Games for Early Number Sense

Materials Needed

• One Rekenrek per pair of children
• Passenger Pairs game cards - one set per pair of students

Directions for Playing

The deck includes 24 cards with different groupings of bus passengers. The children play in pairs. They set up the game by placing all 24 cards face up, in four rows of six. They take turns finding the two cards that depict the same number. Player one picks up two matching cards, states the number they show and how he they know they are equivalent - moving beads on the Rekenrek to justify their answer and then removes the cards from the array. Player Two then takes a turn selecting two matching cards. Partners must agree whether the cards match. The matching pairs are placed in one discard pile, encouraging collaborative rather than competitive play.

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Noting the Mathematical Landscape:

Openings and Possibilities

• Listen in on the players’ conversations. Ask the students how they know how many bus passengers there are.
• Some children may find the number quickly but need help articulating their strategies.
• Note how they use the Rekenrek. Do they easily slide the beads and make use of the five and ten structures, or do they count the beads by ones?
• Do they use compensation easily, for example matching 5 on top and 2 on the bottom with 4 on the top and 3 on the bottom?

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From the book Games for Early Number Sense by Fosnot and Cameron - this book was provided to all schools.