This week in math we used a number factory to work on addition and subtraction. Here is what the number factory looks like:
We started as a class with the number 20. We used digi blocks to help us visualize the amounts and to help us add and subtract. We shared the different ways we could figure out the amount. Some students were able to use their knowledge of numbers to solve it in their head. Other students needs a manipulative or object to solve it. A few students wanted to draw a picture. Usually I encourage this strategy but for larger numbers it is more common that a mistake is in the drawing not the counting. During centers students get to select a number to start the factory line.