Number Busting

Here is our first instalment of Numeracy News.

Each fortnight keep your eyes open for information on how we teach numeracy in the school and on ways you can support your child at home.   

This week our focus is ‘Number Busting’.  Number busting is a warm up strategy that each class in the school uses three times a week.  Students are given a starting number and are then to partition this number as many ways as they can in a given time.  Number busting is a fantastic way of revising and reinforcing different skills, techniques and concepts that are learnt in class.  

In blue are some cues you might like to use if you want to try some number busting at home.

Can you make your number with counters? (buttons, beads, peas etc)

How can you split your number into two groups, three groups, four groups etc.

Can you make a ____ pattern (+10, +20, takeaway, double and halve?)

Can you put your number on a number line?

Can you write a word problem for your number?

Battleships - Learning on a number line

Here is a  new game we have invented at St Matt’s. This game helps players to visualise numbers on a number line.  Remember to keep playing maths games often to keep your numeracy skills in top shape!

BATTLESHIPS!

Mark out your playing field - we used a strip along the tables 150cm long. Younger students could use a shorter length based on the numbers they are familiar with.

Sit alongside your partner so you are both visualising 0-150 in the same orientation.  Remove any tape measures from the field of play.

Player 1 gives three target numbers. Player 2 has to use a counter to 'bomb' those ships by placing them where they believe the number would be. When all three bombs are placed the tape measure is brought back in to check. A direct hit is 5 points and a hit within 5cm each side of the number gets 2 points. The player with the most points at the end of time wins.

Make the game more challenging by playing with tenths. Mark out 1-15 (making each multiple of 10 equal 1) and the number between become the tenths!

Enjoy!

Friends of 10 apps

Friends of 10

‘Friends of Ten’ are whole number pairs that equal 10 (9+1  2+8  7=3  6+4  5+5)  These are an important set of number facts for students to understand and memorise. Here are some apps which can help practise ‘friends of ten’.