Number Sense

Building Number Sense is a cornerstone to understanding numbers. If one can understand smaller numbers than putting them together is easier to build larger numbers.  If a child truly understands smaller numbers than they can manipulate and use numbers to make their life easier.  This then helps with mental math, addition with regrouping and real life problems and oh so much more.  Take this real world example: If you want to half a recipe that called for 2/3 cup of sugar, traditional math teaching would say 2/3 ÷ 1/2 and one would multiply while inverting the second but this produces a result of 1 1/3cup. Someone with number sense would say half of 2/3 is smaller than a cup and 1/3 + 1/3 make 2/3 so half would be 1/3. I know using fractions sends some into a tailspin but for kids with number sense they can manipulate to make sense of the numbers to work for them.  How can one encourage number sense?  Watch as Mrs. Nash and Mrs. Zaehring use ten frames, die, dominos, and songs to have fun while fostering numbers sense.

Mental Math

Our Family Math Night was well attended and we couldn't be happier!  It was amazing to see business partners and local universities sharing how they use math in the real world.  Even our very own School Way Cafe was there teaching students how important measurement is in the cafeteria.  We tried to video every session and we are working to put them on this blog so students, teachers, and families can watch over and over again.  Maybe you didn't get to make it to every session you wanted to or maybe there was a strategy you want to review-this is the place for you.  We want to make sure to thank you amazing teachers, the ones leading the sessions and so many more behind the scenes so thank a CCE teach for being a fabulous mathematician! We also want to thank Futures Foundation because with their generous support each family was able to leave with manipulatives and notes to review.  Thank you to Volusia County Schools under Dr. Smith, our School Board,  and our Area Superintendent Mrs. Vickie Presley for their continued support.  

Here is a video on Mental Math.  Our focus is for children to vocalize strategies to obtain the sum or difference in problems.  We are not focusing on memorization because strategies will help children when they encounter larger numbers.  Watch as Make 10, compensation, and recomposition are introduced during the Primary Mental Math session.