Tag Archives: Active numeracy

Primary 3 Amazing Algebra and Magical Mathematicians

Today we learned about and applied algebra outdoors! Algebra is used in Maths when we do not know the exact numbers in a calculation. In algebra we usually use letters to represent unknown values or values that can change. Today, however, we used natural materials from the playground to represent numbers in a calculation. Once we worked out the values of our objects we used them in calculations with a new object where the value was unknown. We then had to work out the value of the new object and stretch the brains of our friends by challenging them to crack the code!

Primary 3 numeracy in Action


Now its time to build on last term’s numeracy work of place value and partitioning number! We are using the giant Numicon shapes to represent numbers with 2 digits and then adding our ones and then tens to find a total. We know that the position of a digit is really important and applying this knowledge and explaining what we are doing to others helps us achieve accuracy. Doing this in a group means that others can jump in where they think they can make a change. It really helps us understand the concept when we can move, talk and write. Some of us have been using the Numicon rods and a number line to help with our addition to 20.

It may have been chilly on Friday but we still went outside to do our numeracy. We did our exercises while practising our counting forwards and backwards in 10s from any given number, we used the 100 square in ‘difference between’ calculations and we took a partner for a number walk and talk. All these activities improve our muscle memory as well as being fun.