Lets get started with this afternoon's learning  

Straight after lunch and we are straight into maths, to begin recap number recognition, 2D shapes and 3D shapes like we have every other day.

The children can again practise their number formation if you think that is an area your child needs to work on, below is our number rhymes for 0-19 to support the children in their writing. The children are encouraged to form their numbers on a line as this helps them to be the same size.

Today is all about the children beginning their journey towards 'addition', before we begin with addition sums we make sure that the children understand how to find the total of two sets of objects by counting them. We do this in many ways but a way that has provided very successful is the use of a grab mat.

The children have objects they grab some in one hand and some in the other and then they find the total number, they can do that by counting or just by sight. You can make your own grab mats at home, I know the children love to draw around their own hands. The foundations of addition are that the children can count irregular arrangements of objects and that they know when they add things together the number of objects gets bigger. The children can find their total and write the total, if you feel your child is confident with this and is using addition vocabulary correctly then they can move onto the next step.

We have not discussed mathematical symbols such as an addition or plus sign or an equal sign, it is important the children understand these symbols and the various ways they can be discussed before they use them.

The children should understand that we write an addition sum like so:

number + number = number

Below is a template the children can use, like the grab mats you can use objects first before writing in numbers so they really grasp the concept.

Only if you feel your child is ready then they can begin to write their own sums using the grab mat as an visual aid and it is something which they can keep referring back too.

Always correct the children's misconceptions including their number formation.

Any questions or you need something different to support your child then please just ask