Investigating Number

We were nearly at the end of our Maths lesson working with 3-digit numbers when I noticed that all the students were on the floor and were collaborating on something while I worked with a small group. They had emptied all the base ten materials from their plastic home and they were arranging them on the floor. The intention, they said, was find out the biggest number they could make using all the materials.

This provided an excellent opportunity to assess each student through observation and listening in to the conversation. I did not interrupt until invited only to respond with a question. A few children congregated near the board to record the number while the rest kept calling out what they had counted. Twenty minutes later, they had it - 5,586. And so simply, they had introduced themselves to 4-digit numbers.

2S, be sure to share with your families what you are learning about number.