Number of the Day with a Twist

Number of the Day routines come in all forms and can be used across all grade levels. They’re a powerful way for students to explore numbers and develop number sense. This particular routine comes from a 2nd grade classroom where students were working with three-digit numbers within 120.

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Each day, students were given a number of the day—for example, 104. Working with a partner, they created a number sentence that equaled 104. The task is naturally self-differentiating, since students generate equations that reflect their own levels of understanding and confidence.

During the whole-class discussion, pairs of students shared their number sentences while the teacher recorded them for everyone to see—under a document camera or on an interactive whiteboard. Finally, one pair used the 120 chart to trace the path of their number sentence, landing on 104 to prove their equation was correct.

Routines like this encourage mental math, flexible thinking, and rich math conversations that deepen understanding of number relationships.

Grab your free 120 chart printables inspired by this routine for additional practice with number patterns!