“The ability to describe, use, and visualize the effects of putting together and taking apart shapes is important because the creating, composing, and decomposing units and higher-order units are fundamental to mathematics.
Further, there is transfer: Composition of shapes supports children’s ability to compose and decompose numbers”
Clements and Sarama
THE ABILITY TO COMPOSE AND DECOMPOSE NUMBERS, ANY NUMBERS, FORMS THE FOUNDATION FOR NUMBER SENSE.
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Thinking101 is home to B.E.R.C.S. Cards and Tasks
View and purchase BERCS materials https://thinking101.myshopify.com/
In a Thinking101 classroom, the teacher focuses on student thinking, reasoning & fact recall through discussion, debate, DELIBERATE TEACHING.
In a Thinking 101 Classroom, the teacher knows that visual spatial models support learning that lasts. Students build recall of facts alongside their ability to think, to reason and to know when and how to apply known facts in order to solve new and novel problems. In a Thinking101 classroom, students know how to learn, how to explain what they are learning, how to approach and solve problems but more important how to PROVE their solution is correct.
The B.E.R.C.S. framework focuses teachers and learners on developing basic knowledge and basic thinking skills. Reasoning with core relationships between numbers is just as important as recalling core facts. Students must master both.
Geri , Your materials that connect the imagery of Area models to multiplication and beyond are awesome – And so perfect for setting up the work for Junior- Senior High. Incredible alignment. This is all streamlined so beautifully. Love the flexible thinking this encourages – demands! – and the common sense approaches it develops. James Tanton, PhD
