REPORTERS :

MARINIEL G. LACARAN
ERWEN A. NARVASA
ALBERT D. YANGSON
NEIL JOSHUA A. NAVAJA
LECIL O. DESTREZA
 CHAPTER 10
INTERVENTION
 Every Child Counts/Accounting for Every Child

The Goal
The goal of this intervention initiative is to provide
teachers with the information and materials necessary to help
primary grade students become proficient in math and ready to
benefit from the grade level math instruction. Only with the
teachers' deft scaffolding of the presentation and practice
activities for new skills and concepts will the students be able to
make a significant shift in their thinking and exit with grade level
understandings in math.
To address specific student learning needs, teachers need to:
find out what each child already knows, at what level each is in
his/her understanding of mathematics
understand what each child needs to know in order to progress
to the next level,
know ways to help each child learn what he/she needs to know
in order to progress to the next level
implement an appropriate sequence of learning activities
 Stumbling Blocks
Focus
Some students have difficulty identifying the main purpose of
the lesson and/or staying focused on the lesson for even short
periods of time. These students may need to be actively involved
during the lesson. The teacher might use additional attention-
getting strategies such as:
calling the student’s name before asking a question, reminding
the student to pay attention, changing the tone of his /her voice,
and/or providing an engaging context for the activity.
Language
There may be a delay in the language development of some
students. Their receptive and expressive language may be
immature. Their vocabulary may be lacking. The teacher may
need to simplify his/her language, introduce new vocabulary
slowly, break down the concept/skill into small steps with
instructional scaffolding, provide the students with extra practice,
and use highly visual models such as the bead string to illustrate
concepts. The teacher can ask the student to repeat the request
and/or the concept as a way to check for the student’s
understanding.
Making Connections
Some students may need help in making connections.
For example, seeing the relationship between doubles and
doubles plus/minus one may not be apparent to them. They
may need opportunities using various activities and tools to
attend to the relationship. They may need the language
used to express the relationship modeled by the teacher or
they may need to explain the relationship in their own
words.
Memory Students may need more opportunities to practice
concepts and skills in order to more firmly commit them
to memory. Providing students with different activities
and tools to practice a concept or skill keeps them
engaged for a longer period of time extending their ability
to remember. Emphasis should be on helping the student
understand the meaning of the lesson to facilitate recall
rather than using rote drill.
Some students make articulation errors, such as:
 Sound substitutions: “f” for “th” so thirty becomes firty; “d” for “t”
so forty becomes fordy
 Omitting final sounds/syllables: eightee instead of eighteen so
there is no auditory difference between eighty and eighteen
Modeling correct pronunciation and exaggerating sounds sometimes
helps students begin to hear the differences. For example, the
“Australian” pronunciation exaggerates the “t” in 4T, 8T, etc. and
substitutes “Deen” for teen numbers, 4Deen, 8Deen, etc.
Visual Discrimination of Numbers Students may:
 Write digits backward, but read them correctly
 Reverse 2-digit numbers, confusing 78 and 87, 12 and 21, 18
and 81, etc.
 Make visual approximations or top/bottom flips, confusing 6
and 9, 3 and 8, 6 and 8, 2 and 5, etc.
This difficulty causes some students to incorrectly name numbers
they are using. For example, they may solve the problem “What
comes after 56” by counting on from 59 and thus arriving at 60
as an answer. The process the student used was correct; the
answer was not. These students may need extra practice with the
number track, counting on a number line, using 100 cards, using
arrow cards in combination with a 100 bead counting frame,
bingo games, and working in the 3-digit number range.
Work Time
Some students may work at a slower rate than others. To
accommodate a slower work rate, modifications might
include fewer problems on a page, fewer pages of
problems, and more time to complete assigned work
other than recess and free time. Work given during the
fluency and maintenance block should always be within
the student’s independent mental computation level.
Tools and Their Uses

When choosing the activities and tools for a

particular lesson, the teacher may want to keep in
mind that some students need the concept presented
and practiced using a variety of activities and tools.
Teachers can help students gain conceptual
understanding by helping them make connections.
Covered Tasks
In a covered task, the teacher covers the counters he/she uses when
presenting a problem to a student. The first set of counters may be
covered after showing the student the set. Initially, more counters may
be added to the set or some may be taken away while the student is
looking to create the problem for the student to solve. Or the second
set of numbers may be placed under a second cover. Later, the sets
may be increased or decreased while the student is not looking. The
purpose for covering the counters is to encourage the student to use a
visual image of quantities which can help develop the counting on
strategy.
Dot Cards
Dot cards come in a variety of forms. For example, dots
can be arranged as ten frames, domino patterns, or dice
patterns. They also can be arranged regularly and irregularly
on cards. Dot cards provide a vehicle for helping students
develop the ability to recognize the quantity of a small
group of objects without counting. This is called subitizing.
Teachers can use the student’s ability to subitize to support
his/her understanding of addition and subtraction.
Subitizing is a skill that benefits from controlled developmental practice. It is
best to begin with simple forms such as groups of dots or circles with regular
arrangements (rather than pictures of objects or a mixture of shapes),
symmetry, and good figure/ground contrast. Playing games that use dice or
dominoes encourages quick recognition of number pattern. Providing activities
that use temporal and kinesthetic, rhythmic, and spatial-auditory patterns also
help students develop subitizing skills.

There are two basic types of subitizing: perceptual and conceptual.

• Perceptual subitizing is recognizing a number without using a mathematical
process. A set of three objects is recognized immediately as 3 without
counting each object.
• Conceptual subitizing is a more advanced skill. It is recognizing at the same
time the number pattern as a composite of parts and also as a whole. For
instance, when seeing a domino like a child who is conceptually
subitizing will see each half of the domino as a set of 3 dots and the whole
domino as two groups of 3 for 6 dots.
The Empty Number Line
• An empty number line is a number line without printed
numbers. It provides students with a way to visualize
number relationships and to represent their thinking.
See page 110.
• Number Cards Number cards are numbers written on
cards about 2.5 by 3 inches. Because they can be used
for many tasks, several sorted stacks are desirable. For
example, stacks of numbers- 1-10, 1-100, 5-15, 25-35-
make it easier for the teacher to get the numbers most
appropriate for a particular student.
The Number Track
• A number track is a rectangular cardboard strip divided into
5 equal sections, each with a covering flap. Each track
contains five consecutive numbers. A set of six tracks makes
up the number line 1 to 30. Tracks can be placed together as
the student’s knowledge of number expands. A seventh
blank track using post-its with numbers on them, for
example, can be used to extend the student’s practice with
consecutive 3-digit numbers.
• Students use the number tracks to practice counting forward
and backward, number identification, naming the number
after and the number before, and counting on and counting
back from to solve result unknown problems.
The Rekenrek or Arithmetic Rack
A Rekenrek is composed of at least 1 rod with 10-
20 beads. The beads are organized into groups of 5
(or10) red and 5 (or 10) white. Beads are stored at
the end of the rack that is to the student’s right.
The student solves the problem by pushing the
beads to his/her left and reading the beads left to
right.
Teachers use the Rekenrak to support the student’s
learning of doubles, decomposition of numbers and
privileging 5 and 10.
Sliding Card

The sliding card is made by folding a square piece of

oak tag, cutting a smaller square in the middle of
one half, and stapling closed the bottom of the side
opposite the fold. Numbers in sequence are written
on strips that can be pulled through the window
frame. Forward and backward number sequences,
including the next number after or before, can be
practiced and verified by students.
Ten Frame Cards
Ten frame cards are two rows or columns of five squares. Dots
are placed consecutively in the squares to represent a number.
They can be arranged pair wise or five wise. Ten frame cards can
be used to help students conceptualize that there are two
groups of 5 spaces, recognize the spatial configurations for each
number, and privilege 5 and 10 when completing additive and
subtractive tasks
The 20 Bead String
There are 20 beads on a string, alternating 5 red and 5 white.
This calls attention to groups of 5 and the relationship of
numbers 5 and 10. For example, 4 is 1 away from 5; 9 is 1 bead
less than 10. This action is called privileging 5 or 10..
Beads are stored on the end of the string that is to the
student’s right. The selected beads, those being used in
the problem, are at the end of the string that is to the
student’s left. Always begin counting with the first set of
red beads

Two-Colored Counters
There are various two-colored counters available
commercially. Round, flat discs with surfaces of two
contrasting colors are desirable. They can be easily slid
under covers for covered tasks.
Activities to Support Counting and Number
Identification

Using knowledge of a student’s counting skills,

teachers can then choose a range of 5-7 numbers
for instruction in forward/backward counting,
naming the numbers before and after, number
identification, and sequencing. The range should
begin with a known number and proceed to the
unknown.
 Forward Counting and Naming the Number Directly After

Activity: Classroom
Routines Tools: Routine Dependent
Directions: Practice counting forward during daily routines, such
as: counting the children who want hot lunch and those who
want cold lunch; calendar activities, how many days have been
sunny/cloudy, how many days students have been in school, etc.
Extension: Count by 2s, 5s, and 10s (both on and off the decade)
accompanied by visual models such as base ten blocks, ten
frames, rekenrek, empty number line, 100s chart, sliding chart
and arrow language.
Activity: Counting Collections
Tools: Choice of Counters
The choice of counters may motivate children to count. Teachers
might provide counters related to science units (insects, snowmen,
zoo animals, etc.) or counters that are fun (vehicles, shoes, etc.).
Tasks: To practice counting give each student a bag of counters.
The number of counters can be either at the student’s independent
or instructional level. The student can count the entire set or sort
the set into sub sets and count them. For example, if the student is
working on counting 1-10, the bag might include 6 pick-up trucks, 9
vans, 8 sedans, and 10 racecars. The student sorts the vehicles and
places each group in a column on 1-inch graph paper. Each student
could share his/her information with the group. The teacher might
record group information on a large graph, helping the students
count beyond 10.
Activity: Forward Counting Songs and Rhymes
Directions: See pages 247-253 for examples of
counting songs and rhymes. Additional songs and
rhymes are included on the
http://dww.madison.k12.wi.us .

Activity: Forward Counting with the Bead String

Tools: The 20 Bead String
Directions: See page 254-255 for using the 20
bead string to facilitate forward counting.
Activity: Forward Counting on the Number Tracks
Tools: Number Tracks Directions: To practice counting
forward from numbers other than 1, place number
tracks 6-10 and 11-15 end to end. Close all of the flaps.
The teacher or student opens any flap. The student
then counts forward from that number. Students can
check their accuracy by opening the flaps. Open other
flaps to provide more practice. Line up other number
tracks when a student is ready for numbers beyond 15.
Extension: Use numbers over 30 printed on post it
notes under the flaps to extend the counting practice
to 100
Activity: Number Track After
Tools: Number Track
Directions: To practice identifying the number directly
after, the teacher or student opens any flap. The student
says the number directly after. Students can check their
accuracy by opening the next flap. As students have
success identifying the number directly after with
numbers 1-10, move on to numbers 11-20.
Activity: Number Track After
Tools: Number Track Directions: To practice identifying the number
directly after, the teacher or student opens any flap. The student says the
number directly after. Students can check their accuracy by opening the
next flap. As students have success identifying the number directly after
with numbers 1-10, move on to numbers 11-20.
Activity: Sliding Forward
Tools: Sliding Card
Directions: The teacher positions the number line in the card opening. As
the student counts forward, the numbers are revealed in the opening by
sliding the number line through the card so the student can confirm or
correct answers.
Extension: Modify the sliding card so the number line moves vertically. Use
a 100s chart cut vertically to practice counting by 10 off the decade. (ex. 4,
14, 24, 34
Activity: Counting Backward on the Number Track
Tools: Number Track
Directions: To practice counting backward, follow the process
described for counting forward using the number track except
have the student count backwards from the exposed number.

Activity: Number Track Before

Tools: Number Track
Directions: To practice naming the number directly before, follow
the process described for naming the number directly after using
the number track except have the student say the number
before.
Activity: Counting Backward on the Number Track
Tools: Number Track
Directions: To practice counting backward, follow the process
described for counting forward using the number track except
have the student count backwards from the exposed number.

Activity: Number Track Before

Tools: Number Track
Directions: To practice naming the number directly before,
follow the process described for naming the number directly
after using the number track except have the student say the
number before.
Activity: Backward Counting Songs and Rhymes
Activity: Sliding Backward
Tools: Sliding Card
Directions: The teacher positions the number line in the card opening.
As the student counts backward, the numbers are revealed in the
opening by sliding the number line through the card so the student can
confirm or correct answers.

Activity: Sliding Card Before Tools: Sliding Card

Directions: The teacher positions the number line in the card opening.
The student names the number directly before the number shown in
the window. The number is revealed in the opening by sliding the
number line through the card so the student can confirm or correct the
answer.
Number Identification
Activity: What’s This Number?
Tools: Number Track
Directions: Line up the number tracks containing the numbers
appropriate for the student. Close all flaps. The teacher
opens any flap and asks, “What is this number?” If the
student has difficulty identifying the number, the teacher
opens the preceding flap and asks the student again. If the
student continues to have difficulty, the teacher opens the
first number in the track and asks, “Does this give you a clue?”
If the student still has difficulty, the teacher identifies the first
number in the track and asks, “Does this help a bit?”
Activity: Number Turn Over Game
Tools: Number Cards 1-10, spinner or 2 dice
Directions: Two students and an adult can play this
game. Each student is given five cards from a deck of
number cards 1-10. Students place their cards face up
on the table. The teacher or other adult spins a
spinner or tosses 2 dice and announces the number
name. Whoever has the card with that number on it
turns it over. The goal is for each player to turn all
his/her cards over.
Extension: Use number cards 1-20
Activity: Name It to Claim It Game
Tools: Number Cards 1-100
Directions: One student plays this game with one adult.
The adult shows a number to the student. If he/she can
name it, it goes in his/her “win” pile. If the student
cannot name it, the adult names it for the student and
then puts it in the “2nd chance” pile. Once all of the
cards have been shown, the adult shows the cards from
the “2nd chance” pile again. Numbers correctly identified
are placed in the student’s “win” pile and incorrectly
identified numbers are named by the adult and placed in
the “2nd chance” pile.
Activity: Number Building
Tools: Arrow Cards, 2 sets each of decades and ones
Directions: Each student turns over the top card from each pile
and names the 2-digit number. For instance, if a 60 and a 5 are
turned over and the student says 65, she/he keeps both arrow
cards. If the student misnames the number, both cards are placed
in the “2nd chance” pile. The teacher helps the student position
the arrow card correctly and asks the student, “Does this help?” If
the student still is challenged, change the arrow cards to make
smaller numbers.
The teen numbers are difficult for some students to learn. The
teacher can modify the game by limiting the number of cards in
the deck, allowing more practice with the teen numbers. The goal
is to have all numbers placed in the “win” pile on the first attempt.
NOTE!
Activity: Number Card Match
Tools: Number Cards, 2 sets of teen numbers and 2 sets of “ty”
numbers (A “ty” number is a number ending in zero, such as 20,
40, etc.)
Directions: The teacher places the teen cards face down in one
row and the “ty” cards face down in another row. Student turns
over two cards in the same row. If the two cards match, the
student says, for example, “This is 14 and this is 14. Match!” If
the 2 cards do not match, the student says, for example, “This is
40 and this is not 40. No match.”
Extension: Use the same two sets of cards, but mix up the two
rows.
Activity: Make It Disappear!
Tools: Dry erase board, marker, eraser
Directions: To practice identification of numbers
that are easily confused, the teacher or adult writes
a number that the student is currently confusing
with others, such as 15, 50, and 51. After writing
the number, the adult asks, “Is this 15?” If the
student replies correctly saying, “Yes, it is 15”, the
student gets a point and erases the number. If the
student is incorrect, the adult gets the point.
Activity: Number Sort
Tools: Number Cards of two easily confused numbers, for example 12
and 21 (there should be a total of 16 to 20 cards in all with one
number on half of the cards and the other number on half), a sorting
board (this can be a dry erase board, a piece of cardboard, etc.) with
an illustration of the 2 numbers to be sorted at the top (for example
dot cards or ten frame cards}.
Directions: The student sorts the cards by number.
Extensions:
1. The teacher mixes up the cards and lays them out, face up on the
table. Then he/she asks the student to find all the 12s, for example,
and give them to him/her.
2. The teacher mixes up the cards and puts them in a straight line on
the table. He/she then asks the student to name each number,
reading left to right. 3. For independent activity see DWW.
 Activity: Rekenrek How Many?
Tools: The Rekenrek, Number Cards 1-20
Directions: The teacher holds up a number card, 10 or less, and asks
the student to show that many beads with one push. After the
student has learned to push over 10 beads with one push, the
teacher can demonstrate how to show teen numbers with 2 pushes.
The activity continues with the teacher holding up a teen number
card and the student showing that many beads with two pushes.
Extension: Use a 100 bead/ten bar rekenrek or a 100 bead/one bar
rekenrek to model numbers greater than 20.
Activity: Bead String How Many?
Tools: The 20 Bead String
Directions: See page 254-255 for ways to use the 20 Bead String to
foster number identification.
Sequencing Numbers
Activity: Ten in a Row Card Game
Tools: Number Cards 1-10
Directions: See page 152 for directions.
Extension: The game can be expanded to include
Number Cards, 1-20.
Activity: Order Them!
Tools: Number Cards (1-100)
Directions: The teacher chooses an appropriate series of
numbers from the deck (for example 37-44), mixes them up, and
places them face up on the table. The student places them in
order from least to greatest and then names each number.
Modifications: 1. Choose fewer cards (only 4-5) 2. Choose a
series that does not cross a decade
Extension: Choose numbers that are not in sequence directly
after one another, for example 42, 61, 75
Activity: Repair the Number Line!
Tools: 3 different sequences of numbers cut from
the number line Directions: The student replaces
the sequences of numbers to complete the number
line.
Extension: Use a hundreds chart that has been cut
apart instead of the number line.
Activity: Organizational Maps
Tools: Two part place mats with each part a different color,
blank ten frames, counters
Directions: Organizational maps provide a support for the
student to “see” which counters have been counted and
which need to be counted. In the case of the two part
place mat, the student moves a counter from one side of
the mat to the other as the count is made. When a blank
ten frame is used, the student fills a ten frame with one
counter per square as the count is made. Begin with
quantities within the perceptual subitizing range (<6) and
ask the student to double check using subitizing.
Activity: Polka Dot Matching
Tools: Dot cards, counters
Directions: Quickly flash a small quantity of dots
or objects within the perceptual subitizing range.
Ask the student to recreate that small quantity
using a similar counter. The student compares the
two quantities to determine a match
Counting On
Activity: Counting On with the Bead String
Tools: 20 Bead string
Directions: See pages 254-255 for ways to use the 20 Bead string
to foster counting on.
Activity: Emergent Covered Tasks
Tools: Two-colored Counters and one Cover
Directions:
• The teacher places 4 or fewer counters in an array for the
student to see.
• The teacher asks, “How many counters are there?”
• If the student answers without counting, the teacher says, “You just
knew that answer! You didn’t have to count!” (If the student counted
from one, start with 1 counter under the cover and repeat the process.
Increase the number of counters under the cover by one.) Next the
teacher covers the set of 4 or fewer counters. While the student is
watching, the teacher slides another counter of a different color under
the cover.
• The student is then asked how many are underneath the cover now. If
the student responds without counting from one, the teacher says, “You
didn’t have to count to know that! How did you figure it out?”
• The student who counts on to solve this problem may say that one was
added to the others so now there is one more.
• The teacher can expand on what the student said by saying, “You just
knew that if there was one more counter, then the total number of
counters is the next bigger number.” Š
If the student is not able to describe his or her thinking, the
teacher can say, for example, “I once had a student who knew
that if there was one more counter, the total number of
counters under the cover would be the next bigger number. Is
that how you solved the problem?” Š If the student counted
on, repeat the process, each time beginning with one more
counter underneath the cover (5 + 1, 6 + 1, 8 + 1, etc.). Š
When the student is successful with problems starting with a
set more than 4, the teacher can add two and then three
more counters to the original covered set.
Activity: Developing Covered Tasks
Tools: Two-colored Counters and two Covers
Directions: Repeat the process described above except
put the second set of counters under a separate cover.
After having the student describes how he or she
solved the problem, the teacher restates the student’s
actions in terms of counting on.
Activity: Counting On with Number Cards and Covered Tasks
Tools: Number Cards (1-100), base ten blocks, ten frame cards,
counters, two covers
Directions: Teacher shows the student a number card (ten frame
or base ten blocks) that is within his/her forward counting level
and covers it. While the student is watching, the teacher places 1,
2, or 3 counters under the second cover and asks for the total of
both sets. After the student has solved the problem, the teacher
asks how he/she solved it. The teacher then restates the
student’s actions in terms of counting on. Extension: As the
student’s forward counting ability grows, the teacher can expand
the numbers used. When the student is able to cross decades,
the teacher can introduce problems that cross the decade, such
as 29 and 2 counters.
Activity: How Many More?
Tools: Number Tracks appropriate to number range
Directions: The teacher presents a problem such as 9 +
2. Then he/she opens the 9 flap and asks the student
“How much is 2 more?” After responding, the student
opens the flap to check his/her answer.
Counting Back From
Activity: Counting Back From with Covered Tasks
Tools: Two-colored Counters and one Cover
Directions: Š The teacher shows the student a set of 4 or fewer counters
Š The teacher covers the set and removes one counter.
Š The teacher asks the student “How many counters are left under the
cover?”
Š The student who counted back to solve this problem may say “One was
removed from the set so now it’s just the next number down”.
Š The teacher can expand on what the student said by saying, “You knew
that if there was one less counter, then you could just count back one.”
Š The original set can increase gradually within the student’s backward
counting range with 1, 2 or 3 counters removed at a time.
Activity: Counting Back From on the Number Track
Tools: Number Tracks appropriate to number range
Directions: The teacher presents a problem such as 9-2. Then he/she
opens the 9 flap and asks the student “How many is 2 less?” After
responding, the student opens the flap to check his/her answer.

Activity: Counting Back From on the Empty Number Line

Tools: Empty Number Line
Directions: See page 110 for ways to use the empty number line to
represent counting back.
Activities to Support Composing and Decomposing Numbers

Activity: Look Quick!

Tools: Dot Cards with up to six black dots in dice formation
Directions: The teacher says, “I am going to show you a card
with some dots on it. I want you to tell me how many dots are
on the card. You will have to be very quick because I am going
to show the cards very fast and then hide them. Are you
ready?”
Extensions: Use dot cards with regular and irregular dot
patterns greater than 6. Each cluster of dots within the larger
quantity can be a unique color. This can support the child in
building fact fluency.
Note!
Show the cards in random order for 1-2
seconds. Observe how the student answers.
Does he/she seem to guess, answer quickly
with certainty, reproduce the pattern
physically with fingers, nod his/her head
while silently counting, etc? The teacher may
want to have a conversation with the student
about how he/she knew the total number of
dots.
Activity: Which Card Does Not Belong?
Tools: Sets of Irregular Dot Cards with total number of dots less than
10 (with each quantity represented by 3 different irregular patterns), a
Playing Mat (with numbered spaces for 4 dot cards), a Cover (to easily
cover the dot cards)
Directions: The teacher places 4 irregular dot pattern cards on the
playing mat, 3 of which have the same number of dots and 1 of which
has a different number of dots. Allow the student to see the display for
about 5 seconds and then cover all of the cards. After the teacher asks
the student, “Which card does not belong?” and the student responds,
the teacher and student should discuss how the student chose the
card. The teacher can help the student see that the dots could be seen
in groups or chunks, thus helping them to see the total quickly.
Modification: The teacher shows just two dot cards and asks which
card has more dots.
Activity: Building Five and Ten
Tools: Ten Frames Cards (with dots on the cards to represent numbers 1-
10)
Directions: Begin with ten frame cards representing quantities five or
fewer. Show the student the card for 1-2 seconds and then hide it. Ask the
student to identify the quantity. Conversation can highlight the
relationship of the quantity to five.” For example: “I knew it was 3 because
there were two boxes missing dots.” As the student progresses, use ten
frame cards with quantities from 6-10. The child can identify the quantity
and discussion can note the relationship of the quantity to both five and
ten.
Extension: Show the student a full ten frame and a partially filled ten
frame. Ask the student to indicate the total quantity and then show how
the two ten frames represented the total using an empty number line.
Activity: How Many on the Rekenrek?
Tools: The Rekenrek
Directions: NOTE!
Š The teacher says, “We’re going to play a game with this
Rekenrek. I am going to show you some of the beads, and you
have to tell me how many you see.” The teacher then pushes
over 2 beads and asks, “How many?” The beads are returned
to the student’s right. Then the teacher pushes over 4 beads
and asks, “How many?” Assumption: The Rekenrek has been
introduced to the student.
Š Next the teacher pushes over 6 beads and covers the
Rekenrek. After asking, “How many” and the student responds,
the teacher asks the student to explain how he/she knew,
reinforcing the explanation that included subitizing. The student
might say, “I knew there were 5 red ones so when I saw 1 more
white on I knew it was 6.”
Š The teacher might continue by pushing over 9 beads and
asking, “How many? How did you know?” The teacher should
reinforce the explanation that includes privileging 10. Such an
explanation might be, “I knew there were 10 beads, so if there is
just one less than 10, that is 9. Another student might privilege
5 saying, “I knew there were 5 white beads, and I only saw 4. I
know 5 + 5 is 10, so 5 + 4 is 9. The teacher should reinforce the
non-counting strategies.
Activity: One Push
Tools: The Rekenrek
Directions: The teacher directs the student to show
a specific number of beads on the Rekenrek in just
one push. For instance, to show 7, the student
would push over 5 reds and 2 whites in one push.
(The student can use either the top or bottom row
of beads.) The teacher continues with specific
numbers, encouraging the student to make the
number with just one push.
NOTE!
The one-push rule discourages counting from 1 and
encourages subitizing five and privileging 5 and 10.
These strategies help the student internalize such facts
as 7 is 5 and 2 more and 9 is 1 less than 10.
Activity: Composing and Decomposing Five
Tools: The Rekenrek (use top row of beads only), and chart paper
Directions: The teacher starts with all of the red beads to the
student’s left and all of the white beads to the student’s right.
He/she says, “For this game, I want you to push some red beads and
some white beads to the middle. The rule is that you have to have
5 beads in the middle when you are finished. I will record your
combinations on this chart.” The teacher records the combinations
as the student gives them, but chooses where on the chart she/he
records the combination so that the chart gives a visual pattern of
ways to make 5. The chart should look similar to this: 1 red + 4
whites = 5 beads 2 red + 3 whites = 5 beads 3 red + 2 whites
= 5 beads 4 red + 1 white = 5 beads
Extension: Follow the same procedure for other numbers 1-10.
Activity: Composing and Decomposing Doubles
Tools: The Rekenrek, Chart Paper
Directions: The teacher can use the rekenrek to introduce
doubles. The teacher begins by separating a group of red beads
to one side of the rekenrek and a group of white beads to the
other side. Then she or he pushes 1 white bead and 1 red bead
to the center. The teacher might record the number sentence, 1
+ 1 = 2 or have a student write it on the board. The teacher
continues by pushing 1 more white bead and 1 more red bead to
the center and recording the number sentence until all doubles
through 5 + 5 = 10 have been shown.
Activity: Doubles Plus One and Minus One
Tools: The Rekenrek and a Popsicle Stick or another manipulative
to divide like a pencil Directions: Once a student is familiar with
doubles facts, the teacher can help him/her develop strategies
for using his/her knowledge of doubles to solve problems
involving doubles + or – The teacher pushes 3 red beads to the
center and 2 red beads to the center from the other side. Using a
popsicle stick or other marker, the teacher points out the place
on the Rekenrek where the 2 + 2 is. Then she/he says, “If you
know that 2 + 2 is 4, then can you figure out what 3 + 2 is?”
Continue this activity with similar problems using doubles.
Activity: Ten Plus
Tools: The Rekenrek
Directions: Knowing how to add 10 to a single digit number is an
important number relationship strategy for addition. The
Rekenrek is a visual tool for developing this strategy. With all of
the beads on the student’s right side, the teacher says, “Show
me ten with one push.” After the student pushes all ten from
the top row to the left, the teacher says, “Now show me 12.”
After the student pushes two beads on the bottom row to the
left, the teacher might reinforce the concept by saying, “10 and 2
more are 12.” The teacher should continue posing 10+ problems
until the student can answer them easily without the Rekenrek.
NOTE!
Prerequisite skill: counting forward from any number
Activities to Support Problem Solving
The teacher can monitor a student’s thinking about
number by noting his/her solution strategies that are
applied when solving various problem types. Solving
problems provides a student with the opportunity to
represent his/her understanding of the problem and to
communicate his/her thinking. Having a student solve
problems can help teachers understand the student’s
intuitive mathematical thinking and use that knowledge to
help the student learn mathematics with understanding.
The teacher should refer to the student’s responses on the
Problem Type Interview to identify the student’s current
level of understanding about problem solving. By
analyzing the student’s responses, the teacher can
understand more about:
The student’s ability to understand the language of the
problem type,
The number sizes that are most meaningful to the
student,
The strategy the student uses and,
The student’s reliance on the context both in terms of
the story and the counters used to represent the story.
The teacher needs to continuously modify instruction in
the language, number sizes, and context of the problem
to account for the small steps a student makes as she/he
develops his/her mathematical thinking.
Problem solving begins with sharing, counting, and
organizing situations that are part of a student’s daily
experience. When a student counts out snacks,
organizes for games, and thinks about home/school
lunch counts, he/she is problem solving. While a student
usually has good ideas regarding what is involved in
these concepts, he/she may not have connected the
experience with mathematics. The teacher can help a
student make these connections.
As the student matures, the teacher can substitute counters for the
objects in the problem and can introduce contexts that are not as
immediate or naturally occurring. (For example: there are 2 trees and
each tree has 5 apples, how many apples are there?)
Problem types: join result unknown, separate result
unknown, multiplication, and measurement division.
• Students are beginning to make a shift in their
thinking when they count forward and backward
from any number and name up to three numbers
after and before a given number (within the Level B
or Level C range). As teachers observe these changes
they can extend problem solving experiences with
number ranges and problem types that encourage
the development of the counting on and counting
back from strategies.
Having students continue to engage in story problem
solving as they begin to develop base ten understanding is
critical. The compare difference unknown, the join change
unknown and the part-part whole problem types when
used with decade and single digit number combinations,
assist the student in forming base ten understandings.
Additionally, teachers can use multiplication story
problems or partitive and measurement division story
problems that involve groups of ten to further refine this
base ten understanding. Teachers should re-administer
the Problem Type Interview periodically to guide the
introduction of other problem types and number sizes.
THANK YOU!!! 
1. Dot cards
2. Subitizing
3. Perceptual subitizing
4. Conceptual subitizing
5. An empty number line
6. Number cards
7. Number track
8. Sliding card
9. Ten frame cards
10. The 20 bead string
11. Two colored counters
12. The rekenrek or arithmetic track
13. One plus
14. Ten plus
15. Double plus one and minus one