year 2 must have maths resources

[conistonoldwoman]

Please tell me what you wouldn't be without in your classroom..above and beyond the obvious such as coins, shapes etc.

NUMICON! I've not had it before, but am using it for the first time with my class - and I find it great!

My dd's school use that. How much does it cost? What concepts does it help to teach?

I second Numicon. I think it's great. Number lines, number squares, multiplication grids, cubes... erm... whiteboard pens gold dust

DS2s teacher was raving about Numicon (mixed yr1/2 class) at our last parents' evening. In that particular case for visually demonstrating subtraction, but I think it could be used for other things too.

It's very good for...
*odd and even numbers,

*for adding (you can even weigh the pieces and when the scales are level, you have the right amount each side e.g. a 6 and a 5 on one side will level with a ten and a one).

*It can be good for subtraction - you lay out the number, then lay over the top the number you want to take away. The answer is the part that isn't covered.

*It can be useful for making symmetrical patterns.

*You can lay it out in order, then take away a piece and challenge the children to tell you (and give you the reasoning why) which piece is missing.

For older children, it is good for starting using decimals. Each ten piece becomes a 1 and the smaller pieces are the tenths.

There are online resources too. Like printable number lines.

I understand Numicon is v expensive.

It is pretty expensive, (about £200-£300 depending on which class kit you want to buy) but our head sees the benefit and has put funds towards buying it for us.

Two years' maths budget in ine go! (For whole school)

LaBelleDameSansPatience:

Could you approach school PTA for full or partial assistance toward this expense - as ultimately this will benefit all children attending your school?

Could you consider a bake sale to raise funds toward this?

HTH

That could be the way forward.

We've done some fundraising to pay for it, but our head is also really on the ball when it comes to tracking down every available grant etc that is available for the school - and she usually manages to get the funding awarded. It makes a big difference to the things that we can provide for the children.

Don't forget you don't have to buy their class kits. 1 box of Numicon plates is £29 something - that could get you started, then you could build up as you see its uses. Ideally you'd have it in reception so the children get used to it and play with it, then you can expand the ways it's used in year 1 & 2. It's not the only Maths resource you need - it's one tool in the toolkit. Albeit a very powerful one, that I've just got my hands on after ages of wanting some :)