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Mathematics Foundations
Number Sense

A California Department of Education

Child Development Division Presentation
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Icebreaker
Use an icebreaker of
your choice. There are
two icebreaker slides
at the end of the
presentation for
optional use.
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Take a Stand

Did you like math when you were in school?

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Outcomes
• Become familiar with the research in early childhood
and mathematics
• Describe what the implications of this research and
instruction are for young children and teachers
• Become familiar with the preschool learning
foundations in mathematics with an emphasis on
number sense
• Understand the links between the mathematics
research in California’s Child Development Division’s
initiatives (Preschool Learning Foundations-
Mathematics, PreK Guidelines & Desired Results)
• Identify classroom practices that support all children’s
mathematical growth and development
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Norms
• Start on time and end on time.

• Turn off cell phones or to vibrate.

• Help the group stay on task.

• Listen to thoughts and ideas of others.

• Contribute your thoughts and ideas.

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Parking Lot
Please write questions on post-its and
place them on chart paper titled
“Parking Lot.”
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Agenda
Research
• What research tells us about the importance of early
mathematics
• National Council of Teachers of Mathematics - 5 Big Ideas

California’s Preschool Initiatives

• The Prekindergarten Learning and Development
Guidelines
• The Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale
• The Desired Results Developmental Profile-Revised
• Preschool Learning Foundations

Research to Practice
• Exploring Number Sense in the classroom
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Lessons Learned from Research

• Gaps are striking
• Less is more
• Connect informal and
school math
• Meet the needs of all
learners
• Include geometry
• Use learning trajectories

Doug Clements, 2007 CPIN presentation

 Gaps are Striking
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School Mathematics is improving but Not Working

Well Enough for Enough Students

1994-95 2007
Internationally our students
are not mathematically HIGHER HIGHER
competitive 20 countries 9 countries

United States SAME SAME

14 countries 2 countries

LOWER LOWER
7 countries 37 countries
Third International Mathematics and Science Study:Grade 8, 1994–1995 and 2007

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Comparisons: SES & Ethnicity

Low SES have gaps - Level 2:
79% of children with mothers with bachelor’s degree passed
vs.
32% of those whose mothers with less than a high school
degree

Ethnic groups
70% of Asian and 66% of non-Hispanic white children passed
vs.
42% of African American, 40% of Hispanic, 48% of Hawaiian
Native or Pacific Islander, and 34% of American Indian or
Alaska Native
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International Comparisons
There are cultural differences: High
income and low income Chinese children
performed higher than high income U.S.
children.
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Using Research
Early
mathematics
research helps
teachers be more
effective and
have more fun
teaching math.
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Core Mathematic Content Areas

PreK - 8th grade
Number and Operations

Geometry

Measurement

Algebra

Data Analysis & Probability

National Council Teachers of Mathematics

(NCTM)
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NCTM Focal Points

• Number and Operations

• Geometry

• Measurement

National Council Teachers of Mathematics

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NCTM Focal Points for

Prekindergarten Handout 1
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Research Bites
• In the table groups, open the research
bite.
• Share information and discuss how this
informs participant’s work.
• There will be an opportunity to share
insights with the large group.
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Research Bite #1
Infants are born with the ability to
understand numerical ideas

“Children possess and build mathematical

competencies from their first year and
keep on learning mathematical ideas
throughout their preschool years.”
Clements, D.H. & Sarama, J. “Creative Pathways to Math,” Scholastic Early
Childhood Today Journal, 2003.
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For example…
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Research Bite # 2
“High quality teaching in mathematics is about
challenge and joy, not imposition and pressure.
Math instruction includes providing a lot of unit
blocks, along with loads of time to use them. It
invites children to experience mathematics as
they play in, describe, and think about their
world.”
Clements, D.H., “Mathematics in the Preschool,” Teaching Children, 2001.
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Research Bite #3
“Teachers should provide time, materials,
and support for children to engage in play,
to nourish their interest in exploration and
manipulation of mathematical ideas.”

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) & National
Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) 2002. Early Childhood Mathematics:
Promoting Good Beginnings, A joint position statement of NAEYC & NCTM,
Washington D.C.
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Research Bite #4
“Preschool children explore a variety
of mathematical ideas during play
including comparison, estimation,
patterns, symmetry, and spatial
relationships.”

K.-H., Seo. “What Children’s Play Tells Us about Teaching Mathematics,” Young
Children, January, 2003.
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Research Bite #5
• Find the mathematics in, and develop mathematics
from, children’s activity.

• Help children extend and “mathematize” every day

activities from building blocks, art, songs, and
puzzles.

• Create invitations to mathematical activities based on

children’s experiences and interests.

Clements & Sarama, Building Blocks Real Math Pre K Math Program, 2002.
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California DRDP-R
PrekGuidelines
Preschool
Learning Preschool
Foundations, Framework,
Volume 1 Volume 1

ECERS-R
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California Preschool Learning

Foundations Handout 2A
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California’s Preschool Learning

Foundations - Mathematics
• Number Sense
• Algebra and Functions
(Classification and Patterning)
• Measurement
• Geometry
• Mathematical
Reasoning
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Map of the Foundations

Handout 2B
Mathematics
Strand
Domain

Age
Foundations
Substrand

Includes notes for

children with
disabilities
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Prekindergarten Learning &

Development Guidelines
Chapter 6 - Curriculum:
Mathematics Learning
and Development
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Prekindergarten Learning & Development

Guidelines for Mathematics

Program develops and builds on children’s

existing informal mathematical knowledge,
recognizing that children enter preschool
with different experiences in mathematics.

Teacher-guided and child-initiated activities

are integrated in a mathematically rich
learning environment, using multiple
instructional approaches.
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Prekindergarten Learning & Development

Guidelines for Mathematics
The program implements a mathematics
curriculum that lays the foundation for
children’s success in mathematics in
elementary school.

The program identifies clear, age appropriate

goals for mathematics learning and
development.

The program establishes a partnership with

parents and other caregivers in preparing
children for mathematics learning.
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Prekindergarten Learning &

Development Guidelines
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Handout 3
Early Childhood Environmental
Rating Scales Revised (ECERS-R)
Item 26 - Math/Number:
Different types of materials
for math/number help
children to experience
counting, measuring,
comparing quantities,
recognizing shapes, and
become familiar with the
written number.
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Desired Results Developmental

Profile-Revised (DRDP-R)
Measures 22 & 23 DRDP-R
• An observational
assessment instrument
• Developmental
continuum
• For all children,
including English-
language learners and
children with disabilities
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Desired Result 2:
Children are effective learners
Indicator: MATH-Preschoolers demonstrate competence
in real-life mathematical concepts

Measure 22: Number sense: Understands quantity and

counting
Measure 23: Number sense: Math operations
Measure 24: Shapes
Measure 25: Time
Measure 26: Classification
Measure 27: Measurement
Measure 28: Patterning
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Number and Operations

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Number and Operations

Handout 4

Clements, D.H., Engaging Young Children In Mathematics, Lawrence Erlbaum

Associates, 2004.
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Number and Operations in Play

Counting:
• Recognizing quantities by sight without actually
counting objects
• Reading numbers
• Putting objects together or taking objects apart
• Adding or taking away numbers

Seo, K.-H. “What Children’s Play Tells Us about Teaching Mathematics,” Young
Children, January, 2003.
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Activities for Multiple Goals

• Make and imagine small collections of items nonverbally
• Count by ones to ten
• Know the last counting words tells “how many”
• Count out (produce a collection)
• Subitize - quickly “see” and label with a number
• Identify whether collections are the “same” number or
which is “more” visually

Clements, D. H., & Sarama, J., Building Blocks Real Math PreK Curriculum, 2007.
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Recognition of Small Number

• Early number is not counting, but
recognition of number
• Recognition of number is not numerals
but the understanding of discreet
quantities
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Clements, D.H., Engaging Young Children In Mathematics, 2004, pg. 17.

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Clements, D.H., Engaging Young Children in Mathematics, 2004, pg. 17.

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Recognition of Small Number

• Simple, but continuous, intervention
makes a big difference - Hannula’s 3-
year-olds
• Large differences in spontaneous
recognition of number
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Recognition of Small Number

Teachers can make huge differences by
providing thousands of spontaneous
experiences!
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How many triangles did you see?

That’s Subitizing!
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Learning Trajectory for

Subitizing

• Small collection namer

• Maker of small collections
• Perceptual subitizer to 4
• Perceptual subitizer to 5
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Simple, but Continuous,

Intervention Makes a Difference!
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Developmental Sequence of
Counting
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Group Activity

Please Close Folders and Notes

• Take cards from envelope
• As a group, place cards in a
developmental sequence
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Developmental Sequence of
Counting
• Saying number words in sequence. May omit some
numbers when reciting the number words
• Counts a small set of objects (five or six) but may not
have one-to-one correspondence
• May count correctly a larger set of objects (about ten)
by keeping track of counted and uncounted objects
• Understands that the number name of the last
objects counted represents the total number of
objects in the group

Resource: California DRAFT Preschool Mathematics Framework

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Developmental Sequence of
Counting
• Knows to say the number words one to ten in
the correct order, but is still learning the
sequence between ten and twenty

• Creates set with a certain number of objects

• Knows to say the number words up to twenty

correctly
Resource: California DRAFT Preschool Mathematics Framework
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Math Operations
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Levels of Math Operations

• Comparing & Ordering - Can tell which group has
more or less

• Adding to/Taking away - Solve problems with three

to five objects

• Composing and Decomposing - Can develop the

ability to recognize that three and two are “hiding
inside” five

• Grouping - Can count groups of objects

Clements, D.H., Engaging Young Children in Mathematics, 2004, pg 20-23.

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Meet Jamey
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Handouts 5 & Measures 22 & 23

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Let’s Play
• Follow the directions to the game.

• After playing the game, talk about the foundations,

developmental sequence, DRDP-R measures involved in
the game. Use the handout to structure the discussion.

• Write a goal for a child in your class. For example, “Maria

will count to five using one-to-one correspondence.”

• Later participants will be asked to present the activity to

the group. Be ready to share the math concepts in the
activity.
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Teachers are the key!

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The Importance of Questions

Mathematics is about thinking, not just
doing something with manipulatives.
Handout 6
• How did you know?
• Why did you do it
that way?
• How did you figure
that out?
• What else would
work like this?
• What would happen
if?
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The Power of Asking “Why?” and

“How did you know?”
“You present problems, and they figure out what to
do. Then you ask what process they used. I’m
amazed they learned to! They’ll use this
knowledge to answer science questions. They
really do critical thinking. Asking ‘How do you
know?’ Starting at Prek is very powerful!”

- Anne, preschool teacher in the TRIAD research project

Clements & Sarama - U.S. Dept. of Education's IES-funded TRIAD research project
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In Classrooms that Promote

Number Sense, Teachers Will…
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What Teachers Do to Support

Number Sense in the Classroom…
1. Move to the assigned chart.
2. Take five minutes to record ideas.
3. Move to next chart when signaled.
4. Add ideas to next chart and continue on
at the signal.
5. At the last chart, circle the top three ideas.
6. Share top three ideas with group.
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Activities for Multiple Goals

• Ability to recognize and duplicate a small
collection nonverbally
• Count by ones to ten
• Know the last counting words tells “how many”
• Count out (produce a collection)
• Subitize - quickly “see” and label with a number
• Identify whether collections are the “same”
number or which is “more” visually

Clements, D. H., & Sarama, J., Building Blocks Real Math PreK Curriculum, 2003.
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Tips for Supporting ALL Learners

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Handout 7

Tips for Supporting ALL Learners

• Assess what the child knows – scaffold.

• Slow down! Emphasize accuracy with
counting.
• Guide the child’s hand while counting, if they
are working on one-to-one correspondence.
• Repeated practice.
• Provide “wait” time.
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Tips for Supporting ALL Learners

• Make it concrete! Count “real” objects.

• Ask the child to make a verbal plan.
“Let’s count them by starting at the top.”
• Move items as they are counted.
• Involve the child’s whole body as much
as possible.
• Simplify vocabulary and directions
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Tips for Supporting English

Learners
• Use concise language - speak clearly
• Use oral descriptions when talking
about concepts
• Model and act out - Total Physical
Response (TPR)
• Consider stages of language
development
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Let’s Play - Part 2

Now revisit your game and consider the following:

1. How might you document children’s growth and development?

2. How might you adapt this game for children with disabilities?

3. What are some strategies for English Learners?

Refer to the back side of your Let’s Play worksheet to

facilitate your discussion and record your ideas.
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Handout 5
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In Classrooms That Promote

Number Sense, You Will See
Children…
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DRDP-R Measures 22 and 23

Handout 8
1. Review the measures at the
table.

2. Brainstorm what children

might do at each
developmental level.

3. Record ideas on the measure

pages provided.

4. How might you document

children’s learning?
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Taking It Back to the Classroom

Consider: Handout 9
• The research
• The activities
• The games played and
displays
• Conversations
• Handouts
• Ideas that were new or
important
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Five Little Seashells Handout 10

Five little seashells sleeping on the shore.
(Hold up 5 fingers, bending down one for each verse)
Swish! went a big wave, and then there were four.
(Move arms, palms up, to make the waves)
Four little seashells quiet as can be.
Swish! went a big wave, and then there were three.
Three little seashells pearly and new.
Swish! went a big wave, and then there were two.
Two little seashells having great fun.
Swish! went a big wave, and then there was one.
One little seashell lying in the sun.
Swish! went a big wave, and then there were none.
Five little seashells gone out to sea.
(Point out to sea)
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CDE Web Site

• At the Web address, the underlined Preschool
Learning Foundations link leads to the 192 page
publication providing easy access to the chapters and
sections.

• The Appendix, on pages 173-192, provides a

summary list of the foundations.

• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) are posted on the

Web site. Questions can be sent to
[email protected].
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http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/psfoundations.asp
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To Purchase the Preschool

Learning Foundations Book
• The Preschool Learning Foundations
publication is available for purchase from the
CDE Press for $19.95 plus shipping and
handling.

• Ordering information can be found at the

CDE Web site www.cde.ca.gov/re/pn/rc or by
calling 1- 800-995-4099
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To Purchase PEL Guide

NOW in Spanish!
• Preschool English Learners:
Principles and Practices to
Promote Language, Literacy
and Learning publication is
available for purchase from the
CDE Press for $15.95.
• Ordering information can be
found at the CDE Web site
www.cde.ca.gov/re/pn/rc or by
calling 1-800-995-4099.
• Appendix A is translated into
Chinese, Hmong, Korean,
Spanish, Tagalog, and
Vietnamese, and is available
on the CDE Web site.
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Take a Stand

Did you like math when you were in school?

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CPIN - Region
Contact info added
here.

You can announce

your next event or ???
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Thank You for Coming!

Please take a minute and complete

the evaluation before leaving.
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Optional Icebreakers
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Grade Yourself in Math

• On a scale of “1” (A+) to “5” (F), how did
you perform in math in school?
• In your math group, talk about
experiences with Math in school.
• Be ready to share with the whole group.
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The following slides are

for the debrief of
activities and the Make
and Take directions.
Place them where you
think they fit best.
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How Did the Activity Support

Mathematical Thinking and the
Foundations?
• Share your experience with the activity
& materials used.
• What foundations did the activity
address?
• Are there any changes or additions to
make?
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Math Make and Take

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How to Play “Peace”

• Each player has 5 shuffled cards.
• Place cards face down in a pile in front of
you.
• Turn one card over and partner turns one
over.
• Whoever has the card with the most dots
takes the pair.
• Continue playing until someone has all the
cards.