One thing math teachers learn is that it is important for children to be able to represent and visualize numbers in different ways. Last spring when I went to the conference for the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, I heard a lot about visualizing numbers in a variety of sessions, including one on Singapore math and ones presented by Marilyn Burns and others from Math Solutions. (For more about my thoughts on the NCTM conference see http://skyclassjoanmath.blogspot.com/2009/04/nctm-meeting-in-washington-dc.html and http://skyclassjoanmath.blogspot.com/2009/04/marilyn-burns-and-more.html )
Lisa Rogers from Math Solutions presented a session I enjoyed on developing number sense. One model she shared for visualizing numbers is using ten-frames. It's a model that helps students regroup numbers within our base 10 number system. I have done several mini-lessons with my math group using the overhead projector to introduce them to ten-frames. I have drawn ideas from Susan Scharton's book, Teaching Number Sense- Grade 2. The children have responded with enthusiasm and have been becoming more articulate in describing how they see and manipulate numbers with ten-frames.
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