Number Sense in Kindergarten

Happy holidays!  I hope everyone is having a restful and enjoyable break!
I finally found a moment to sit down and write this blog post all about my favourite strand in math....number sense!

Number sense is probably the most important strand to teach in math, especially in kindergarten!  I like to ensure students have a good sense of number, not just identifying and counting, but manipulating numbers in order to compose and decompose, identify numbers without counting and more!

I'm going to show you a few of my favourite games to play to help learn numbers.  After all, learning through play is the one of the best ways children learn!  To play these games, you'll have to add math manipulatives (which you probably already have in your classroom).

***It is important to note that I teach the number sense strand a bit differently than I teach other math strands.  I don't spend a few weeks on it and then revisit the next term.  Rather, I take a week here and there (in between other math units) and focus on number sense.  Therefore, we play these games throughout the school year, introducing more difficult ones as the year goes on.****

5 LITTLE MONKEYS
This song is always a class hit so I made these monkey necklaces to go along with it, choosing students to be the 5 little monkeys and 'falling' off the bed as we sing.  This is a great song to use when explaining how we can count backwards and the number gets smaller.

COUNTING GAMES
I begin teaching about numbers by focusing on numbers to 5, then 10 and even beyond 10 for those kindergarten students who are ready.
I love the book "Five Busy Beavers" where the story unfolds and one beaver leaves.  We showed this by using magnets on a 5-frame and using 5 counters.



I also like to explain how we can count objects (1:l correspondence) so I set up games like "How many jumping jacks can you do in 1 minute?" and we all count each one.


Here's another great read, "Numbers" which shows real pictures of items in the world that have numbers!
We then go on our own "Number Hunt" around the classroom or school.


1:1 CORRESPONDENCE
These number mats are great for students to use to show that many.  I set them up with small jewels but I've also printed them on transparency paper and left them out at the Light Table.

BEARS IN A CAVE
How many bears are hiding?
When we play this game, I set up 5 bears (bear counters) and a cup.  I have the students count the bears for me and then I have them close their eyes.  I hide bears under the cup (cave) and students open their eyes and guess how many bears are hiding. 
To make this game more challenging, I made the mat without the 5 circles you see at the bottom.

I CAN SHOW 5
This is actually much more difficult than it looks - how many ways can you show 5 using 5 Unifix cubes?
I gave each student a set of 5 Unifix cubes and had them work together to show all the different ways that 5 can be represented.



WHAT'S THE NUMBER?
I made large numeral cards and covered up most of the number.  Students had to guess what the number was by looking closely at what was exposed.


LOOSE PARTS
I always have loose parts lying around my classroom.  I made these number cards with dots on them that correspond to the numeral.  Students used the loose parts to show that many.

TENZIES
This game requires nothing but 10 dice and a cup!
The object of the game is to get all the dice the same (i.e. number 3).  Place all 10 dice in the cup, shake and spill, choose a number and collect all the dice that match!  Continue until all 10 dice are the same then call out "Tenzies!".
I have students play against each other.  I bought red, blue, green, and white dice at the Dollar Store and each player is a specific colour so it's easy if the dice get mixed up. 

HEAR IT, WRITE IT
We do a lot of work around 10-frames throughout the year.  To help students become more familiar with number placement, I have them listen to a number I call out and write the numeral on the correct spot on the 10-frame.

DICE WAR
After I showed the students how to play this game, it became a class favourite and many of them would often ask to play during the open math block we have in the afternoon.
To play you need 2 players and 2 dice (1 each) and a dry erase marker (laminate game or place in sleeve).
At the same time, students roll their die and they see who rolled the larger number.  Place a tally mark if you rolled the larger number.  This game doesn't have a ending, students can determine when to stop, so the winner can change at any time, it's really luck of the roll!

MATCHING GAME
We work on matching numerals to their name and I created this game where students choose 2 cards and see if they match.  I photocopied the words on a different colour so they know to choose one white and one blue card.  You can make it more difficult by flipping the cards over and using it as a matching game - if you don't get it correct you flip them back.

MATCH ME!
Here's another matching game - I created a variety of cards to 10 (10-frames, numeral, tally marks, etc.) and students must match it to the mat.  This is a great way to explain that there are many ways that a number appears!

COUNT THOSE COOKIES!
Choose a cookie, count the chocolate chips and place it on the correct numeral.  This makes for a great table top centre.

STACK IT!
Look at the 10-frame, stack a tower using cubes or Unifix cubes that many high.

WHO HAS MORE?
Two students can play against each other.  They each roll their dice and place it on top of their 10-frame.  They show that amount on the 10-frame using cubes.  Who has more?  How many more?
Continue rolling and either adding or taking away cubes to make their new number.

TEN BLACK DOTS
Here's a classic book that focuses on the number 10.  With each numeral, a picture is made.  I gave each student 10 black dots and had them create their own pictures.
Can you spot all 10 black dots below?


NUMBER LINES
I introduce number lines to students throughout the year and then we play games using them.  Here, for instance, students must identify the missing number.

ROLLING TO 12
For those students ready to move beyond 10, I start with numbers to 12 and use 2 dice.  I have them roll both dice and add the numbers, then cover it on the mat.

DOMINO PARKING LOT
I also like to set up this activity for students ready to count beyond 10.  Choose a domino, add the dots and place it on the correct spot on the mat.
Can you fill the entire mat?

DON'T GET THE RED DOT
I learned this game back in Teacher's College.
Choose a card and place it on the mat, show that number using cubes on the 10-frame, choose another card and make that number by either adding or taking away cubes.  If you get the red dot you must clear the mat and start again!

ROLL-SAY-KEEP
This is another game to help students identify numbers in different ways.
Roll the die, say the number that appears in that space and keep the card (replacing it with another from the pile).
For instance, I rolled a 6, I say "2" and then place a new card in that spot.

NUMBER BINGO
We play this Number Bingo game in small groups and when students were comfortable enough playing, I left it out for them at the math centre. 
Roll both dice, cover up that number on your card.

RACE TO 100
There are always students each year that need a challenge so I create this Race to 100 game.
Roll 2 (or even 3!) dice, add them and move that many on the hundreds grid.  You can play alone or with a friend - be sure to use different coloured counters to mark your spot.

10-FRAME FUN
I made this 10-frame to send home with my students for continued practice but you can also use it in small groups!
Each student needs 1 set of 10 animals and a 10-frame.  Cut the animals out.
You can play in 2 ways:
1)  Place all the animals on the 10-frame and ask students to identify where the "pig" is (i.e. number 7) or which animal number 3 is (i.e. "dog")
2)  Ask students to set up 10-frame in a specific way, for example, "Place the duck 4th and the rooster 10th."

You can download the 10-frame animal game for FREE by clicking the picture below.

You can find all of these activities and so much more in my Number Sense in Kindergarten Pack in my TpT store.



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December 2019

I've decided to switch it up a bit here on my blog.  Instead of a new blog post each week, I'll be adding on everything I do for the month of December here.  Then I'll post everything we do in January on a new post, and so on.  I had a few colleagues suggest that and I like this idea!  Let me know what you think!

CHRISTMAS VILLAGE
My students really love playing and making up stories.  I painted a few extra blocks we had and added props (Christmas village items from Dollarama) to turn this into a Christmas Village storytelling area.  It was an instant hit!


WHERE DO WE LIVE?
Last month, we mailed post cards to our pen pals around the world and we started receiving some back!



HOLIDAY COOKIE SHOP
Our Holiday Cookie Shop is open for business!  Come and stop by and grab a cookie or two! 
I found these cookies a couple of years back at Target, but you can easily make your own using felt or foam!



You can find this Dramatic Centre in my Holiday Cookie Shop pack on TpT.

THE GINGERBREAD MAN STORY
This is one of my favourite stories for this time of year.  
A few years back I made a Gingerbread Man felt board.  Honestly, it's so easy to make!  I have a whole tutorial on how I make these HERE if you'd like to read about it!
 I also set up this Gingerbread Man Write the Room centre.  
My students really like to Write Around the Room, and I change the activities every couple of weeks.

DECORATE A TREE USING LOOSE PARTS
When I found these large felt trees at Dollar Tree last weekend I knew they would be perfect for a provocation!  I left out a bunch of loose parts and invited students to decorate them and take a photo of their creations.




NUMBER SENSE - MATH GAMES
We played a lot of math games focusing on Number Sense this week.  I promise to do a full blog post during the Christmas Break all about the games I introduce and play with my students but here's a peek...

DON'T GET THE RED DOT
Choose a card and show that many on the 10-frame.  Choose another card and either add or take away counters to show the number.  BUT...don't get the red dot!  You will have to clear your board and start again! 


DOMINO PARKING LOT
Use the dominoes to fill the parking lot.  Add the dots and place them in the correct spot.
Can you fill your board?


MATCH ME
Choose a card (10-frame, numeral, tally marks, etc.) and match it to the board.


STACK A TOWER
Can you stack the cubes to make a tower?  Look closely at the number and build it!


ROLLING TO 12
This is a bit more challenging - take 2 dice and add them.  Find the sum on your mat and cover it.  Can you cover all of the numbers?

You can find all of these games (and SO MUCH more!) in my Number Sense pack on TpT.

ROLL-A-SANTA
I made this game to help students with subitizing (identifying numbers instantaneously - not by counting).  It's a FREE download in my TpT store.  I printed it on transparency paper and left it out at my light table but you can also set it up as a table top game.


DECORATE A TREE
My students have been loving all of the number sense games we have been playing over the past few weeks so I created this game.  I found all of the Christmas loose parts at either the Dollar store or my own house.

GINGERBREAD PLAYDOUGH
I set out these Gingerbread mats at the Playdough Centre.  Students can either decorate the gingerbread person or roll Playdough balls to fill the 10-frame with the correct amount (and add buttons to him also!).


BUTTON FUN AT THE LIGHT TABLE
I printed these 3 images on transparency paper and left them at the light table along with red, green and white buttons for students to create!

ALPHABET TRAINS
One of the literacy activities I left out this week was to have students match these picture cards to the trains by beginning sounds.

You can find the above activities in my new "Let's Play - Christmas" pack on TpT.


CHRISTMAS COOKIE "CRUNCH"
This game was such a hit!  I made a bunch of Christmas "cookies" and wrote sight words on them.  I also printed cookies that say "CRUNCH".  Students reached in and chose a cookie.  They read the sight word and kept the cookie as a point.  If they chose the "CRUNCH" cookie they put all of their cookies back!
*I think the reason this game was such a hit was also because students LOVED that the cookies were in a Christmas tin!*

You can find this game in my TpT store if you are interested.

CHRISTMAS COOKIE CUTTER STUDENT GIFTS
I have been giving a variety of gifts to my students at Christmas over the years.  This one is my favourite!
I bought Christmas cookie cutters at Michaels (you can also find something similar at Dollarama or Walmart).  
I made a recipe page to go along with the cookie cutter - and personalized my name on top!

You can download these editable recipe pages by clicking below.


CHRISTMAS GIFTS
This year our students made these adorable (and easy!) gifts for their families.
 We took their photo in front of the green screen using the Green Screen by Do Ink app.
They painted and glued together a craft stick frame and decorated it.
 These large pine cones were donated by a local florist and they are perfect to make Christmas tree ornaments!
 Of course we had the students make homemade wrapping paper (this year we stamped prints on tissue paper).

CHRISTMAS WORDS
I printed these Christmas pictures and had students practice sounding out the word and writing what they hear.

You can download these cards for FREE by clicking the picture below.





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