One of our mathematics sessions this week led to a fascinating investigation into our number system. Children were exploring ways in which two and three digit numbers could be represented. For example they created numbers using place value materials, drew them, expanded them, and recorded them in digits and words. When we were having trouble recording numbers in written form, one child remarked "English counting doesn't make sense".
This sparked a great conversation as we looked deeper into where the confusions lay. They decided the teens numbers were where things got confusing because the English words changed and there weren't logical patterns. One creative thinker decided that our counting would make more sense if it followed the pattern;
"ten, ten one, ten two, ten three, ten four"
another commented that this wasn't needed because you could keep the teen but make it "oneteen, twoteen, threeteen..." because the rest of the teens numbers did that.
This then promoted questioning as why the tens numbers were the way they are.
"So if the 'ty' is used in tens numbers like and sixty, seventy, it should be twoty, threety, and fivety!" commented one child. Another questioned "what happened to the 'u' in forty?"
After a great discussion I asked if it was easier to count in their home languages. Many students responded that it was, and children who wanted to record themselves counting in their home or second language were given the opportunity. What a diverse and creative thinking group of learners!
No comments:
Post a Comment