1. Numicon – Workshop 1
Mrs McCulloch/Miss McLaren

2. What is Numicon?
Numicon shapes are designed to help children visualise numbers and to solve mathematical challenges.
Teaching with Numicon encourages active learning. The children are using and discussing the shapes.
Children can discuss the colours and patterns associated with each number. For example, the 7 piece is pink, it has seven holes, it can easily be identified as odd because of its shape - it has a piece sticking out at the top. When the children are more familiar with the materials they will have these discussions independently from the teaching staff, with their partners and within their groups to solve mathematical challenges.

3. Building a number line

4. Exploring and Matching
Sand, water, shaving foam, snow.

5. Each Numicon shape is linked to a numeral and has holes which represent the quantity.
The holes make the materials ideal for printing with paint, playdough and tracing round when introducing them to a class for the first time.
When the materials are put in order, the children can discuss the pattern – like steps.
This gives visual representation to allow children to understand the quantity of the numbers.
A good deal of discussion can take place between the children to identify which numbers are bigger, smaller etc.

6. As familiarity of the pieces develops, so do the challenges.
As the children’s knowledge of number and the Numicon materials progresses, the difficulty of tasks can be increased. The opportunity for effective questioning amongst the children using shapes and feely bags is embedded throughout everything you can do with Numicon.
The children can use the feely bags to challenge each others knowledge of number.
The children are encouraged to use mathematical vocabulary and problem solving to identify the number that is in the bag.

7. Addition and Subtraction
Addition – straightforward – prove it.
Sandwich stacks – show me a different way.
Subtraction – covering method, supports written method.

8. Numicon pieces are weighted. Have a go!

10. Multiplication
3 x 5 = 15 5 x 3 = 15
Two ways of showing the commutative aspect of multiplication
Repeated addition

11. Division
Halfing
Sets of

12. Fractions, Decimal Fractions and Percentages

14. Use the board as 100%. What fraction of Simon’s body is his trousers?!14 14

15. Algebra

16. Symmetry One line of symmetry Two lines of symmetry
Rotational symmetry

17. Time

18. Numicon can be purchased via Oxford University Press:
Try out – don’t be frightened
Identify – opps, challenges and CPD – these are particularly vital to us at LTS – we need feedback – online questionnaire, trialling 18 18