Building Number Sense Through the Common Core

Build a lasting foundation for math proficiency right from the start

The "math" is on the wall: unless we can instill in our youngest mathematicians a solid understanding of number sense, they have little hope of mastering the more rigorous fractions and algebra that lie ahead. A key piece is identifying precisely where K-3 students are likely to struggle, then intervening with smart, targeted instruction. That′s where Witzel and Riccomini′s Building Number Sense Through the Common Core fits in.

Grounded in research-supported instruction with aligned assessments to ensure comprehension, this essential resource provides: 

• Teaching strategies that build number sense skills, including quantity and cardinality, numeral/number recognition, fact fluency, math language, and more
• Adaptations for students with specific needs, including English learners and students with disabilities, based on an RTI approach
• Guidance on measuring number sense through assessments and preparing students for standardized testing
• User-friendly charts, tables, and sample math problems for planning curriculum and lessons

Discover strategies that enable your students to develop a fundamental sense for numbers and create a lasting foundation for math proficiency!

"The authors describe how each common standard should be taught, which makes this a quick and immensely useful resource. I′ve already begun using the strategies with my fellow teachers."
―Deborah Gordon, Third-Grade Teacher
Madison School District, Phoenix, AZ

"This is an evidence based, accessible manual on how, why, and what to teach. Well written with effective examples and scenarios to illustrate key points, this book should be read by anyone interested in improving outcomes for children in mathematics."
―Annmarie Urso, Assistant Professor
State University of New York at Geneseo

Bradley S. Witzel, PhD, is an award-winning teacher and professor who works as an associate professor and education program coordinator at Winthrop University, the flagship education college for the state of South Carolina. As a classroom teacher, and before that as a paraeducator, he worked in multiple settings teaching mainly math and science to high-achieving students with disabilities. Dr. Witzel has written five books, including the best-selling Response to Intervention in Math through Corwin, as well as several dozen book chapters, research and practitioner articles, and training manuals. He has also produced six education videos and several hundred conference and workshop presentations. He is a selected member of the Governing Board of the Southeast Regional Educational Laboratory (REL), funded by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), and of the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) Accessibility and Accommodations work group. Dr. Witzel currently serves as the editor of Focus on Inclusive Education through the Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI) and recently served as a panelist on the IES practice guide Assisting Students Struggling with Mathematics and as an invited reviewer of the final report from the National Mathematics Advisory Panel. Most importantly, he is a father of two, husband of an educator, and son of two educators.

Paul J. Riccomini is an experienced classroom teacher, author, mathematician, and leading special education expert. Dr. Riccomini began his career as a dual-certified general education mathematics teacher of students with learning disabilities, emotional and behavioral disabilities, and gifted and talented students in Grades 7–12. He taught mathematics to both general and special education students in inclusive settings. He is coauthor of the best-selling Response to Intervention in Math (Corwin, 2009) book and is an associate professor of education at the Pennsylvania State University. His teaching experiences required him to have both strong content knowledge in mathematics and to develop and maintain strong collaborative relationships with both general and special educators. As a former middle and high school mathematics teacher, he knows firsthand the challenges faced by students who struggle in mathematics and recognizes the importance of early mathematics development. He hopes the writing of this book will assist teachers in their efforts to develop young mathematicians.

Dr. Riccomini provides professional development in schools across the nation. His dynamic presentations offer research-validated practices that focus on the development of improved instructional practices for all students. Dr. Riccomini’s written work includes numerous research and practitioner articles for students with and without learning disabilities, including one of the first books to address Response to Intervention in the area of mathematics. Additional publications he coauthored include three Tier 2 Interventions for the areas of fractions, integers, and simple equations.

Marla Larson Herlong, MEd, earned her bachelor of science in early childhood and her master of education in curriculum and instruction with a concentration in mathematics at Winthrop University in South Carolina. An experienced classroom teacher, she has taught a wide variety of students from kindergarten through second grade. A popular speaker, she has presented several workshops and conference sessions in the areas of math intervention strategies, integrating content, teaching math through problem solving, data-driven assessments, and increasing student engagement. She is currently working on deconstructing assessments and aligning curriculum maps for the Common Core State Standards. Marla was born and raised in California and currently resides in Aiken, South Carolina, with her husband and daughter.

, MEd, earned her bachelor of science in early childhood and her master of education in curriculum and instruction with a concentration in mathematics at Winthrop University in South Carolina. An experienced classroom teacher, she has taught a wide variety of students from kindergarten through second grade. A popular speaker, she has presented several workshops and conference sessions in the areas of math intervention strategies, integrating content, teaching math through problem solving, data-driven assessments, and increasing student engagement. She is currently working on deconstructing assessments and aligning curriculum maps for the Common Core State Standards. Marla was born and raised in California and currently resides in Aiken, South Carolina, with her husband and daughter.