Math Fundamentals 1A: Early Number Exploration

6-week session/ 45-minute virtual sessions, that's 4 and 1/2 hours of learning! Sept. 8, 15, 22, 29 Oct. 6 (skip Oct. 13) Oct 20 9:30-10:15am Join our virtual workshops and discover the power of early number exploration! This workshop is designed to provide students with practical strategies and visual tools for understanding foundational addition and subtraction concepts. The focus will be on developing a deep understanding of numbers and their relationships, rather than just memorizing facts. I. Adding and Subtracting with Visuals: Concrete Representations We will explore addition and subtraction within 10 using engaging and effective visual models. These tools help students move from concrete objects to abstract mathematical thinking. Ten Frames: The ten frame is a foundational tool for building number sense. We will use ten frames to help students visualize numbers and to understand the concept of "making a ten." For example, to solve 7 + 3, we can show 7 dots in the ten frame and see that there are 3 empty spots. Adding 3 more dots fills the frame, visually demonstrating that the sum is 10. Dot Images: We will use dot images (like those found on dice or dominoes) to help students instantly recognize small quantities without counting (subitizing). This skill is crucial for developing fluency with addition and subtraction. For example, by showing a dot image of 5 and a dot image of 3, students can quickly see the total is 8. Other Visuals: We will also explore other simple visuals like finger counting, number lines, and counters to show how different representations can support understanding of the same operation. II. The Relationship Between Addition and Subtraction A core focus of this workshop is the inverse relationship between addition and subtraction. We will use the visual models from the first section to demonstrate how addition and subtraction "undo" each other. Fact Families: We will introduce the concept of a "fact family" to show how three numbers are connected through both addition and subtraction. For example, using the numbers 3, 4, and 7, we can write the following four related equations: 3 + 4 = 7, 4 + 3 = 7, 7 - 3 = 4, and 7 - 4 = 3. Understanding this relationship empowers students to solve problems and check their work. Missing Addends: We will frame subtraction problems as "missing addend" problems. For example, instead of just solving 8 - 3, we can ask, "3 plus what number equals 8?" This encourages students to think about the relationship between the two operations and reinforces the idea of finding a missing part. This workshop will provide students with a solid understanding of foundational number concepts and a toolkit of effective, research-based strategies to help themselves become confident and flexible mathematical thinkers.