Day 2 - Whole Numbers

The concept of whole numbers is the most fundamental concept in mathematics.

1.       From a story, it leads to a mathematics problem. For example, a video story “Jack and the beanstalk” was shown and it led to counting with the actual things (the beans).

 

* A simple video that illustrate how children can learn math through visual*

 Gum balls counting

2.       Ten Frames: As a teacher who teaches mathematics using this simple tool, I see lots of learning opportunities for the children.

-          It’s a tool which children can see numbers visually (aid in one to one correspondence).

-          Knowing the number bonds of 1 – 10 (e.g. 9 is make up of 4 & 5)

-          Number conservation: No matter how we move or place the beans in any box in the frame, it’s still the same number of beans.

-          Knowing place value. When all the 10 boxes were filled up with 1 bean each, it’s a complete set (tens). Each bean will represent ones.

-          These leads the children to learn that there are other ways to make tens and to find the total when counting.

3.       Division is not that complicated if we use number bond

4.       Cannot count 2 different nouns. For example, 2 cups + 4 bowls =? They are 2 different things, so we cannot add them, unless we change them to the same thing. For example, 2 cups + 4 cups = 6 cups.

5.       There are different kinds of numbers

- Ordinal numbers: Numbers for time and space (1st, 2nd, 3rd)

- Cardinal numbers: Numbers that tell the amount for countable objects

Doing math is looking for patterns, visualization, having number sense and metacognition. If any of it is lacking in the children, the teacher can model and scaffold. Don’t have to explain, they will gradually find out while exploring and manipulating the materials.