Number Sense

Understanding numbers and their

importance in developing math skills
What is math really about?
● Math is NOT about numbers!

● Math is about the relationship

between quantities and the
numerical symbols that represent
those quantities
Numbers vs. Quantities

9 + 2 = 92
9 + 2 = 11
9 + 2 = 10
9+2=7
 How does number sense
develop?

Infants Preschoolers Early Upper

Studies have Elementary Elementary
Preschool age
shown that as Students
early as 5
students have Students
months, babies typically An understanding
developed 2 The two schemas of two distinct
registered
surprise when schema: developed as a quantitative
2 objects were toddler merge into measures forms,
hidden behind Global quantity one and quantities such as tens and
a curtain and comparisons ones, hours and
and numbers
only one minutes, dollars
reappeared Counting become linked and cents…
Why is number sense so important?

● Studies have shown that a well developed

number sense contributed to students’ ability
to solve math problems
● The impact of number sense on a student’s
success may actually increase over time
Number sense in middle school and beyond
Middle and high school students with a well developed
number sense are able to…
● Easily compare and order numbers, including
negatives, fractions and decimals
● Switch fluently between different representations of
the same number
● Identify and use number patterns to solve problems
● Break numbers down into separate quantities in order
to solve problems mentally
● Use estimation to determine the reasonableness of
their solutions
 Strategies for promoting numbers sense
● Ask students to arrange a given number
of objects into groups of smaller
amounts
● Present visual depictions of groups in
different ways
● Play speed games to have students
identify the number of objects in a group
without counting
● Play memory with dot cards where the matching cards
have different arrangements

● Use precise language when referring to numbers and

values
● Discuss strategies for estimating and performing
mental math
● Have a “number of the day” and spend a few minutes
discussing different ways to represent that number,
values that are greater than or less than that number,
what patterns that number may be a part of etc.
● Assign a number to each student and have
them arrange themselves along a physical
number line
● Hold “Number Talks”
○ How many ways can you solve 162 +39
without a pen and paper?
Final Thoughts
Resources
● https://www.ascd.org/el/articles/teaching-number-sense
● https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2855153/
● https://magazine.krieger.jhu.edu/2011/11/number-sense-coun
t-on-it-from-birth/
● https://nrich.maths.org/2477