Summary
Are you looking for alternatives to using worksheets on comparing numbers? Using hands-on materials is a great way to introduce comparing numbers to students. Using vocabulary to describe the situation and comparison symbols move students from concrete to abstract representations of comparing numbers. Here is a breakdown of the standard and easy ideas to use with students to help develop their number sense.
Are you looking for alternatives to using worksheets on comparing numbers? Using hands-on materials is a great way to introduce comparing numbers to students. Using vocabulary to describe the situation and comparison symbols moves students from concrete to abstract representations of comparing numbers. Here is a breakdown of the standard and easy ideas to use with students to help develop their number sense.
Get this Freebie of 71 Math Number Puzzles delivered to your inbox to use with your students. Providing opportunities to do math puzzles daily is one way to help students develop their number sense and make math fun.
Students who feel successful in math class are happier and more engaged in learning. Check out The Bonus Guide for Creating a Growth Mindset Classroom and Students Who Love Math for ideas, lessons, and mindset surveys for students to use in your classroom to cultivate a growth mindset in mathematics. You can also sign up for other freebies from me Here at Easternshoremathteacher.com.
Young students need many opportunities to compare objects. Students begin practicing these skills early on and gradually move from comparing objects to using numerals. I love using real objects, but sometimes it takes too much time to set them out, and students have difficulty seeing them. That’s when I started to use images on my interactive whiteboard, so all students could see the images and compare them. It also made it easier to compare seasonal objects without buying a lot of different counters. Students still had objects to count to practice the skill and improve their number sense without me spending a lot of time pulling out objects to compare.
What Does Compare Numbers Mean?
To compare means to look at the difference between numbers, quantities, or values to decide if it is greater than, less than, or equal to another quantity.
Compare Numbers Definition
Students start by comparing concrete objects and move to compare numbers. First, students use vocabulary such as greater than, less than, more than, fewer than, and equal to. Then, begin to use the comparison symbols.
Examples of Comparing Numbers
- 5 is greater than 3 (5 >3)
- 10 is less than 11 (10< 11)
- 10 is equal to 10. (10=10)
How to Teach Comparing Numbers to Kindergarten?
Comparing Numbers in Kindergarten
K.CC.C.6 Identify whether the number of objects in one group is greater than, less than, or equal to the number of objects in another group. Use matching and counting strategies with groups with up to 10 objects.
K.CC.7 Compare two numbers between 1 and 10 presented as written numerals.
Alternatives to Comparing Numbers Worksheets for Kindergarten
- Provide groups of objects for students to compare quantities to determine which has more and which has less.
- Make the two groups very obvious, so counting isn’t needed to determine which has more. The goal is to develop appropriate vocabulary, including greater than and less than.
- For example, show students a large bag of counters and a small bag of counters. Develop the concept and language of more and less. “The big bag has more than the little bag.” “The little bag has less than the big bag.”
- Show two bags that are the same size and introduce the idea of equal using the language of same as.
- Have students place numeral cards for each set next to the items and describe the comparison.
Comparing Numbers Strategies
- Matching- line up the items in each set using one-to-one correspondence. Which has set has more? Which set has less? How do you know?
- Observation- Students state that there are more or less based on what they “see.” This one can be difficult to explain how they know.
- Take away- Take away one item from each pile until all the items are gone. Then ask, which pile had more or less? How do you know?
- Compare & Count- Students count the number in each group and compare the counts.
More or Less Kindergarten Activities
- Compare the number of items in two sets of objects and determine which has more and less.
- Once students recognize sets that are greater than or less than, give them situations in which they identify how much more than or how much less than one set is compared to another set. Keep the difference between 1, 2, or 3 items.
- Provide situations where students identify equivalent sets. Use the words same as or equal to.
- Given two sets of concrete materials, students label each set with the appropriate numeral.
- Click to Grab the Compare Numbers Anchor Charts & Mats
Comparing Bridge: After sorting students into two lines, have students put their arms up so that their hands touch the student’s hands across from them. Ask, Is there anyone without a friend from the other line? This will show which line has more or less. The activity can also be done with students sitting in two lines facing each other and putting their shoes together.
Match up: Place two sets of counters or objects on the table. Then, make two lines of the objects with the objects matching up. Which line is longer?
The result is to have students develop the vocabulary of greater than (more than) and less than (fewer than) to compare the number of items in two sets. Next, students use various strategies that make sense to compare things in two groups and explain their reasoning. Eventually, students will identify how many more and how many fewer items one set has than another. In addition, recognize two sets with the same number of objects using the “same as” description.
1st Grade Comparing Numbers
1.NBT.B.3 Compare two two-digit numbers based on meanings of the tens and one’s digits, recording the results of comparison with the symbols >, <, =.
Alternatives to a Worksheet Comparing Numbers
- To make comparisons provide students with various concrete materials and place value charts for representing two two-digit numbers. Orally say the numbers as well as present the written numerals.
- Ask questions: “Which is greater?” Which has more? Which is less? Or Which has fewer? Have students explain their thinking.
- After concrete and pictorial representations of the numbers, ask students to compare two two-digit numbers written as numerals.
- Introduce the symbols for the relationships. (<,>,=)
- Use place value charts, ten frames (Ten Frames Free Printable), hundred charts, and number lines to compare two two-digit numbers.
- Comparing Numbers Anchor Charts & Mats– Freebie
Compare Numbers Greater than Less than
- Use concrete materials to compare two two-digit numbers.
- Describe the comparison using vocabulary: greater than, more than, less than, fewer than, equal to, same as.
- Justify their reasoning and explain their thinking.
- Compare two two-digit numbers written as numerals.
- Use the Comparison symbols (<,>,=)
Comparing 2 Numbers
Students will compare two numbers by determining the number of tens and the number of ones in each number. After experiences with comparing using concrete materials, students can begin to use the hundred chart and number lines. They start to see that the number with the most tens is greater. If the number of tens is the same, the number with more ones is greater. Using comparative languages such as greater than, more than, less than, fewer than, equal to, and same as is essential. Once students are comfortable using appropriate vocabulary, the mathematical symbols can be introduced (<,>,=).
2nd grade comparing numbers
2.NBT.A.4 Compare two three-digit numbers based on meanings of the hundreds, tens, one’s digits, using >,<,= symbols to record the results of comparisons.
Once students show an understanding of place value through hundreds, they begin to compare two 3-digit numbers by determining the number of hundreds in each number. Begin with concrete representations, place value charts, and then use number lines. Use the same progression for comparing numbers as in first grade; however, now go into 3-digit numbers.
Songs & Games for Comparing Numbers
Compare Numbers Activity
- Ten Frames Free Printable
- More & Less Activities
- Comparing Numbers
- Comparing Numbers Anchor Charts & Mats
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- Math is Fun- Comparing Numbers
Alternatives to a Worksheet Comparing Numbers
Strong number sense helps build a foundation for mathematical understanding. Focusing on number sense in the younger grades helps build the foundation necessary to compute and solve more complex problems in older grades. When students feel successful in math class, they are happier and more engaged in learning.
Sign up on my webpage to get this Freebie of 71 Math Number Puzzles delivered to your inbox to use with your students. Also, check out my website Here at Easternshoremathteacher.com to sign up for other freebies delivered to your inbox.
Using these ideas to compare numbers helps develop students’ number sense and the foundation for more advanced math. In addition, finding easy and fun alternatives to worksheets on comparing numbers keeps students engaged and saves you time at the copy machine.
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