Tips for implementing number of the day activities in a primary classroom. Includes free printable for students to fill in with number representations and a number poster.
Many teachers love to implement a daily routine to help kids learn about numbers and number sense. Today we’ll look at how to run a number of the day activities in your primary classroom. Follow these routines, ideas, and tips for easy daily practice with numbers that kids will love!
Creating a Number of the Day Chart
The easiest way to use a number of the day routine in your classroom is to create a visual for the kids to reference. As they familiarize themselves with the visual, kids gain confidence and skill. The best way to do this is by creating a colorful chart with all the information the kids will need during the daily activity. It can be as simple as a posterboard!
Any bright colors and font cut-outs will do! A large title, followed by examples for ways to write and represent the number, along with a number line is all you need! Use the free download at the bottom of this post (or download it from here) to create yours like this image:
Using Number of the Day in the Classroom
Number of the day works really well for numbers 1-20. If you teach primary grades, it’s an ideal activity. Every week, study one number, or you could even do more than one number each week. Have each student grab a small whiteboard, dry erase marker, and find a spot at the carpet where they can see the “Number of the Day” anchor chart. Create a number of the day anchor chart that you can reuse each time by laminating it.
Children start by drawing two lines to create a cross on their whiteboards. Go through the different number concepts (below) together step by step. Give them a chance to try on their own. Then, ask for responses and write them down on the class chart. Kids can come up and record what they wrote if desired.
Number of the Day Concepts
Concepts to Cover
1. Write the Number Word – Have posters with the numbers words on a higher wall if they need to look.
2. Draw the Number using Dice – Remind the class that dice only go up to 6 each.
3. Tally Marks – I use the short poem “1, 2, 3, 4, number 5 shuts the door, 6, 7, 8, 9, number 10 draws the line, to help kids learn and remember.
4. Even or Odd – Have them draw pairs of dots as they count to see if the number has a partner. If it does, then it’s even, and if not, then it’s odd. Tell them that you only need to look at the last digit in a double-digit number.
5. Draw a Picture – Let them draw a picture to show their number.
6. Ten Frames – Teach them how to quickly draw a ten frame and then they draw dots on the frames to show the number.
7. More and Less – Show what is 2 and 1 less and more than the number.
8. Addition Sentences – Encourage kids to come up with at least one addition sentence that equals the number of the day. This is a great time to review addition concepts like using own fingers, drawing a picture, knowing rules like +0 or +1, flip flop strategy, counting on, etc. Then share as a group and have them read and write the sentences we come up with.
9. Subtraction Sentences – Same with addition except using the number of the day to start with, example 14-?=?
Watch kids and what they record. You can easily see how they are doing with number concepts, and it is a quick check-in assessment.
Number of the Day Builds Confidence with Repetition
This math talk routine will help them gain confidence by sharing their work and new skills. It helps that it is repetitive, and everyone does it together. Children love using whiteboards and find this routine enjoyable.
Number of the Day Materials
For the “Number of the Day” poster anchor chart, take a large black poster board and cut out different pieces of yellow paper. Glue the yellow pieces on the poster board and add bulletin board letters to make a title. Laminate it so that it can be easily cleaned and reused every week. Find free materials to create your poster below!
Some days, have students complete the number of the day activities on their own at their desks. Give them one of the sheets provided in the “Number of the Day” template pack (link to the product below). Use the sheets for assessment to see how much they can show about a given number independently.
FREE Number of the Day Poster
Want to create an effective number sense routine that leads to fluency with numbers to 20? Start today with the FREE Number of the Day poster kit.
Click the image below to download your poster kit!
Try the Mindful Math Comprehensive Program
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Thanks for sharing your ideas and freebie, Elyse! I love how including number sentences for addition and subtraction challenges students to use different and higher numbers – automatic differentiation! 🙂
Linda
Thanks for stopping by Linda! Yes it does challenge all students and I like to say to those higher students to show me a new way to represent the number…some very creative ideas usually surface. 🙂
I like this, it is just enough! This is my first year back in first grade after 4 years and I need help getting back on track!!! Thank you! Love how your put it on your board!
Nicole, So glad you like it! I wanted to give something to teachers that I find useful in my class. Elyse 🙂
I love this post! This is very similar to a project my students will have to do for their Student Growth Objectives in the springtime, and these are nice ways to build up to it! Thanks for sharing!
Lindsey 🙂
Forever First Grade
Thanks for commenting Lindsey! I'm glad you found it useful 🙂
Elyse
Love it Elyse!
Lindsey
Lovin’ Kindergarten
Thanks Lindsey!!
I nominated your blog for the Liebster award. Go check out my post and see what it's all about! 🙂 http://createeducateinspire.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-liebster-award.html
Suzanne
Thank you for these great resources. The orig number of the day packet offers good variety. The new poster option offers many of the elements my math specialist suggested I include on laminated mats for student use. You saved me so much time. Thanks again!
I love this idea to work with numbers! I teach kdg. readiness and this is a great way to help them understand the numbers better! Can’t wait to try it!
I was not able to download the number of the day poster.
Thans Elyse. It’s great.
I love this! thank you so much for sharing it. I didn’t see the 1 page for the students to write in on their own included in the download, though. Is there a place I can find it? (the one with the circle in the middle for the number & then the 4 squares)
Hi Celeste. You can grab the FREE student number of the day page on TpT here – https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Number-of-the-Day-1119421
Hi Celeste. You can grab the FREE template on TpT here – https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Number-of-the-Day-1119421
Elyse
AMAZING! Thank you so much!