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DS aged 6 is just not getting number bonds to 10. Any tips?

38 replies

Blatherskite · 02/03/2014 17:13

DS will be 7 in a few weeks and is in year 2 at school. At the last couple of parents evenings his teacher has asked us to work with him on learning his number bonds to 10 so that he knows them off by heart but he just doesn't seem to be able to get them no matter what we try.

Homework this week was to practice these number bonds and to talk about how these help you add larger numbers to 20 (eg 17 and 3) and even bigger numbers to 100 (eg 30 and 70). It's all ended in tears Sad

We've tried singing the number bond song (9 and 1 are number bonds, 8 and 2 are friends etc), using his favourite Lego to work out the bonds, we've written them out, he used his fingers.... We've used cars in the past, we have a number line on the wall, he has a printed out, ruler sized one that we laminated - nothing seems to help.

I don't want to pressure him but we are getting to the point where this is starting to hold him back now. Does anyone have any other tips on how we can help him please?

OP posts:
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PastSellByDate · 06/03/2014 13:44

Hi Blatherskite -

was definitely in the same position in Year 2 with DD1

you have had a lot of great ideas above (love the ping pong game idea) - but I would also add:

You can work on number bonds playing snakes & ladders (but with two dice).

So rolling the two dice will give you two numbers - say 4 and 3 (4 + 3 makes seven). So working on what the two dice makes will allow you to practice all number bonds to 12. Add one more die for all bonds to 18. And one more for all bonds to 24. (If playing with 3 or more dice - play the board up to 100 & back to 0).

Now you can really get those brain cells working by playing this backwards - to work on subtraction skills.

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'21' or 'Black Jack' is a great way to work those number bonds to 20.

Your aim is to get as close to 21 as possible, without going over. If you go over you 'bust' and are out of the game. The winner is the person with the highest total closest to 21.

Ace = 1/ 2 - 9 as marked/ Jack - Queen - King all = 10.

Start off playing all open hands. Deal two cards to each player and have them add them up. So say you deal a 9 and a 7. Your total is 16. Now do you stay. (This also teaches probability) because you can think through 1 - 10 and work out how likely it is you'll get a card valued 6 or less. A little better than 50/50 (6 out of 10 cards work - but it's a bit more complicated because you need to look at the cards on the table that are already out - but that's card counting - save it for when you hit Vegas). So do you take the risk or stay put.

Once your DS gets good you can play with cards hidden and place bets (we prefer smarties!).

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Some other useful websites:

Woodland Junior Maths Zone has great resources: resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/

Buried under 100 square is a link to number sequences which gives good practice: resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/interactive/numbers.htm#Sequences

I also think learning place value at this time so knowing that the number 234 represents 4 units, 3 tens and 2 hundreds. We tend to know this automatically - but children don't always get this at first: resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/interactive/numbers.htm#Place

There are also some useful number line activities: www.oup.com.au/__data/assets/file/0019/154045/Numberline.swf - but this may start off too hard (starts with thousands).

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This abacus game really helps visualise numbers: www.mathsisfun.com/numbers/abacus.html

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Math champs (which is free) has some great games (and they explain over each game what they are working on): www.mathschamps.co.uk/#home - you probably will find more counting resources in 5 - 7 (but don't let your DS worry too much about age range).

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This may be a little young but Oxford Owl Maths www.oxfordowl.co.uk/for-home/maths-site/fun-activities/age-5-7--2 - scroll down to games: roll the dice and add to 20 - may be useful.

Again - like math champs it's free and is banded by age - so have an explore.

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Having been there with DD1 I can assure you that by playing games, allowing them to play maths video games and maybe doing a bit more maths at home (for practice) - all will cumulatively help your DC improve. I sometimes think people miss the point with maths/ reading - practice really does make a lot of difference. The more you do it (or try to) the better you understand how to do it and the easier it becomes.

HTH

Ferguson · 06/03/2014 18:20

You have had lots of useful replies, but I'll just add my standard numeracy info:

QUOTE:

Practical things are best for grasping number concepts - bricks, Lego, beads, counters, money, shapes, weights, measuring, cooking.

Do adding, taking away, multiplication (repeated addition), division (sharing), using REAL OBJECTS as just 'numbers' can be too abstract for some children.

Number Bonds of Ten forms the basis of much maths work, so try to learn them. Using Lego or something similar, use a LOT of bricks (of just TWO colours, if you have enough) lay them out so the pattern can be seen of one colour INCREASING while the other colour DECREASES. Lay them down, or build up like steps.

So:

ten of one colour none of other
nine of one colour one of other
eight of one colour two of other
seven of one colour three of other

etc, etc

then of course, the sides are equal at 5 and 5; after which the colours 'swap over' as to increasing/decreasing.

To learn TABLES, do them in groups that have a relationship, thus:

x2, x4, x8

x3, x6, x12

5 and 10 are easy

7 and 9 are rather harder.

Starting with TWO times TABLE, I always say: "Imagine the class is lining up in pairs; each child will have a partner, if there is an EVEN number in the class. If one child is left without a partner, then the number is ODD, because an odd one is left out."

Use Lego bricks again, lay them out in a column of 2 wide to learn 2x table. Go half way down the column, and move half the bricks up, so that now the column is 4 bricks wide. That gives the start of 4x table.

Then do similar things with 3x and 6x.

With 5x, try and count in 'fives', and notice the relationship with 'ten' - they will alternate, ending in 5 then 10.

It is important to try and UNDERSTAND the relationships between numbers, and not just learn them 'by rote'.

I am sorry it seems complicated trying to explain these concepts, but using Lego or counters should make understanding easier.

An inexpensive solar powered calculator (no battery to run out!) can help learn tables by 'repeated addition'. So: enter 2+2 and press = to give 4. KEEP PRESSING = and it should add on 2 each time, giving 2 times table.

There are good web sites, which can be fun to use :

www.ictgames.com/

www.resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/index.html

UNQUOTE

PS: make 'number cards' with a large numeral on one side, equal number of dots/pics on the other. Give him the random numerals: can he place the correct number of bricks/beads on it? Make a 'washing line' and using the same number cards in random order, give him clothes pegs to peg up the numbers in the correct order. (Change 'gender' as appropriate; this was written for someone else originally)

Year 2 will probably be starting 'data handling'. You can tackle that by counting and 'tallying' things that interest you: traffic (cars, trucks, bikes etc); animals, pets, plants, birds seen on a walk; types of shop in a street, colours of front doors. Then draw bar charts or pictorial representations.

If you have specific concerns, come back sometime if you wish.

Blatherskite · 06/03/2014 20:52

There are some lovely ideas there PastSellByDate thank you.

We definitely have enough Lego bricks Ferguson. Ds is a big Lego fan. I'll have a better read through tomorrow when I'm not so tired (DD has been a monster today) and then get some cards made up and some Lego sorted out so that we can try some of these ideas at the weekend.

Thank you everyone

OP posts:
stargirl1701 · 06/03/2014 20:55

I would recommend Numicon.

global.oup.com/education/content/primary/series/numicon/;jsessionid=E3F8B045DD52D85A6C07BC98F6372D40?region=uk

I used it extensively as a support teacher with primary school children.

TamerB · 06/03/2014 21:01

I would try games on here

TamerB · 06/03/2014 21:02

Sorry - see someone has given it already.

jamdonut · 07/03/2014 20:53

We play number bond tennis (similar to the ping pong thing someone mentioned earlier in the thread) . Someone serves: 8 someone returns: 2. Keep going till a mistake is made or can't answer then it's 'out'! Depending on ability, we do number bonds to 10,20 or in multiples of 10 to 100. The children usually enjoy doing this in pairs.

PoppyThorpe · 11/12/2017 09:06

We played ipad game with number bonds many times, using different numbers, throughout my daughter's kindergarten year. It is really important to repeat and rehearse as many times as you think necessary.

waitingforlifetostart · 12/12/2017 18:54

Google tens frame. Very visual.

Haveasay · 12/12/2017 19:31

Numicon available from Amazon. Just by a small set first to see if it helps. The colour and shape make number more meaningful.

PoppyThorpe · 13/12/2017 05:24

Number Bonds Memorizer. This game is simple and has minimal levels, the basic number bond practice is solid.

Bowerbird5 · 13/12/2017 07:46

Was going to say... But Audit Angel has already
Cuisenaire rods. You can still buy them occasionally try ebay. They can physically move them and visually see them.

Also when moving to bigger numbers write them underneath so they can see the connection:
1+9=10
1+ 19=20
10+90 = 100
Some kids just take longer than others. Consistent repetition helps.

BackforGood · 16/12/2017 22:38

ZOMBIE THREAD

I hope the ops ds has got them now Wink

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