Subitizing, Number Sense & Fluency

I worked for several years as a numeracy teacher, meaning I spent a lot of time making sure that students can subitize numbers accurately and quickly.  I soon became know as the dot lady because counting dots quickly by grouping them is what we did a lot.  Since that time many website have lots of activities that help students improve their number sense.

The same is true for subitizing numbers when adding or subtracting.  There are not very many ways to make ten, yet students are still struggling with adding and subtracting past third grade.  Even the adding by nine's trick where you move one number over to make the nine a ten, therefore only having to add a ten to the other number making it easier is a struggle for students.  How many students do you know that have trouble adding ten to a number. Below is a nice video that explains the 9's trick.

From Walmart site,
 Students taught me this game.

From Rainbow Resource website
Kids of all ages love this game.

from Really Good Stuff website
This is a great game because it teachers number sense, vocabulary and kids love it.

From Target website
Old school, not too many kids are familiar with this game.

From Target Website
Competitive Kids stop counting on their figures after a few days playing this game.

There are a lot of board games that help students learn number sense that I have had great results using.  Below are just a few ideas I have used that students seem to enjoy and learn from.

•  Mexican Train Dominoes.  
• Yahtzee
• Make 7
• Card games with Ten Grids on them  Teachers Pay Teachers Ten Frame Card Game
• Build and Block board game
• What's my Number 

Image from Greg Tang Math Website

Here are some online sites.  Just click on to link to webpage.  Let me know what you think!

• Greg Tang Math
• Arcademics Jumping Chicks
• Speedy Numbers
• Learning Box
• Making Bonds
• ABCya Sum of Dice
• ICT Games Shark
• Illuminations NCTM

And just a fun, rewarding site kids love (it also makes them think!)

• Hooda Math