Attendance Routine to Build Number Sense (Early Math Collaborative)

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A daily activity such as taking attendance can be a powerful way to build number sense. This Spanish-language example of an attendance routine uses a pocket chart designed to look like a rekenrek with groups of 5 pockets in contrasting colors that make rows of 10. These preschoolers know that 20 is a special number; there are 20 children in the class, and the chart is full when everyone is present. They are also learning about the unique mathematical properties of 20: that it is composed of 4 fives or 2 tens.
Why is this important?
Children need to build an understanding of 5 and 10 as landmark numbers since they are the foundation of our base-10 number system. Representing the number of children in class using a chart like this provides the structure for children to develop a visual sense of the smaller quantities that compose bigger numbers.
FOUNDATIONAL MATH TOPIC: NUMBER SENSE
Number sense is the ability to understand the quantity of a set and the name associated with that quantity. Strong number sense developed in the early years is a key building block of learning arithmetic in the primary grades, as it connects counting to quantities, solidifies and refines the understanding of more and less, and helps children estimate quantities and measurements. © Erikson Institute’s Early Math Collaborative. Reprinted from Big Ideas of Early Mathematics: What Teachers of Young Children Need to Know (2014), Pearson Education.