11/12/safe-classroom-culture-gbt/
The San Francisco Unified School District offers a set of questions grouped by the Standards for
Mathematical Practice to stimulate classroom discourse.
http://www.sfusdmath.org/effective-questioning.html
Use this guide to review Danielson components 2a Creating an environment of respect and 2b
Establishing a culture of learning as you think about what effective teaching looks like in these areas.
http://tpep-wa.org/wp-content/uploads/the-framework-for-teaching-evaluation-instrument-2011.pdf
This 3-minute video describes the important elements for a culture of learning in a mathematics
classroom.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVykrsv0-5g
Georgia K-5 Mathematics Support offers this clear, well-organized at-a-glance sheet of addition and
subtraction strategies that are supported by Number Talks.
https://ccgpsmathematicsk-
5.wikispaces.com/file/view/Subtraction%20%26%20Addition%20Strategies%20At-A-
Glance.pdf/491683036/Subtraction%20%26%20Addition%20Strategies%20At-A-Glance.pdf
Online Article: Why I Like Using Open Number Lines (Though I Don’t Like the Name)
Marilyn Burns talks about the usefulness of the open number line as a subtraction model.
http://marilynburnsmathblog.com/wordpress/why-i-like-using-open-number-lines-though-i-dont-like-
the-name/
Fifth grade math specialist Kristin Gray reflects on a Number Talk and shares how she used a talk to dig
deeper into students’ understanding and extend their thinking.
https://mathmindsblog.wordpress.com/2015/05/14/the-meaning-of-subtraction/
Elementary math specialist Carrie Forsthoffer describes a subtraction Number Talk with fourth graders
(247-98), including how she got into hot water and how she found her way back out.
https://forsthoffer.wordpress.com/2015/11/19/i-love-number-talks/
Georgia K-5 Mathematics Support offers this clear, well-organized at-a-glance sheet of multiplication
and division strategies that are supported by Number Talks.
https://ccgpsmathematicsk-
5.wikispaces.com/file/view/Division%20Multiplication%20Strategies%20At%20A%20Glance.pdf/491683
212/Division%20Multiplication%20Strategies%20At%20A%20Glance.pdf
Need a little review on the five properties of multiplication (commutative, associative, distributive, zero,
and identity)? This PowerPoint presentation will walk you through each quickly and easily to bring you
back up to speed.
http://freyelementary.typepad.com/files/multiplicationproperties.ppt
This article by Stanford professor Jo Boaler cites research evidence on the best ways to learn math facts.
It’s a great article to read and discuss during a PLC.
https://bhi61nm2cr3mkdgk1dtaov18-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-
content/uploads/2015/03/FluencyWithoutFear-2015.pdf
This video of Jo Boaler explaining research evidence on developing fluency pairs well with her “Fluency
without Fear” article. Watch at least the first 7.5 minutes with your team for some great food for
thought.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZ8LUswe41U
Henry County Schools in Georgia make available a series of Power Points for elementary teachers to use
with addition and subtraction Number Talks.
http://schoolwires.henry.k12.ga.us/Page/38450
This page outlines a variety of addition and subtraction strategies to draw out during number talks with
examples for each.
http://elemath.hallco.org/web/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Subtraction-Addition-Strategies-At-A-
Glance2.pdf
Need a little review on the three properties of addition (commutative, associative, and identity)? This
PowerPoint presentation will walk you through each quickly and easily to bring you back up to speed.
http://www.ourclassweb.com/center_activities/math/additionproperties.pp.ppt
This page outlines a variety of multiplication and division strategies to draw out during number talks
with examples for each.
http://elemath.hallco.org/web/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Division-Multiplication-Strategies-At-A-
Glance1.pdf
Fifth grade teacher Anne Walker describes several fraction addition Number Talks she conducted with
her class.
https://usingimaginationinmath.wordpress.com/2015/11/22/math-talks-fractions/
This booklet from the UK for teachers helping students understand the concept of fractions suggests
teaching approaches and would fit nicely into PLC teamwork thinking about the teaching of fractions.
http://www.nrdc.org.uk/?p=282
Teachers of grades 3-7 seeking better understanding of the CCSS-M are given guidance in this lengthy
paper. Rather than reading the full article, consider using this document as a reference when planning
for specific fraction-related standards, either independently or in a PLC.
https://math.berkeley.edu/~wu/CCSS-Fractions_1.pdf
One of the challenges of doing Number Talks is fostering student-to-student communication. This page
shares a variety of tips and resources from Shametria L. Routt, including posters to hang in your
classroom.
http://www.minds-in-bloom.com/2015/08/getting-started-with-effective-math.html
Actionable tips help teachers create a learning community that fosters mathematical discussions among
students in their classrooms.
http://www.nctm.org/Publications/Teaching-Children-Mathematics/2015/Vol22/Issue4/Creating-Math-
Talk-Communities/
This article emphasizes the importance of having a variety of strategies to be fluent with mental
computation.
https://sites.google.com/site/get2mathk5/home/number-talks
Henry County Schools in Georgia make available a series of Power Points for intermediate teachers to
use with Number Talks, along with a suggested order for presentation.
http://schoolwires.henry.k12.ga.us/Page/37071
This series of tips includes suggested Number Talks to do with each grade level.
http://www.cobbk12.org/bullard/NumberTalksK-2.pdf
This set of Smart Board Resources for Number Talks is ready-to-use for grades K-5.
http://rogersstaff.ss5.sharpschool.com/cms/One.aspx?portalId=3107421&pageId=4219901
This 42 minute webinar from Georgia K-5 Mathematics Support gives an introduction to Number Talks
geared toward K-HS teachers.
https://sas.elluminate.com/site/external/playback/artifact?psid=2013-10-
31.1214.M.B6E5BBA79C6BCB2E78D8AE01F69C2B.vcr&aid=136850
http://www.mathperspectives.com/pdf_docs/mp_number-talks_dot_cards.pdf
If you’re seeking research to support the use of number talks in elementary classrooms, this masters
research paper describes the effects of number talks on fourth grade students’ mental math
computation abilities.
http://sophia.stkate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1093&context=maed
Conducted as a masters project in Eastern Washington, this paper outlines the impact of number talks
on first grade students’ number sense.
http://www.heritage.edu/library/mastersprojects/celski_tabitha_2009.pdf