Building Number Sense

Lesson Overview

This lesson is designed for Year 1 students in Australia and focuses on fostering number sense while meeting the Australian Curriculum outcome AC9M1N01: "Recognise, represent and order numbers to at least 120 using physical and virtual materials, numerals, number lines, and charts." Students will explore numbers in real-life contexts and use ICT tools to enhance their learning. The aim is to encourage deep understanding while providing opportunities for differentiated learning to challenge advanced students.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will:

• Recognise and represent numbers up to 120 using physical materials, numerals, and digital resources.
• Understand the concept of numerical order and practise placing numbers on a number line or chart.
• Develop problem-solving skills by exploring real-life applications of numbers.
• Engage in activities that promote higher-order thinking for students ready to explore deeper concepts.
• Demonstrate learning through a variety of responses (group discussions, hands-on practice, and digital outputs).

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Resources Needed

Physical Materials

• Individual number cards (1–120)
• A large class number chart grid (1–120)
• Mini whiteboards, markers, and erasers
• Linking cubes or counters (up to 120)

ICT Resource

• Interactive Number Line App or Website (make sure it’s accessible on tablets or the smartboard).
• Each student will have access to either a tablet (shared in pairs if devices are limited) or the classroom's interactive whiteboard.

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Lesson Structure (50 minutes)

1. Warm-Up Activity (5 minutes)

Goal: Energise students and activate prior knowledge.

• Show the class a mystery number card between 1-120 but keep it hidden.
• Provide clues using real-life contexts (e.g., "This is the number of candies in 8 packets if each packet has 10 candies," or "It's a number bigger than 70 but smaller than 80.").
• Students guess and explain their thinking. Highlight their reasoning for future activities.

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2. Whole-Class Mini-Lesson (10 minutes)

Goal: Connect number representation to ordering and number sense.

• Display the class number chart (1-120) and have a discussion:
  • Ask: "Where would you find 45 on this chart? What’s 10 more or 10 less than 45?”
• Use physical cubes or counters to build numbers up to 120 in groups of 10, connecting the idea of bundles to place value.
• Introduce the Interactive Number Line on the classroom smartboard. Demonstrate how it can be used to place numbers in order and identify patterns (e.g., count by 2s, 5s, 10s).

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3. Independent/Group Hands-On Activity (20 minutes)

Activity Stations Rotation (4 stations, 5 minutes each):

1. Number Chart Treasure:

   • Students use highlighters or place markers on a small copy of the number chart in response to challenges like, "Highlight all the numbers that are multiples of 5" or "Find the numbers where the ones digit is 3."

2. Building with Counters:

   • Students work in pairs to build a given number (e.g., 37 or 86) using linking cubes or counters. They then break it into groups of 10s and 1s and write it on their mini whiteboards.

3. Interactive Number Line ICT Station:

   • Use a number line app or tool to practice ordering and placing numbers. Challenges include dragging numbers to the correct position on the number line or identifying numbers after adding/subtracting.

4. Real-Life Number Stories:

   • Provide students with scenarios like, "If you are organising a birthday party for 25 kids, how many chairs will you need? Show your thinking." Encourage students to explain their answers using drawings or number sentences on whiteboards.

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4. Whole-Class Discussion and Reflection (10 minutes)

Goal: Consolidate learning and assess understanding.

• Bring students back together. Discuss challenges and patterns explored in the activity stations.
• Share insights from the ICT station: "What did you learn about ordering numbers on a number line?"
• Ask, "Who noticed a pattern in the numbers today?" (Encourage students to explain patterns like those in rows, columns, or skip counting.)

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5. Extension Task for Advanced Learners

Goal: Offer a challenge for advanced students.

• Pose this problem: "Imagine this number chart goes up to 200. Can you predict what will happen to the patterns when we add rows for 121–200? How will the numbers change?"

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Differentiation Strategies

1. For Struggling Students:

   • Provide additional visual aids (e.g., picture cues for bundles of 10s).
   • Work in smaller groups for guided support.
   • Simplify challenges (e.g., focusing only on numbers up to 50 and gradually building confidence).

2. For Advanced Students:

   • Include problem-solving scenarios that require mental arithmetic or creative solutions, such as exploring patterns in larger numbers or part-part-whole relationships.

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Assessment

1. Formative Assessment:

   • Observe student interactions during station activities to assess understanding of key concepts (e.g., can students correctly place numbers on a number line?).

2. Exit Ticket (Summative Check):

   • At the end of the lesson, hand students an exit ticket question such as:
     • "If 37 is on a number line, what number is 10 more? What number is 10 less? Show your thinking."
     • Students complete and hand in their response for review.

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Reflection on Lesson Improvements

This lesson addresses previous feedback by:

• Challenging advanced learners through extension tasks and higher-order thinking discussions.
• Reducing rote learning by engaging students in hands-on, inquiry-based activities.
• Improving assessment strategies with a concrete exit ticket process and observation notes for individual student tracking.

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Links to Australian Curriculum

This lesson directly supports AC9M1N01, which emphasises recognising, representing, and ordering numbers to at least 120. By incorporating real-life contexts, hands-on learning, and technology, the lesson encourages students to build a robust understanding of number sense suitable for Year 1.