General Information
Subject Area: Mathematics (B.E.S.T.)
Grade: K
Strand: Number Sense and Operations
Date Adopted or Revised: 08/20
Status: State Board Approved
Benchmark Instructional Guide
Connecting Benchmarks/Horizontal Alignment
Terms from the K-12 Glossary
- Equal Sign
- Number Line
Vertical Alignment
Previous Benchmarks
Next Benchmarks
Purpose and Instructional Strategies
The purpose of this benchmark is to build on knowledge from comparing in MA.K.NSO.1.4 and to introduce the number line. This benchmark will deepen student understanding of the relationship between numbers, as well as provide the foundation for the number line as a strategy for operations later on.- Instruction includes varied orientations and ranges of the number line.
- For example, given number lines can be horizontal, vertical, starting at 0, starting at another number, include blanks or an open number line (MTR.5.1).
- Instruction includes making a connection to measurement when comparing numbers on a number line, which will help prepare students for using rulers in later grades.
Common Misconceptions or Errors
- Students may assume that all number lines start at 0 or 1.
- When looking at number lines with tick marks, students may number the spaces between the tick marks instead of the tick marks.
Strategies to Support Tiered Instruction
- Instruction includes completing a number line by plotting number cards. Students will benefit from experiences in which large number cards are used and placed on the floor so that students construct relationships about numbers and how far away or close they are to other numbers.
- Scaffolds for a number line with missing values can include providing the student with a completed number line to reference.
- Instruction focuses on building language for thinking about numbers and describing the location on the number line.
- For example, questions or statements that can be shared to elicit student thinking about numbers and their positions are:
- “Can you find the number 12?”
- “Where is 10? How far away is it to 12? How do you know?”
- “Is 11 greater than, or less than 13? How do you know?”
- “Here is the number 12. It comes before 13 and after 11.”
- “Ten is two away from 12.”
- “Eleven is less than 13 because it is two less than 13.”
- For example, questions or statements that can be shared to elicit student thinking about numbers and their positions are:
Instructional Tasks
Instructional Task 1
In a small group, provide students with number lines and objects to count, like paperclips or bears. Ask students to represent two numbers, such as 7 and 9, using objects organized over the number line. Ask students which number is greater? How do they know? Allow students to share strategies and thinking with the group. Students should begin to understand that if there is more of one object, the count will extend further to the right.
Instructional Task 2
Provide students a number line to answer the questions below.- Part A. What’s the third number following 6?
- Part B. What’s the fifth number before 14?
Instructional Items
Instructional Item 1
Find 12 and 15 on the number line. Show how you know.
Instructional Item 2
Use a number line to show your thinking. Is 19 more than 17? Why or why not?
Instructional Item 3
What numbers are missing from the number line?