Launch / Number Sense Routines

Estimating is a skill connected to Number Sense that students must spend time developing. Often when asked to estimate students try to find the exact answer first or give wild guesses. Like many concepts and ideas, in order to help grow student use of estimation they must have multiple opportunities to estimate as well as opportunities to figure out a referent and be able to edit and change their estimates based on new information. As students grow their abilities to estimate their number sense is also strengthened.

Tasks that focus on reasoning typically have more than one answer or MANY answers. Often the answer is dependent upon the individuals reasoning about why they arrived at their solution. The focus is on the individual to provide appropriate reasoning for their thinking - convincing others of their ideas or thoughts. Like most things, reasoning must be developed through multiple exposures over time.

Number Strings/Problem Strings are powerful learning opportunities for students. Strings help students discover patterns and relationships as well as engage with the properties of operations in a way that helps them to understand the properties (even if they can’t name them). 

Typically strings start with an easier problem and build towards harder problems. In Number Talks these strings are done mentally. In Number Strings or Problem Strings students often are recording their thinking in a math journal. Mixing both types of strings throughout your instruction will help students become well rounded in their calculation skills. Discussing strategies for solving strings is a great way to expose students to different ways of thinking and sometimes new models for recording thinking.

Looking for additional resources to learn more about types of number sense routines? Check out this document to see a list of curated resources from ALN and other online resources to learn more about different number sense routines as you get started implementing Launch.