Maths stuff for year one

[expansivegirth]

Hello, I want to help my child at home with maths. Helping him with English was easy - I just bought a load of books and worked through them until he could read. But maths - what is the best place to start? Is there a scheme? Is there a really good, fun workbook for year ones to work through so we can cover the curriculum at home (puzzles and maths games go down well in our house). I don't want to do any online games on the computer. The school say play games with dice, do change etc, but I'd also like to know what goals we're working towards and have a coherent outline of the curriculum. ta.

Why don't you want to do online games? There are lots of really good ones to choose from. I like www.ictgames.com/resources.html as a starting point (never yet found a year group that does not like Bingo as a warm-up!)

www.mathsphere.co.uk/resources/MathSphereFreeResourcesBoardgames.htm has games for you to print & play - boards & cards, etc.

nrich.maths.org/primary-lower is a great place to look for more open-ended ideas of maths to play with and investigate.

If you want an outline of the curriculum, then best to ask the teacher for the topics they are covering. If they suggest dice games & change then that's what they think will be the most useful.

I would like to know what it is exactly they are expected to do at the end of the year. The class teacher is cagey about what it is exactly they are doing in terms of topics. This doesn't matter so much in literacy as you already know that the end point is being able to read and comprehend what you read. Is there a series of maths book which are the equivalent of literacy books. e.g. start from the basics and work up in the way that jolly phonics does?
Don't use computers or TV at home with the kids that's all (I use my computer obviously).

Thanks for resources though Ecolady

Have you tried www.theschoolrun.com website?

just to say ecolady. looked at your first link and it's really helpful. ta!

Hi expansivegirth:

I can think of two resources that help to explain what should be covered in a given school year:

Cumbria grid for learning has a printable yearly overview of what should be covered in numeracy (maths) - just click the appropriate year:

link here: numeracy.cumbriagridforlearning.org.uk/index.php?category_id=185

The Campaign for Real Education also presents a curriculum in 'parent speak' which is a bit easier to read through and quickly grasp what could be covered in an ideal world. Link here: www.cre.org.uk/primary_contents.html - just click maths curriculum.

Now with the Campaign for Real Education document you must absorb that this is 'ideal world' stuff and most likely your own school won't be working to this level. However, I think it is useful in outlining what is possible at a given age.

HTH

Have a look at the Sunday times today - there's a site called EdPlace that are offering a 50% discount to Times reader - all you need to do is enter the code STHALFPRICE .
www.edplace.com/sunday-times

Maths for Mums and Dads

THanks so much for this. Much appreciated.