Number Talks - The First Lesson

Below you will find a quick write up of how I introduce number talks to my students.

Number Talks - Day 1

Goal/objective:  Students will understand the basic routine and brainstorm ways to respond to each other.  

Step 1 - Choose 2-3 sets of Number Talk problems to use throughout this lesson.  

I always begin with whole numbers (or dot pictures in PK and K) that are fairly easy for my kids (so that they meet success quickly) and then I ramp up the level of difficulty over the first 3-5 days (depending on the group of kids).  You really have to gauge it based on your students.  Every class, as you well know if you have been teaching for 2 or more years, can be vastly different in how they think and interact with each other from others (even at the same grade level).  If you have the Sherry Parrish book you will see that she divides it up by grade level.  In grade 3-5 the first lessons she has look really simple but, for kids who have not had number talks before, are a great place to start.  

Last year I used this number talk string on the first day in grade 3:

7 + 3

7 + 5 + 3

3 + 6 + 7

Step 1 - Optional - Video

You could choose to show your students a video of a number talk that is similar to what you will be doing before you begin. Then you could have your students reflect on what they see the other students doing and how they are interacting with each other. Some videos can be found in the Number Talks book by Sherry Parrish or on teachingchannel.org.

The Lesson

1.  I introduce the following before putting up the first problem (I only put up one problem at a time).

• Number Talks are a set of problems that we will solve mentally and share out so that we can learn different strategies and ways of thinking from each other.
• There are many different ways to solve a problem.
• I will write up one problem at a time and we will think quietly about how we would solve it and the solution.  When they know they have a way to solve it they should give me a “thumbs up” on their chest.  I explain that we don’t put our thumb in the air because it might block the view of others or distract them while they are thinking.  I will be able to see when they put their thumbs up on their chest.  
• Explain that we will share out more than one solution and that if someone share something that they also thought they can use the “me too” hand signal.  

2.   I write the first problem for all students to see.  I remind them to give me a thumbs up on their chest when they have a solution (not to raise their hands because it is distracting to students who are thinking).  When I have lots of students showing me the “thumbs up” signal I ask a student to share how they solved the problem.  Then I share out the discussion statements.  I explain that we will use these statements to help them learn to communicate and discuss in a kind way.  The statements I then share are these:

• I agree with (insert student name) because…
• I disagree with (insert student name) because…
• I did not understand (insert name or what you didn’t understand).  Could you explain it again?
• (insert name) how did you decide to…

3.  Next I tell students that I’m going to write the next problem on the board and that they might be able to use something we learned from the first problem to help them solve this problem.   Again I wait for students to give me that “thumbs up” signal on their chest.  I remind that them they should use the discussion statements to help them to respond to each others thinking.  I elicit several ways to solve the problems from the students and record the thinking.  

4.  I continue reinforcing the “thumbs up signal” and discussion strategies the first day with the remainder of the first sting of problems.  Then I tell them that we will do one more string that it a little harder but could utilize the same strategies that we have already shared.  

5.  I ask students, at the end of the time, to share out some things they learned about solving problems today AND some things they learned about how we can discuss our thinking with each other (to reinforce what we have learned).  

Number Talks - Getting the Math Mathematical "Bang for your Buck"

Number Talks have been around for many years but are gaining momentum again with Jo Boaler's book, Mathematical Mindsets and her Youcubed.org site and Facebook page.  This wonderful math routine is an easy way to begin to change the culture of mathematics and thinking in any PK-8 classroom.

Many teachers, who have not yet experienced the power of regular number talks are beginning to search out ways to incorporate this routine into their classrooms.  They are asking things like...."where do I begin?" and "how do I teach my kids to do number talks?".

In our county, Washington County, MD we purchased the original Sherry Parrish book, for every classroom teacher K-5 in our county.  The book comes with videos so you can see number talks in action.  Through the use of the book we began using (just trying them out really to see what would happen) them in our classrooms.  Personally I found that the most important thing is teaching children that this is a thinking conversation and that it is important for students to question each other about their thinking and reasoning (in a kind way) is vital to creating a great math mindset in your classroom.

What resources did I use to learn about Number Talks?

Number Talks by Sherry Parrish was the very first exposure I had to Number Talks.  It is comprehensive in introducing someone to this powerful routine.

Teachingchannel.org also has some good videos of Number Talks in action.


After the original Number Talk book had been out for several years, Sherry Parrish released the long awaited Fraction Number Talks book!  I could hardly wait to get my hands on this text.  We purchased, at the school level, a copy for each teacher in grade 3-5 and begin dipping into the text last year.  I hope to model more of these lessons this year in my new building!    This book also has links to videos to help teachers get started.

I also found the book Number Sense Routines:  Building Numerical Literacy Every Day in Grades K-3 by Jessica F. Shumway.  This book is also a great resource but I still think that the Sherry Parrish books are much more comprehensive.

I hope to be able to help you think about how you might "kick off" a year of Number Talks in your classroom here on this blog.  I will tell you that once you start Number Talks and get them up and running, it becomes fairly simple to plan them.

Number Talks - A Mental Exercise
I want to first make sure to explain that number talks are meant as a mental math exercise with thinking being recorded in a place where all students can see it.  This is sort of like a "shared reading" experience where the class class being able to "see the math thinking" is vital!  I am a number talks PURIST in that I believe kids need to being doing their thinking mentally and not on dry erase boards or paper.  We share the thinking they do in their heads on a common recording - chart paper, dry erase board, under the document camera, etc....  I really like capturing our thinking from day to do so we can refer back to it.  One year I had a reacher who used a composition book to do the class recordings and projected it under the document camera.  That way, each day they could "flip back" to thinking from prior days if they needed to.  It was also a great way to capture student thinking to reflect on as a teacher.

Number Talk - Location, Location, Location
Location, I believe, is important when setting up number talks.  I think kids need a "change of venue" for this routine.  Brain research says that you can active the brain by moving.  I like, even with big kids, to get them out of their seats and move them to a different location.  For me, ideally, it is a common carpet area.  This might dictate how you and your students record their thinking.  If you are on your carpet you may not be able to view your boards and will need a dry erase easel or chart paper in the area to capture their thinking.

Initial Number Talks Lesson Timing
Keep in mind that number talks are a routine that should be completed in a session of 10-15 minutes each time you do them.  I will tell you that when I am introducing them the first 3-5 lessons take longer than normal because I am teaching my students routines and setting the stage for great discussions.  I am upfront with my kids and tell them that once we get up and running we will only do these for 10-15 mins.  I have never had a class that did not LOVE number talks once we got them going but because of this the kids tend to want to spend a lot more than 10 minutes with them.  I often have to set a timer because it is easy for me to let these great conversations go and then miss out on the other great thinking activities we need to be doing in the rest of our math block.

In the Parrish book she has "sets" or strings of problems listed by strategy.   Keep in mind that these problems can be solved with many different strategies even if they are listed as one particular strategy.  But, if you use them for a while, you will see why she crafts the strings of the problems the way she does to build that particular strategy.   Once I am up and running I use one or two (depending on how fast they solve) strings of problems per day.  Here is a sample string I use early on in grade 5 if I am hoping to highlight the "friendly number" strategy:

19 + 2         This first string is very accessible to all students in that they can make 20 and 
19 + 5         then add on the remaining amount.  After we solve this string (and they do 
19 + 8         quickly) I amp up the level.
19 + 12

99 + 5         Here is a place I might go if they did well with the first set (in the same day).
99 + 15
99 + 26
99 + 51

In the first several lessons I set the stage for a year of number talks by facilitating lessons that help them learn these things:

• the purpose of number talks.
• how we grow our minds through thinking and discussing.
• how we "kindly" talk (student to student) and question our thinking.
• how we can utitlize the strategies we have learned to solve problems in multiple different ways.
• how they can share their thinking even if they haven't figured out the final answer in their head.

Stay tuned for initial lesson specifics in the coming days!