WELCOME TO THE FS PARENTS MEETING ON MATHS Thursday 31st March 2 – 3pm and 6.30 - 7.30pm

WE AIM TO COVER IN THIS MEETING: A look at the Early Years Curriculum and the stages of development for MATHS Maths Activities.

THE EARLY YEARS MATHS CURRICULUM THE MATHS CURRICULUM IS MADE UP OF 2 AREAS: Numbers Space, Shape and Measure LOOK AT THE EARLY YEARS LEARNING OUTCOMES 30-50 months typical for a Nursery child 40-60 months typical for a Reception child

EARLY LEARNING GOAL – NUMBERS Children count reliably with numbers from 1 to 20, place them in order and say which number is one more or one less than a given number. Using quantities and objects, they add and subtract two single-digit numbers and count on or back to find the answer. They solve problems, including doubling, halving and sharing. EARLY LEARNING GOAL – SHAPE, SPACE AND MEASURES Children use everyday language to talk about size, weight, capacity, position, distance, time and money to compare quantities and objects and to solve problems. They recognise, create and describe patterns. They explore characteristics of everyday objects and shapes and use mathematical language to describe them.

Maths -An abstract concept… “Number” is an abstract concept… It only makes sense to children when it is brought to life and children can have visual prompts / stimulus to make sense of it. We need to help them make sense of Maths through lots of practical experiences as possible. They need lots of opportunities to count, compare, combine, take away, share, group, visualise, discuss and talk “number”. In Nursery and Year R Maths is taught mostly through play and having challenges set using a variety of mathematical resources and everyday objects. Maths -An abstract concept…

RESOURCES We have to give children lots of different ways of visualising number. The more images they have the better! Number lines Numicon Unifix cubes Sorting objects But you can use anything: Don’t forget FINGERS! What opportunities could you use at home to show your children number in a visual way?

NUMBER RHYMES AND SONGS NUMBER RHYMES and NUMBER SONGS provide an ideal way to help your child develop numeracy skills from a young age. Encourage them to perform actions to accompany the songs using their fingers, teddies or even finger puppets. Number songs are easy for children to remember and can be an excellent starting point for counting and mathematical work.  When singing focus on teaching your child the order of numerals and counting. Encourage your child to do an action for each part of the song.  Once you have sung the songs with your child, they will quickly start singing the rhymes independently.

LET’S LOOK AT ALL THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE EARLY LEARNING GOAL FOR NUMBER AND CONSIDER WHAT CHILDREN NEED TO KNOW TO ACHIEVE THESE. WE WILL GIVE YOU SOME EXAMPLES OF THE TYPES OF ACTIVITIES WE PROVIDE TO HELP CHILDREN ACHIEVE THESE. Count reliably with numbers from 0 – 20 Place the numerals from 0 to 20 in order Say which number is one more or one less than a given number Add two quantities together (to 10 – using objects) Subtract one quantity from another (to 10 – using objects) Counting on (addition) to find the answer Counting back (subtraction) to find the answer Solving problems (including halving / doubling/sharing) Explore objects and shapes and describe them Talk about measurements, size, time, money, distance in everyday language Recognise patterns, make patterns and talk about what patterns they see

COUNT RELIABLY WITH NUMBERS FROM 0 – 20 Children need to know that the numbers are said in a particular order and this order is always the same. This is called THE STABLE ORDER PRINCIPLE! So we do lots of the following activities to promote this: Counting toys Counting how many steps they are taking Counting their fingers Counting their friends Counting how many children are in the class Counting the milk or the pencils COUNTING ANYTHING! This develops into being able to COUNT ON AND BACK FROM A GIVEN NUMBER: Start counting at 6 and continue to 20 Count backwards from 9

COUNTING ACCURATELY TO 20! Children need to learn that each number they say represents 1 object so they need to learn how to count each object carefully as they say the number. This is called ONE TO ONE CORRESPONDENCE This is the ability to match an object to the corresponding number and recognise that numbers are symbols to represent a quantity. Initially they will count without focussing on an object but we encourage them to line up the objects and touch each one as they count. So we give them lots of opportunities to: Line up and order objects Collect and sort objects Place an object on each number on a number track Count as they jump along a number track Count as they throw a ball into a target Count the number of claps or beats of a drum ACTIVITY FOR YOU – Think of all the ways you could help your child to learn to count to 20 accurately and in the correct order.

ORDERING NUMBERS FROM 0-20 In order for children to achieve this they will need to be able to: Recognise what the numbers look like and to be able to say that number Know how to count in order Know which number comes before and after a number – Which number is before 3? Which number comes after 7? We use a variety of resources to help children learn to order their numbers correctly. Playing board games is a perfect way to learn to recognise numbers and to be able to put them in order.

IT’S SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST COUNTING AND ORDERING THOUGH! IF WE JUST THINK ABOUT THE NUMBER 5: What do we mean by 5? Its part of the counting order and it is also the number used for the amount. Where does 5 come in the order? What is 1 more than 5? What is 1 less than 5? What does 5 look like? How do I write 5? Is 5 apples the same as 5 trains? How can I make 5? 0+5 or 1+4 or 2+3 Is 5 an odd or even number?

ADDITION AND SUBTRACTION The expectation by the end of Year R is that children will be able to add and subtract PRACTICALLY with numbers up to 10 e.g. 3 + 5 = or 7 – 3 We will show the children how the formal sum is written when they are ready but it is the practical task which is the most important So throughout Daisies and Year R the children will be given the following opportunities to support them with learning to add and subtract: Sorting objects into groups and making 2 groups of objects Counting each group and learning to combine Asking the children ‘How many is that altogether?’ or ‘How many are left now?’ Counting how many children are not in school for subtraction

THE TEENS! •eleven… •twelve… AND THEN •The tricky teens… Suddenly the number system becomes harder as the numbers have 2 digits! Some of them have a 1 first and some have 2, 3 or 4 first! Children have to learn what this all means. Through their time in the Early Years we will show them many ways to experience the teens and what they look like. This will give them the foundations for understanding Place Value which they will be taught in Year 1. What do you know about the number 15?

NUMBER ACTIVITIES FOR YOU TO TRY

EARLY MATHEMATICAL RECORDING…. Children’s mathematical graphics begin in play and it is an important stage which supports their developing understanding of mathematics. Children need to be encouraged to choose to use their own mathematical graphics to represent their mathematical thinking; in a sense they are thinking on paper. Children, when given the opportunity, will choose to make mathematical marks which can include scribbles, drawing, writing, tallies, invented and standard symbols. SO WE: EARLY MATHEMATICAL RECORDING…. Encourage children to record in their own meaningful ways. “Show me your thinking” . Ask them to “read” their work back to us and to explain it to others. Ensure we have mark-making equipment always to hand so they can share their mathematical ideas.

“A cross means you lose”. “I am 3”. Child age 3 ½ “A cross means you lose”. Child age 4 “This is where you double lose”. Child age 4 “7, 6 and 8”. Child age 3 ½

Can 8 be shared equally between 2? Child age 5 ½

YOUR TURN TO TRY RECORDING - Have a go at recording your findings to the following mathematical problem: 10 animals were squeezed into the Old lady’s house and it was a squash and a squeeze. The Old lady sent 3 of the animals away. How many animals were left? You are not allowed to write a ‘sum’ or number sentence – so no formal mathematical symbols!

REASONING Children need to be able to talk about and demonstrate what they have found out and why they have a certain answer. So we encourage the children to show us their reasoning, their thinking by asking lots of questions: Why did you think that? Tell me about what you have found out? Why do you have that answer? What did you do to work out that problem? AND GIVING THEM TIME TO THINK BEFORE JUMPING IN! We have to try hard to let children explore and find out in their own way so it is important that in the Early Years we give them lots of opportunities to express their understanding in their own way.

PROBLEM SOLVING Problem solving is an important way of learning, because it motivates children to connect previous knowledge with new situations and to develop flexibility and creativity in the process. Therefore it is important that children see themselves as successful problem solvers who relish a challenge and can persist when things get tricky. Problems are essentially things you do not know how to solve. If children know or are told the method to use, then they are not problem solving. “Spotting a pattern is at the heart of mathematical thinking….” SO TRY AND THINK OF HOW YOU CAN MAKE EVERY DAY ROUTINES IN TO PROBLEMS THAT NEED TO BE SOLVED: – How many knives and forks do we need for 4 people? - If there were 2 of the yellow, red and green Lego pieces how many will there be altogether? - We have 20 chocolate buttons and 4 of us in our family – how many can we have each? YOUR TURN – HAVE A GO AT SOME RICH MATHEMATICAL TASKS!

FINALLY..... Maths is a lot more than counting or finding answers to a list of sums. Maths is about working hard to find a solution to a problem, seeing a pattern to a solution and applying previous knowledge to a new concept. Congratulate your child on the processes they use and how they go about their Maths – they need to learn that sometimes they will get the wrong answer and that this is ok. Challenge your children with maths problems that encourage them to use all the above skills we have talked about – praise their working out, their processes, their own ways of recording, their ideas and their perseverance. MOST OF ALL MAKE MATHS FUN!