Hello everyone, we hope you are enjoying the nice weather and you are working hard with your home learning.

We are continuing to investigate and practise our number recognition, counting (forwards and backwards), addition and subtraction.

Some pupils are still reversing their numbers when writing them out. It is important to get the numbers 0-9 facing the correct direction.

Here is a short video link for right-handers to form numbers correctly. For left-handers, it suggests making a cut out of your left hand to draw round.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66ujzrRg70s

The focus is to get the numbers facing the correct way so it becomes instinctive, then to work on size.

For double digits, it is all about putting the digits in the correct order. From twenty onwards, it is highlighting how they say the number to get the right order: twenty…one, thirty…four etc. This lets them hear the corresponding first and second digit.

Addition and subtraction is all about building confidence with number bonds. Use counters in two different colours to highlight the number bonds. Do not worry if you do not have counters, any household object can be used, as long as there is an easily recognisable difference (apples and oranges, different coloured pencils, action figures etc.)

Start with all objects the same and write the corresponding equation.

Then replace one with the alternative and write the new equation underneath.

Continue doing this until you have replaced all of the original items with the alternatives.

If all the equations have been written out, ask if they notice any pattern with the sums (first column reducing, second column increasing). It is also important to point out that the inverse equations are different, even though they use the same numbers and have the same answer (5+1, 1+5). This is also a good opportunity to have instant sight recognition of amounts. Start with a lower number and build up the number bonds.

You can also turn this into an active game. Make two areas at opposite ends of a room/garden and write adding sums onto strips of cards. When you shout out a sum, the other person has to run and put the right amount of items in the correct area one at a time. When they have made the sum, they shout out the answer!

When adding larger numbers, remember to count on from the larger number. To begin with, always use an equation with the larger number first (e.g. 12 + 4). Use fingers if necessary to count on from the original number.

Alternatively, you can draw a number line and use that to count on. If you have a tape measure or a ruler which can also be used. Start at the specified number and do the right number of steps to get to the answer. Build up confidence. Start by adding small amounts, then larger numbers up to 10. If they are managing, see how they cope with bigger amounts- remember to extend that number line!

For subtraction, we are still focussing on removing amounts to achieve an answer. Continue to write out sums, and then score out/remove the amount you are taking away. This emphasises the reduction in the number, that that answer is less than the original amount.

Again, as the numbers get larger to take away, you may find a number line is easier to use. Mark off the start point and make single steps backwards to the answer. It is important to highlight that you place your finger on the starting number before you begin subtracting.

Below are some worksheets if you need some inspiration!

number line addition

number line subtraction

Number-Bonds-to-10

Number-Bonds-to-20

Enjoy maths!

To continue from our robot reading, we will be doing some outer space maths!

So, get in your space rocket and blast off!

Every space mission starts with a countdown to ignition, so what number are you going to count down from? 10? 20? 30? 100?

If you have tried counting down in ones, try in twos, or tens.

Try starting from a number like 24, or 56, or 87.

If you are counting backwards in twos or tens, how does starting at an odd number affect how you count? It is trickier but give it a go!

If it is nice weather outside, you could draw your own number line and then do space jump counting backwards! “It’s one small (number) step for man…!”

Here is a game from Topmarks that can help with finding the number between and also counting backwards/subtraction

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/learning-to-count/blast-off

It is always important to practise the number before, between and after.

Addition

Above is a table that gives a value to each letter of the alphabet. Can you add together the letters to see what each planet in our solar system is worth?

For example the Moon is m=3, o=5, o=5, n=4.

Add together in parts- 3 +5 = 8. 8 +5 = 13. 13 + 4 = 17. So altogether 3+5+5+4= 17.

Can you do the same for the Sun, Venus, Mercury, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune?

Can you think of any other space themed items to do more adding? Spaceman? Asteroid? Star? Millennium Falcon?

Also attached are some space themed worksheets for you to either print off or copy down.

RobotSubtractionworksheet

Robot dot to dot

Robot One more One less

Primary 1 revision week

Hello Primary 1! We are now into May and we hope that everyone is keeping well, working hard and playing lots.

Usually on a week with holidays and in-service days, Primary 1 has a revision week: a chance to recap on what we have been learning and make sure we understand and can demonstrate our new knowledge.

Here is a recap of what we have been doing and you can scroll back for further info and details!

Numeracy: 

Addition and subtraction.  Start by adding one or two to a number then move onto larger numbers. Remember to count on from the original number. Subtracting one or two and then taking away bigger numbers. Use pictures to score out to give a visual guide of how many is left. You can also use a number line to step count to the answer.

Counting and place value. Working on missing numbers in a line helps to teach about place value. Use what the terms before, after and between to help with ordering and sequencing.

Maths:

We have been exploring money and currency in maths. Continue to identify different coins and their values so that you are accustomed to them by sight.

Investigate various ways to add coins together to make 10p, 20p or 50p. What is the fewest coins you can use? Can you do it using only silver coins?

Can you also make pictures by drawing around coins to make different objects, then totalling the amount?

Have you also had the opportunity to make your own bottle piggy bank?

Reading:

Practise all your key words. See if you can identify these using flash cards, or try to use them correctly in sentences.

Use your phoneme awareness to try to list how many words you can make that end in

at, ap, an, et, eg, in, on, ip, up, ut  etc.

Can you write each word and draw a matching picture?

Also remember your ‘black tunnel’ sounds for the middle of words, not just a, e, i, o, u but also ee, oo, ai, oa and igh that we have learned. What happens when you substitute a different sound in the middle of a word (e.g. Pat becomes pet, which then becomes pit, which then becomes pot).

What books have you enjoyed reading and what book will you read next?

You can log on to Oxford Owl for book resources. There are different texts to read, both fiction and non-fiction.

https://home.oxfordowl.co.uk/

Writing:

Continue to practise your letter formation to ensure they are facing the correct direction and appropriate size. Always remember to write from left to right and to begin a new line underneath when you have ran out of space.

We have recently been writing about who you are proud of and why. Work on your capital letters, finger spaces and full stops. Perhaps using adjectives to describe an object.  Sound out your words and try to use some of your common words too.

You may have done something during this time that made you feel proud.  Maybe you have learned to ride your bike, tie your laces, count to a higher number or something else that’s made you feel great about yourself.

Another activity would be to write about what might happen next in a story or television show or take a character or a magical adventure.

Other numeracy and literacy activities are available on the following sites

https://www.sumdog.com/

https://www.educationcity.com/

https://idlsgroup.com/

Children received their own unique user name and password. All the P1 teachers upload activities to these.

Art:

As the weather is getting warmer, you may want to do more activities outside.

Transient art allows you to create wonderful artworks using materials that you find and without needing to stick them down. You could use natural materials or items that you find around the house. Maybe you will make something representational like an animal or a landscape picture, or maybe you will make a pattern!

Alternatively, you can also use items from your recycle bin into fun objects. Can you make a vehicle, a castle, a character from a story using cardboard boxes, plastic bottles and toilet roll tubes?

We hope you are continuing to both work hard and relax during this time. We have seen some wonderful work that you have shared on Twitter and are so glad that you have engaged with your learning at home.

Continue to do your adding and subtraction at home. Attached are some more worksheets for you to use and adapt. Though these are one form of resource, these could inspire you to use physical objects to help with learning.

I like to use fruit (especially grapes) as afterwards I can make a fruit salad. It also helps with food technology on the importance of preparation and safety in the kitchen.

Get the children to use the operating symbols (+, -, =) and use them in the correct place. Check that they know what each symbol is for and where to place it correctly in an equation.

Using fruit also gives a real experience of introducing and understanding equal groups and fractions.

If you have a certain amount of objects, can you put these into equal groups so the same amount is in each group?

I have used grapes to demonstrate. If I have six, can I share equally into two groups? I do this by place one item at a time into each group so they have the same amount until I have moved them all. This will show that to share equally into matching groups, you need to have an equal amount. Get the child to count each group to make sure they have equal amounts in the two groups.

You can then go on to do this by sharing equally into larger groups.

In addition, making mistakes, having amounts that do not equal, is also important. Use an odd amount to begin with and follow the same routine by putting items individually into groups to show that they cannot be equal. (This can help reinforce odd and even numbers)

Initially for fractions, we would explore- whole, half and quarter. In class, we would be asking them to explain what they notice when you have an object. Does it stay the same size? How many pieces/groups did you make? What happens if I half a half? Are they equal?

Cutting the object helps to show how a whole becomes a fraction. Comparing a half apple to a whole apple displays how the object reduces in size. It is also important to highlight the numbers used. 2 halves make 1 whole, or 4 quarters make 1 whole. You have to make the distinction, for example, that 2 halves are not the same as 2 whole objects.

Go and be creative, use fruit, sticks, straws, Lego, pieces of paper, whatever you like. Share your learning with your teacher on Twitter!

EL23 Adding counting mixed up facts

EL23 Adding counting on

EL23 Adding ways to make

NUmber patterns finish the sequence

subtraction within 10

Hello! It has been a different April to previous years, but we are eager to hear what activities you have been up to.

We would love if you could share some writing with us. Maybe you saw a new movie, Maybe you camped out in your living room. Maybe you baked a cake and decorated it with icing? Let us know. Why don’t you also write instructions for a friend on how to do an activity?

Home Learning Numeracy Grid

Here is the Numeracy home learning grid with some ideas for activities for the next 2 weeks. To reinforce previous learning, the four subheadings are addition, subtraction, number formation and counting.

Below are some additional work sheets to do and inspire. If you go on to create your own based on these, remember to both reinforce to build confidence and then create challenge to push them on a little.

addition match to add

addition odd one out

doubles identify yes or no

subtraction join to match the facts

subtraction take away 2

Keep using physical materials and pictures to assist with adding and taking away as well as writing out the equations.

In class, we were doing screening and counting on.

Put two amounts in two containers. Tell child how many are in each container.

Then, cover up one container so they cannot see the objects. Ask the child how many there  were covered. Then ask them how many there are altogether.

Try to encourage the child to count on from the screened objects, rather than starting from 1. (There were 6, so 6- 7, 8, 9, 10, rather than there were 6 so 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10).  Uncover and get them to check if they are correct.

Do this with varying numbers, starting small. If they are able to remember the screened amount, try it by screening both sides.

If they need to use fingers to help with the addition, still encourage them to count on.

Week 1 completed and you are all doing amazingly well! Keep your teacher up to date with your learning by messaging or tweeting them with your learning and what you’ve been doing. It may also inspire your friends to try something similar!

Numeracy grid for Home learning Wk1

If you click the above link, it provides the Primary 1 Numeracy grid that was sent home in your learning packs. This week, the challenge is to complete the addition and subtraction activities that involve using a dice.

In Primary one, we use the CPA model for maths. CPA stands for concrete, pictorial and abstract.

Concrete materials are physical objects  that children can move; blocks, toys, counters etc.

Pictorial is pictures that the children can use to visualise a question (either representative pictures or shapes/dots)

Abstract is the written sum  using numbers and symbols (e.g. 3 + 2 = 5).

Children should be able to use these different resources to  help with their counting, addition and subtraction so they gain  confidence when using numbers. Sometimes when a sum is written done, children are using materials or pictures to help them get an answer, this should be encouraged!

For addition.

Roll a dice and collect the correct amount of objects. Roll the dice again and collect that amount too. How many objects do you have altogether?  Can you correctly write down the sum using the numbers and symbols?

Do this another 5 times. If you are feeling confident, perhaps roll two dices together to create bigger numbers to add.

Now, try this again, but instead of collecting objects, draw shapes to represent the amount instead. Once you have drawn your two amounts, draw how many you have altogether.  Again write down the sum using numbers and symbols. Do this another 5 times.

For subtraction.

Roll a dice and collect the correct amount of objects, counting them out in front of you to confirm. Start by physically taking away one item. If you take away one, how many are left?

Do this several times taking away different amounts. Then roll the dice again and try it with a different amount.

Now roll the dice and draw that amount as dots, circles, stars (or anything else you fancy. Now when you are going to take away an amount this time, draw an X through the subtracted amount of pictures. How many have you got left? Can you write the sum that matches it?

Repeat this with different initial amounts and how many you subtract.

Are there any specific items that you like to use when you are adding or subtracting? Can you do your maths with food when you have a snack? Can you add up all the toys in different parts of your house? What other ways can you show your teacher your adding and subtracting methods?

Remember, let each child use whatever materials and resource they feel comfortable with to help build confidence and understanding of addition and subtraction.