Number Strips

Summary

Students will practice recognizing numbers with number strips.

Materials

• Number Strips (pdf), one per child (personalized)
• Counters (e.g., Unifix cubes, buttons, etc.)
• Ten-frames (pdf)

Additional Resources

• The Cheerios Counting Book, by Barbara Barbieri McGrath; ISBN 0-590-68357-8
• Just Enough Carrots, by Stuart Murphy; ISBN 0-06-446711-2
• The Grapes of Math, by Greg Tang; ISBN 0-439-221033-X
• Looking for Numbers, by Margie Burton, Cathy French, and Tammy Jones; ISBN 1-58344-208-1

Background for Teachers

One at a time have the children tell you eight numbers that are not in order (e.g., 8, 3, 1, 5, 2, 9, 4, 7). As the child says the number, the teacher (or a volunteer) writes the number on the child’s Number Strip (p. 4-6). If a child struggles, place number cards on a table so the child can look at the numbers to help them say a number.

Place a picture of the child in the top section of the number strip. It is helpful to laminate these number strips so that they last throughout the school year.

Intended Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate a positive learning attitude.
6. Communicate clearly in oral, artistic, written, and nonverbal form.

Instructional Procedures

Invitation to Learn
We don’t always work with numbers in order. Sometimes they are all mixed up or random. We need to be able to recognize numbers whenever we see them. We are going to practice recognizing numbers with our number strips.

Instructional Procedures

Class Activity
After all the children have created their own personal number strips, you are ready to do this activity.

1. Have each child get ten counters and place them at the top of their desks.
2. The teacher tells the children that each time she says a number, the children are to show that number of counters in the center of their desk.
3. The teacher reads off of the teacher’s Number Strip. Each child should show the number the teacher says.
4. After the teacher reads the number, s/he should check to see how the children represent the number with counters. Make sure the children understand they are to make just the number that was last read.
5. The teacher should read through his/her entire number strip to be sure the children understand the activity. The teacher needs to verbalize that as the reader of her Number Strip, she also needs to check to see if her partner (the children) has shown the correct amount of counters on his/her desk.

Paired Activity
Once the children understand how to show the number, tell them that they will work in partners.

1. While one child reads his/her strip one number at a time, his/her partner places that many counters on his/her desk.
2. The child reading the number checks to make sure that his/her partner has placed the correct number of counters on the desk.
3. After checking, the child reads the next number.
4. The children change roles and the second child now reads his/her strip.
5. As the children do this activity, the teacher circulates around the room observing how each child creates the number that s/he hears.

Extensions

• Choose a number and add that number to each number that is read.
• Subtract one.
• Double the number read.
• Show whether the number is odd or even.
• Show the number that is one larger.
• Show the number that is one smaller.
• Using place value blocks, show the number of tens and ones and say that newly created number.

Family Connections
A copy of the child’s Number Strip can be sent home for the child to practice. Make sure that the children understand this activity very well before you send it home. Be sure to include a blank number strip for the parent to complete. You may choose to send home a short parent letter explaining this activity.

Assessment Plan

The teacher should circulate through the room and observe the children. Possible observations are:

• child grabs the correct number of counters,
• child counts each counter starting with one,
• child counts by twos to the correct number,
• child grabs a few and then counts on to the number,
• the child clears his/her desk for each new number, and/or
• child increases or decreases the amount of counters already on the desk.

This will help the teacher to understand the number sense that the child has.