(Photo by Suzy Grindrod)
Used in Math Recovery programs, the number track (sometimes called a numeral track) is a concrete model of a number line that students can manipulate. Number tracks can be purchased commercially, but it is also a fairly simple matter to make your own out of oak tag and duct tape. The numbers can be grouped in fives or tens.
(Photo by Suzy Grindrod)
The Twenty Bead String privileges 5 (5 red, 5 white, 5 red, 5 white) to help students see relationships between numbers, to learn counting forward and back, to compose and decompose numbers within 20, and to learn counting on strategies.
Two-colored counters are flat discs that have contrasting colors on either side. They can be used for counting, probability games, adding and subtracting, composing and decomposing numbers.
Originally developed in the Netherlands, the Rekenrek is a great tool for helping students learn to subitize, to compose and decompose numbers, and later to solve simple story problems.
The ten frame is an enormously versatile tool that allows students to visualize numbers. For younger students, you can use just one row of the frame, making it a five frame. For higher numbers you can increase the number of frames that you use.