I’ve been reflecting a lot lately on the role of math in my classroom and, more specifically, building number sense. I’ve been analyzing our math routines, considering what’s working well, and identifying areas where
we can improve. As educators, we constantly evaluate and refine our teaching practices to better support our students.

Today, I want to share some insights and strategies for building number sense in the primary classroom. Number sense is the foundation of mathematical understanding, and fostering this skill in young learners is crucial for their future success in math.

The foundation of math is appropriately understanding the relationship between numbers. This is what we call number sense, not to be confused with number fluency (though number fluency can be built while building number sense).  However, it’s much more complicated than its name suggests.

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What is Number Sense?

When students have number sense, they understand what numbers are and the relationships between numbers, which means that they have a sense of what the numbers actually mean.

They are able to understand and manipulate quantities, comprehend concepts such as more or less, larger or smaller, and compose and decompose numbers. They can compare numbers, perform mental math, and use numbers in real-world situations. When confronted with numerical situations, they use their skills to solve for what they don’t know.

How Can Students Build Number Sense?

Students gain number sense by examining numbers, visualizing numbers in various ways, number talks, hands-on strategies, and tons and tons of practice! If you are starting your building number sense journey, I will share a few places where you can begin.

Counting and Cardinality

When students begin to count, it’s as easy as singing the ABC song. It seems like a simple concept, but counting is anything but easy. It’s basically rote counting without application. At this point, they say the numbers in order without attaching meaning to them.

We do a lot of counting in my room. Counting collections, counting Skittles, counting how many students are here today, etc., anything to get them counting.

We read a ton of counting books, and the visuals are so important for them to see that the numbers they are saying are connected to how many items there are. When students have a basic understanding of the counting sequence, then I add the next layer.  

I give them a number, and they have to tell me the following number in the counting sequence. I listen to see who needs to begin at one and who can give me the following number without starting over.

During this time, we identify, write, and build our numbers in every way possible. We use a lot of roll and record, where we roll a number (we use dice!), and they write the number that comes up. We also build our numbers with play dough, which is nice because it also helps with fine motor skills!

As students begin to move on to cardinality, they begin to understand how many items are in a group that has already been counted. 

One-to-One Correspondence

One-to-one correspondence also falls under counting and cardinality. However, it is essential, so I wanted to talk more about it. As students develop one-to-one correspondence, they continue to build number sense, they start to add meaning to their counting, and the groundwork is laid for when they begin computations.

You want to move them beyond rote counting and attaching a numeral to an object. When students master one-to-one correspondence, they understand the relationship between numerals and quantities. 

They understand that three Skittles can be given to three people.

Subitizing

When students can subitize, they can see a quantity of items and instantly know how many there are. If I hold up seven fingers, you can immediately tell me how many fingers I’m holding up without counting them again. If I roll a die, you can instantly tell me how many dots you see.

In my classroom, subitizing is part of our daily math routine. We practice looking at quantities in a ten- or twenty-frame and scattered arrangements. Subitizing helps build number fluency. These subitizing routines are also great for math small groups when students need more practice with this skill.

If you want more lessons on teaching number sense, a great book is Teaching Number Sense, Kindergarten by Chris Confer. I love that it is dedicated only to kindergarten. He also has versions for first and second grade.

You can find this book by clicking here or on the picture. 

Building number sense in the primary classroom is an essential foundation for our students’ future success in math. By incorporating various strategies, such as counting and cardinality, one-to-one correspondence, and subitizing, we can help our students develop a deep understanding of numbers and their relationships.