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Use a Vertical Number Line

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Mathematics Elementary School Strategy

Skills

Abstract Reasoning

Use a Vertical Number Line

If your student is struggling with place value or fractions

Teach It!

  1. Objective: Use a vertical number line rather than a horizontal one to determine if a student has an easier time visualizing the concepts.
  2. Teacher Takeaways: a) Simply create number lines using a vertical line instead of a horizontal line. For some students, the concept of going up for bigger and down for smaller is more intuitive than thinking of it in left to right terms.

Why It Works (the Science Of Learning)!

Recognize that understanding fractions is often the most challenging concept for elementary school students. Number lines are a central representational tool in teaching concepts around fractions and rounding from early grades onward. Most number lines are represented horizontally though most students visualize quantity high to low. Simply changing the orientation can improve some students' understanding.