My elementary school has approximately 400 students. There is a high percentage of students who receive free/reduced lunch at 90%. In my fifth grade classroom, I have 8/24 students who are on an I.E.P. There is a strong need for instruction in math and the ability for number sense. After reviewing my students’ NWEA MAP assessment scores, I made the observation that all of my students were struggling in the area of number sense. Specifically, students struggle with basic math facts and place value.

   

 The MAP assessment allowed me to see where my students were struggling. I had 11 out of 24 students who scored in the low category for numbers on the MAP test. Six of my 24 students performed in the low average category. Forty percent of my students did not pass the NeSA in fourth grade. My students are not able to retain the basic number sense skills that they need to grow in math. Math builds and without the ability to retain these important skills, they are at risk of getting even farther behind. I notice my students counting on their fingers for basic addition and subtraction problems. They often times need to use a multiplication and division chart to solve basic operations. My students also struggle with place value and determining which numbers are bigger than others.

 

 Developing these skills in my students is important because math is a content area in which the curriculum is constantly building. If my students do not know basic number sense skills, they are at risk for falling behind in school. Number sense is something that as an adult they will use in their everyday life. They need to know how to count back change, be able to estimate how much money they would spend at the grocery store, and budget monthly bills. Without basic number sense skills, they are at risk of failing as adults.