What's happening in math workshop?

We are building number sense every day in math and often times our work does not look like our neighbor's but we have the same end goal.  Students are strategically placed in math groups and given direct instruction on specific skills to help move them along as a mathematician.  Currently we are working on the strategy of counting on when combing numbers (4+5=  ) Say the larger number, 5, count on 4 more (6, 7, 8, 9) to find the answer.  Students can use their hands, number lines, manipulatives, etc. to help them with this skill.  We are also working on recalling what we just know, I roll a dot cube, I see three dots, I say three.  There is not any reason to count them if I know the dot cube has three dots on it.  We are helping students become more efficient with their emergent skills and guiding them to apply those basic skills to solve problems.  

Will students make mistakes in these exercises? Absolutely and I hope that they do, these are amazing opportunities for conversations about their thinking and opportunities for the students to problem solve.  Often times, the peer conversation is more powerful than the teacher to student conversation.  Peers love to teach, support and problem solve with their classmates.  

Here a student uses a number line to help solve the addition problems.  Students write the
equation under the picture and practice the skill of counting on to find the sum.

This student is practicing writing equations to match the dominoes.  Students
finish a row and check in with a neighbor to check their thinking.

Student are also practicing writing their numbers by filling out the hundred's chart,
the patterns they are noticing and connections they are making are amazing as they talk to their
peers.  This is also good practice for students to write their numbers the correct direction.