Let's Talk About One to Five

Prepare a child for success with addition and subtraction!

Let’s Talk About One To Five is the fifth book in a series that will provide parents, caregivers, and teachers with the tools needed to help a child develop counting skills and number relationships. Knowing number relationships will allow the child to use numbers fluently and flexibly in everyday situations. Scaffolded lessons are included for select chapters to assist children with new concepts they may struggle to learn.

The “Let’s Talk About …” series of electronic books provides repeated experiences to help children ages 3 and up develop numbers sense, making success with addition and subtraction much more likely. An emphasis will be placed on thinking about numbers without simply counting from one. Many of the problems in these lessons are unique. They challenge children to think.

Young children count to solve almost every question involving addition and subtraction. That is a natural way to solve those problems with small numbers, but counting does not always work as efficiently when the numbers are larger than five. Children who count to solve addition and subtraction problems in the primary grades have lower achievement.

If counting does not work well, what does? Research has clearly demonstrated that children who use efficient thinking strategies to develop number relationships beyond counting learn basic addition and subtraction facts more quickly.

Meaningful learning is always more effective than drill and practice. These lessons are designed to help children make sense, not just memorize facts. A focus on models and diagrams provides assistance and actions on those models help children learn new ways of thinking.

The lessons in this “Let’s Talk About ...” series are designed for daily use. By spending a few minutes each day, children will gain the experiences they need to understand and remember these important concepts.