When I first heard this term, I had been teaching for many years, and I wasn’t sure what it was or even if it was something that would work in my classroom. Then a team in my building took the leap and immersed themselves in Number Talks, and loved it and I knew that it was something that I wanted to try. So I grabbed the Number Talks book by Sherry Parrish and started reading it. (You can get the book here).
I started trying it out in my room, and I was amazed by the results! My students were able to think more flexibly with their math skills and they were able to explain their thinking! My students were also able to learn from each other by sharing different strategies that worked for them. It helped my students become more confident in math and they began taking risks, and if they got it wrong and figured it out, it wasn’t a big deal. They were able to learn from it and grow, which is the goal.
What are Number Talks?
Number Talks are a daily, short, structured way for students to talk to each other about how to solve math problems. These lessons take about 10 minutes and are a great way for students to build on their number sense using mental math and thinking flexibly. By flexibly, I mean understanding that there are many ways to solve a problem. Students are encouraged to think of several ways to answer a problem.
Once students have thought of their answers, they share their thinking with the rest of the class. Number Talks are also structured so that students can talk to each other about how they solved problems. It relies heavily on students talking to each other and using that peer teaching that we use so frequently in our classrooms!
Number Talk Activities for Numbers to 10
Guess My Number
This first Number Talks lesson is called “Guess My Number”. It is perfect for number recognition and teaching greater than and less than. This Number Talks is one of my students’ favorite lessons. I start my lesson by writing the numbers 1-10 in a straight line. We go over the numbers one by one and I also have the students show me the numbers using their fingers as we go along.
After we review the numbers, I tell my students that I am thinking of a number between one and ten. They need to guess what that number is (hint: I never choose the number it is always one of the last 2 numbers that are left. Trust me, students don’t catch on). I then call on the students to give me a number. So say for example a student says the number 3. I would say “The number is greater than 3.”
After they realize the number is greater than 3, I call on other students to tell me what numbers it couldn’t be. They would say 1 and 2, and they should say three as well (sometimes they may not, and this is where you guide them to this answer). Students explain their choices as you cross out the numbers. Have students give a thumbs up, or down to show if they agree or disagree with a student’s explanation. This is where the sentence frames come in handy for the students to use with one another:
- “I agree with _____ because ________”
- “I disagree with _____ because______”
- “I like what you said about __________”
- “Could you say more about__________”
- “Can you tell me differently?”
Once you have talked about the first number, ask for another number to cross out. Go through the same procedure. Keep going until you get to the last 2 numbers. From here you can choose the number that the student chose between or the one they didn’t. The kids love this game and it is a great way to teach number recognition and greater than and less than.
Quick Images Number Talks for Numbers to 10
Another fun Number Talks is called “Quick Images”. This activity perfect for recognizing numbers and matching numbers to dot images. I first start with a screen that has a black/grey box on the screen. I tell students that there will be dots behind the box and they will have 5-10 seconds to look at the image and then I will cover it back up and then ask, how many dots they saw. The images can be dots that are scattered, or, in a ten frame, depending on what’s being taught at the time.
I show my students what is under the box and I give them 5-10 seconds to see how many dots are under the screen. Then I cover it back up. Next, I ask students how many dots they saw. I take as many answers as time will allow. From here I then reveal the answer by showing them the image again.
I then asked, the students to share what strategies they used to figure out the number of dots. While they are explaining their answer, I am writing it down on a whiteboard, chart paper, whatever I have available. This way the other students can see the visual representation of what that student is explaining. I call on as many students as possible so they can share their ideas.
This is the most important part because they are exchanging ideas with each other and sharing their strategies. It helps others find different ways to solve problems resented and I find that learning from each other is just as effective if not more than me telling them other strategies. So try out this activity when you have a chance!
How Many Ways Number Talks for Numbers to 10
This final Number Talk is one of my favorites! You get to see how students think and visualize numbers. This activity is named “How many ways to make ___”.
First, I tell students a number (for example, the number 7), and then I give them a minute to write or draw all the ways they can think of to make the number 7.
I leave this prompt very open-ended, students can draw, write, use tally marks, number sentences, etc. Students may find this open-ended approach challenging. Just tell them to try their best.
When the minute is up, have the students share their favorite way they had to make that number, again the example here might be 7. So they may have drawn 7 tally marks, 7 dogs, 7 cats, etc. Some students might have had a number sentence 4+3=7. That’s fine, even if addition isn’t your goal, they are showing that they understand the number 7. As always write them on the board/chart paper, and have them explain how they knew it was 7, and write their explanation on the board.
Number Talks for Numbers to 10
These are just a few examples of how you can use Number Talks when you are teaching Numbers to 10. They are quick, low prep activities that you can use to get your students to think flexibly and are great warm-up practice for your kids!
Using Number Talks in my classroom allows students were able to think more flexibly with their math skills and to be able to explain their thinking! Students are also able to learn from each other by sharing different strategies that worked for them. It helps students become more confident in math and they began taking risks. They are fun and engaging and help students think flexibly with numbers, which makes teaching concepts later one way easier. Try out these Number Talks and let me know which one was your favorite!
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