Little Maths Helper

A collection of fun online games, tips and strategies to

support your child’s learning in maths.

March 2011

Dear Parent/Carer,

Please find enclosed a booklet detailing links to online maths activities which you can use at home to support your child’s learning.

The left hand column details specific areas of maths that the links relate to. For example, if your child struggles with addition, there are some links for related online games which they can play to strengthen their knowledge. As part of our continuing professional development as class teachers within the Dunbar schools cluster, we have decided to pilot this resource in the hope that it will provide a useful link between what is being taught in the classroom and your child’s individual learning needs. It is anticipated that, if you decide this is a useful resource, it would be further developed to include a greater variety of maths topics and related online resources.

We would be very grateful if you would take the opportunity to choose a few activities over the coming weeks with your child and then provide us with some feedback. There is no expectation that you will trial all of the links, just those that are of current relevance for your child. We would suggest that you would spend no more than 10 minutes per night on the activities.

We can also make the booklet available electronically. Please advise if you would like this to be sent this as an email attachment.

Please return the booklet with any comments as soon as you can.

Thank you for your time.

Helene Kett----------------------------------------------------------------------

Parent name: _________________________________

I would like to receive an electronic copy of the Little Maths Helper.

Please email to _______________________________

Signed: _____________________________________

NumberDescription Website/Activity Parent Comment

Practising numberbonds to 10 andbeyond eg8+2=10, 9+1=10

http://www.kenttrustweb.org.uk/kentict/content/games/ladyBirdSpots/index.html

http://www.amblesideprimary.com/ambleweb/mentalmaths/numberbond.html

http://www.ictgames.com/10pipe.html Try using practical items such as apples, sweets, buttons or marbles that your child can handle to physically and visually show all the different ways of making a number, for example 7 is 2+5, but also 3+4.

Early addition and subtraction

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/starship/maths/games/cross_the_swamp/small_sound/standard.shtml

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/units120.html

Play snakes and ladders to reinforce these skills.

Try moving forward (addition) and backwards (subtraction) on stairs or paving slabs.

Description Website/Activity Parent Comment

Mental addition and subtraction to 20

http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/maths/powerpoint/disappearing_man.swf

http://www.amblesideprimary.com/ambleweb/mentalmaths/additiontest.html

http://www.amblesideprimary.com/ambleweb/mentalmaths/subtractiontest.html

The next step in addition and subtraction is for them to visualise the numbers. Try the first exercises, but extend their skills by screening one, and eventually both of the groups you are adding or taking away. For example, show them five buttons, cover three, and ask how many are under the plate.

Recognising numbers to 100

http://www.amblesideprimary.com/ambleweb/mentalmaths/countersquare.html

Take a walk down your street and ask your child to read you door numbers, bus numbers, numbers on registration plates, numbers they see in shops etc.

Description Website/Activity Parent Comment

Place value, ordering numbers, counting in 2s, 3s, 5, and 10s.

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/interactive/numbers.htm

http://www.ictgames.com/funkymum.html

Ask your child to group items in 2s, 3s or 5s. Use items such as pennies, buttons, building blocks, lego etc. This will help your child visualise the amount in their head.

Number bonds to 20

http://www.interactivestuff.org/sums4fun/colquiz.html

See “number bonds to 10” activities. Encourage your child to realise the link between 6+4 = 10 and 16+4 = 20.

Description Website/Activity Parent Comment

Problem solving: guess the number

http://www.wmnet.org.uk/wmnet/custom/files_uploaded/uploaded_resources/851/Guessthenumber.swf“Guess the number” game. Each player has a post-it note on their head with a number on it. They have to guess their number by asking questions using language such as more than, less than, odd, even etc. Each person gets one question per turn.

Variations: the winner guesses first. The person who asks the least questions wins.

Odd & Even http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/starship/maths/games/number_jumbler/small_sound/standard.shtml

Walk down your street and point out the door numbers. Can you child spot a pattern of the odd and even numbered

houses?

Description Website/Activity Parent Comment

Recognising the correct sign eg, + / - / x

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/starship/maths/games/number_jumbler/small_sound/standard.shtml

Times Tables http://www.amblesideprimary.com/ambleweb/mentalmaths/tabletrees.html

http://www.amblesideprimary.com/ambleweb/mentalmaths/testtest.html

Reinforce that multiplying is just adding the same number lots of times. Put similar items in equal group (by spacing them, putting them on plates) and get your child to add them up. Next step: encourage your child to count in 2s, 3s, 4s, 5s and 10s to find the answer quicker.

Any further comments:

Description Website/Activity Parent Comment

Teaching Time and comparing analogue/digital

http://www.time-for-time.com/swf/myclox.swf

http://www.oswego.org/ocsd-web/games/BangOnTime/clockwordres.html

Get your child to try and read the time using an analogue and digital clock. Can they see the comparison? Play games such as What’s the time Mr. Wolf?

Try to give your child an idea of time scales as often as possible. For example:“We are going to Edinburgh in 2 days.”“Remember when the big hand is at 12 and the little hand is at 6 that is your bed time.”

Play circle games such as Duck, Duck, Goose and ask them to run clockwise the first time, anti clockwise the second time etc.

Time

Any further comments:

Money

Description Website/Activity Parent Comment

Money: Using coins to make a given amount.

http://www.ictgames.com/moneypayer.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/starship/maths/games/number_jumbler/small_sound/standard.shtml

Using coins, get your child to use different coins to make the same amount for example 20p can be made with one 20p coin or four 10p coins of four 5p coins etc. Play a game: how many different ways can you think of to make 20p?

Using pennies, ask your child to show you how many 1ps are in one 20p coin. They need to understand what value each coin has to begin with. Play a game where you have some coins and they have different coins. Who has the most money?

Role-play shopping using easy amounts and small value coins. Give your child their own little purse and a number-line to support their addition and subtraction. How many items can they buy from your shop? How much change will they have?