Number Sense and Numeration
by Marian Small
Rubicon Publishing, 2015
ISBN 978-1-77058-980-3 (Grade Levels K – 3)
ISBN 978-1-77058-981-0 (Grade Levels 4 – 8)
$45.95 (K – 3) / 59.95 (4 – 8), 128 pp., teachers’ resource
rubiconpublishing.com
These books provide excellent open-ended questions for each grade level to enhance a balanced math program. The books are well laid out and very user-friendly. Each grade level starts with the learning outcomes in point form followed by the three-part lessons. The “Minds On” section allows the teacher to identify students’ previous knowledge with the topic. The “Action” section provides questions for students to work through with math manipulatives or paper and pencil. The final section, “Consolidate” offers the students the opportunity to demonstrate their new understanding. All questions provide the teacher with a sample response and use icons to identify when manipulatives are needed.
Open Questions for the Three-Part Lesson lends itself well to being used during math group time. Students could be working on questions individually or with a small group and meet with the teacher afterwards to allow for discussion for assessment. As mentioned in the books’ introductions, these questions can be used with other activities used in a math lesson and the timing is very flexible. These questions allow for discussion/sharing in class, providing students the opportunity to explain their thinking. The books also lend themselves well to math journaling, allowing students to demonstrate their understanding in written form and/or diagrams.
Review by Cindy Haack.
This review is from Canadian Teacher Magazine’s Sept/Oct 2015 issue.