Number Bonds

[wishiwasonthebeach]

When learning number bonds do children need to know them for each number up to 10 and then up to 20? Thank you

They should know all pairs of numbers to make 10 and 20 then pairs of numbers to make each number from 1 to 20. Hope that makes sense!

I think it does. So first they need to learn the bonds to 10 and 20 before learning say bonds of 5?

Also, are the any methods that you've found to be most effective?

As a TA in primary schools for over twenty years, I'll add below my standard Numeracy advice. But it is also important children UNDERSTAND what numbers are, what they are for, and what they 'do', and not just learn things parrot-fashion but without understanding. So 'use' numbers in as many day-to-day activities as you can, to encourage familiarity.

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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

Thanks Ferguson! That will come in handy for helping DDs with number bonds - was dreading trying to explain them!

Ferguson, thank you so much for such a helpful post. You've explained it very well, I will follow your advice. Thanks again

Numicon is amazing for lots of things but great for number bonds. Amazon sells a home starter pack.

www.amazon.co.uk/Numicon-First-Steps-Home-Kit/dp/019848688X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412327769&sr=8-1&keywords=numicon

Thank you Odyssey, it looks very helpful.

wishiwasonthebeach

Just wanted to add that I think it is important to learn more than just all combinations to make 10 or 20.

Start with those of course - but encourage your child to also absorb all the ways to make 7 or 17, etc....

This is really crucial for speed/ agility in more complicated (2 digit +/- 2 digit & greater) additions/ subtractions. If you know 8 + 7 = 15 then suddenly

18 + 17 = 35

is more straightforward - whether you 'deconstruct' it

10 + 8 + 10 + 7 = 20 + 8 + 7 = 28 + 7 = 35 or also can think of it as 20 + 15 - which breaks down to 20 + 10 + 5 leading to 30 + 5 = 35.

or whether you can do it in your head (mental maths).

One thing I really worked on for numbers >10 (especially with subtraction) - was place value - so really understanding that 18 means 1 ten and 8 units.

I demonstrated this by using different but similar foods about the place:

grapes = tens/ raisins = units - then if you have a problem like 13 - 8 and need to borrow from the tens column - you can cash in your grape (single ten) for ten raisins. At first DD1 had to count out 8 and remove them and then count out how many were left = 5 in this case (13 - 8). But eventually she could apply her bond knowledge - possible combinations to make 13 and knowing 5 + 8 or 8 + 5 = 13 - made the subtraction that much easier.

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Games you can play:

Snakes and ladders BOND style: Make the target any number (10/ 15/ 20/ etc...) and using 1 - 3 dice (depending on skill level and target) - you move the appropriate number of spaces to make the bond.

So - say your target is 20. You roll two dice and get 8. What + 8 = 20. The answer is 12 - so you move forward 12 spaces.

Play in reverse for subtraction.

Also can play the board more than once if targets are relatively big (>15).
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'21' or blackjack is a brilliant game for learning your number bonds.

Ordinary deck of cards. Ace = 1/ 2 - 9 as marked/ Jack, Queen & King all = 10. Deal each player two cards. The object is to get to 21 or as close to 21 as possible without going over. The player who is closest to 21 or on 21 wins. We play this face up. If you go over 21 you're bust and are out of the game.

Be kind at first and patient with counting up and reminding them of their last total. But it is amazing how swiftly they get the hang of it.

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SNAP bond. Ordinary deck of cards. Ace = 1, 2- 9 as marked/ Jack = 10/ Queen = 11/ King = 12. Agree a target anywhere between 13 - 20 (for smaller numbers just leave out appropriate cards - e.g. for 8 only use cards Ace, 2 - 7). Write the target on a piece of paper/ post-it to remind you. Flip the first card and off you go. First to shout out correct answer wins - or you can take turns - you keep the cards as long as you're correct but lose your turn when you make a mistake - this is nice way to do it at first if it's still a bit tricky.

So say your target is 18. You flip a Queen = which is =11. What + 11 = 18. Answer is 7. Now this can be done by counting up (you can use smarties/ raisins/ etc - just have a plate of how many needed ready) - or you can make it a bit more entertaining by eating the 'flipped' card number to work out how many left.

So having flipped a queen - you can eat 11 grapes/ raisins/ chocolate buttons/ baked beans - and that leaves 7 on the plate. You don't have to keep eating - but it makes it a bit of fun & very visual.

HTH

PastSellByDate, thank you so much for the excellent suggestions.

When you say to 'encourage your child to also absorb all the ways to make 7 or 17' should they just understand how it's done or do they need to memorise it? Thanks again

Hi wish:

I mean know - not memorized (learned by rote).

So through doing it so much that it becomes obvious/ self-evident that to make 16 starting with 5 you need 11.

you can do this with objects - as easily as on paper.

So explore all the ways to make 8

1 smarty + 7 smarties
2 smarties + 6 smarties
3 smarties + 5 smarties
4 smarties + 4 smarties
5 smarties + 3 smarties
6 smarties + 2 smarties
7 smarties + 1 smarty

and talk about the pattern repeating itself after the half-way point (after 4+4/ reverse of first 3 steps).

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Woodlands Juniors School has links to games/ worksheet generators/ worksheets here: resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/numberskills.html & here resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/interactive/index.htm - alien addition and the ghost buster game are great practice.

Maths Champs (games for ages 5 - 7 - especially bop a bot) also are helpful: www.mathschamps.co.uk/games5-7?

Now every child is different - but I have one of those who loves to be busy (especially when waiting for her elder sister to finish swimming/ ballet/ etc.... - so I found these little drill sheets helpful: www.math-drills.com/addition/addition_five_minute_frenzy1_0110_001.html - and in general used math drills a lot. Great for doing a few minutes whilst waiting about somewhere. But I totally take the point that this isn't everybody's cup of tea - just have a DD2 who adores quizzes (in magazines/ newspapers/ or one's I can find).

HTH

Thank you again PastSellByDate for another very helpful post.

Numicon is great. We used to make number bond sandwiches. The bread is 2 x10 hole pieces, then the filling is a pair that make 10. Eg IIRC 3s are yellow and 7s are pink so we called it ham and mustard.

When we have an odd 5 mins I do quiz them but it's virtually as effective to let them quiz you. They love it, it makes a change and they are still having to do the sum to check your answer. Get the odd one wrong, partly because it delights them but also to check they are listening!

You don't need to do 10s before 5s or anything, the 10s and 20s are just a special case. Work them into day to day life, eg if DC has cut 4 slices of cucumber, ask how many more they need to get 10. Look at the track number of a cd playing in the car (if you are old tech like us) and ask how many more songs until number 10 (I have never actually done this but DS likes to give a running commentary of facts on whatever track number is playing.)

Erin99, I love the idea of the sandwiches using the numicon. Using it on daily activities should work well for my son as he doesn't like to sit down knowing he'll be doing work. Many thanks.