National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Standards: Web site Lesson Plans
Angela Alexander
Grand Canyon
September 6, 2012
When children arrive at school, they have many ideas about numbers. Teachers work with students and build on to those ideas. They also help them develop new relationships. However, many students do not have a full understanding of numbers. As a result, their ideas do not grow and develop into more advanced-related concepts as they progress through school. It is imperative that students understand number sense and mathematical operations because they are the building blocks to all other concepts in mathematics. According to Principles and Standards, the term number sense is used throughout the Number and Operations standard. It states As students work with numbers, they gradually develop flexibility in thinking about numbers, which is a hallmark of number sense. . . . Number sense develops as students understand the size of numbers, develop multiple ways of thinking about and representing numbers, use numbers as referents, and develop accurate perceptions about the effects of operations on numbers” (p. 80).
Children expand on number sense as they practice using numbers in operations, place value, and understand how to make estimates of larger numbers, fractions, decimals, and even percents. Early number sense is vital because it builds upon other important concepts, such as addition and subtraction. In the lesson Lets Count to Five found on http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?ID=L501, this issue is addressed. The lesson focuses on counting to five. The counting concepts are understanding cardinal numbers, rote counting, rational counting, numerals, and benchmark numbers. It is in accordance with NCTM’s Numbers and Operations Standard for Pre-K-2nd grade. According to the site, they are: 1. Connect number words and numerals to the quantities they