Math Centers: Learning Number Sense Through Play

 

We created math play centers that focused on Number Sense. We put out three different table top activities a day. 

Our Wonderings

• If we give students open-ended materials, which number sense skills will they develop? 
• Which questions will we need to ask to help them develop these communication skills and explain their thinking/learning?

Our Learning

At first, we tried to just put out the materials and see what the students would do with them. Without direction, they were able to demonstrate sorting, patterning, and classifying. 

They also demonstrated gross motor skills!

We discovered though, that this was too open-ended and students weren’t necessarily using the materials and manipulatives for educational purposes. We then tried to give them a bit more structure, by providing examples of how the materials might be used, by playing games using the materials provided, etc. We found that after demonstrating some ways to use these materials, the students were more willing and able to use them to demonstrate other math skills. For example, one-to-one correspondence.

 

 

Now we will incorporate more games (board games) and make it a point to incorporate math centers more often. We will encouraged students to use these games, materials, and manipulatives creatively to come up with their own games and concepts that demonstrate their understanding in their own ways.