Use the vocabulary related to addition and subtraction and symbols to describe and

record addition and subtraction number sentences

(Objective repeated in Block A Units 1, 2 & 3, Block B Unit 3 and Block E Units 1
& 2)
• Clip ten pegs onto a wire coat hanger. Count the pegs as you do so.

Separate the pegs, five at one end, five at the other.

Q Which double is this? How many pegs altogether?

• Separate the pegs into two sets e.g. 7 and 3.

Q How many pegs at this end?

Q How many pegs at this end?
Q How many pegs altogether?
Model recording i.e. 10 = 7 + 3.

Turn hanger round to show 10 = 3 + 7 and record. Point out that when adding two numbers together, it does not matter which we
start with as the total will remain the same.

• Repeat for other addition facts for 10.

• Cover up two of the pegs with a cloth (e.g. tea towel)

Q There are 10 pegs on the coat hanger. How many have I covered up?
Ask the children to hold up the number of fingers as there are pegs showing. Point out that the number of fingers folded down is
the same as the number of hidden pegs.

Record this as 8 + 10 = ‫ٱ‬. Agree what goes in the box.

• Repeat with other numbers.

• Take ten biscuits and split them into two groups.

Record the number sentence 10 = 7 + 3

Provide each pair of children with a paper plate and ten biscuits (or cubes). Ask them to take turns and record of the partitioning
of the ten biscuits. They should find as many ways as possible to split them between the two plates.
• Give out coloured shapes
• Ask children to hold up yellow rectangles
• Count together and record number on board
• Repeat with green circles and record how many on board
• Add together and count to find answer
2+5=7
• Instead of actually counting the shapes to find the total, we will now use a different method, a number line
• Model on number line how to calculate 5 + 2 = 7

Q What if we had 2 + 5 what would the answer be?

• Show using number line

Q Is it easier to do 5 + 2 or 2 + 5?

• Encourage children to put largest number first

• Set the following question:
‘ I have 3 cakes but 6 people are coming for tea and everyone wants a cake ‘

Q How many more cakes do I need?

• Use number line to show answer, start at 3 jump to 6 and count difference between

Q How could we write this as a number sentence?

• Agree it would be 3 + =6

Children make up own addition problems/calculations and record using pictures and number line to show answer.
Put the question cards into the ‘magic’ box or bag. Invite a child to pull out a question card from the bag, for example 10 – 4 =
and read the question.

Q Do we have to add or subtract? How do you

know?
Q How will you work out the answer?

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Encourage the children to use their whiteboards to show you the answer and any jottings that they used.

Model some different ways of solving the problem drawing on the children’s strategies which might include:
I held up 10 fingers and I took away 4, leaving me with 6.
I looked at the number line and counted 4 jumps back from 10.
I put 10 in my head and counted back 4.
I drew a number line on my board and counted back 4 jumps from 10.
(Draw the jumps on the number line where these have been used.)

Invite a child to come and pull another question from the bag, for example
5+6= .

Q What do we have to do? How do you know?

Ask children to use their whiteboards to show you their workings and answers.
Highlight different strategies:
Some of you saw that this was a near double and you worked out 5 + 5 + 1 more.
Some of you held up 6 fingers and counted on from 5 some counted on from 6.
Some of you used a number line; you started on 5 and counted on 6.
Some of you put 5 in your head and counted on 6 or counted on from 6.

Repeat this process for different questions, use numbers beyond 10 so that children have to use strategies other than counting on
their fingers.

Model drawing number lines and ask the children to try that strategy too.

Put a selection of questions face down on each table. Ask children to turn over a card and copy it into their book with the answer
and any jottings that they used. Provide number lines.
Q What is the answer to the calculation 6 plus 3?

• Children to show answers using number fans.

• Ask children to explain their methods.

• Explain we need to be able to record what we have done.

Q What should we write?

• Talk to partner and write number sentence on whiteboards. Children to show whiteboards and choose child to write
calculation on board

6+3=9

• Class to read out number sentence.

Q What is the total of 4 and 9?

• Children to show answers using number fans.

Q How can we write a number sentence to show this calculation?

• Talk to partners and show on whiteboards.

Q What do we do when we are asked for the total?

• Write calculation on board 4 + 8 = 12.

• Ask the children how they did calculation.

Q Is it easier to do 4 + 8 or 8 + 4?

Q Why? Explain reasons

Children to pose oral questions to a partner using the words total, sum, altogether - partner to find answer and record number
sentence.

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Q What is 4 take away 2?

• Children to discuss answer with partner and hold up digit card.

• Ask children to explain their methods.

• Again we need to be able to record this. With partners children record calculation on whiteboards.

• Check whiteboards and ask child to read out calculation whilst writing number sentence on board.

4-2=2

Q What is 7 subtract 0?

• Repeat above procedure.

Q What can you tell me about taking away zero?

• Children discuss with partners. Take responses - hopefully children realise that subtracting zero leaves number unchanged.
Demonstrate practically.

• Ask 9 children to stand up. Then say I want none of you to sit down.

Q How many left?

Q How can we write this number sentence?

• Children to talk to partners and write number sentence on whiteboard.

• Checks whiteboards and ask child to read out number sentence whilst writing it on the board.

Children to use digit cards. Choose 2 cards and write subtraction sum and answer either as number sentence or in pictures.
Repeat using different cards.
• Use ITP number facts to show 10 - 4, 10 - 6 etc then 9 - 5, 9 - 4 etc. Show corresponding number sentences.

Q If we had 7 counters how many more would we need to make 10? Show answer using number fans

Q How could we record this calculation?

7+ = 10

• In pairs write calculation on whiteboards for partner to solve eg 6 + =9

• Children to make sure they know answer.

Q How did you find the answers? Explain methods

Q What number should I take away from 9 to leave 6?

Q How can we record this calculation?

9-∆ =6

* 3 is the difference between 9 and 6 *

Q Can you find any other pairs of numbers with a difference of 3. Partner work.

• Give children resource sheets with numbers

2, 5, 7, 9, 6

Q What is biggest difference?

Q Smallest difference?

Q Find a sum with difference of 2 etc.

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• Remind children of term difference.

• Can you show me two numbers with a difference of 2? 3? 5? - using digit cards. Write a sum for each on a whiteboard.

• Read out calculations encouraging children to use different vocabulary for subtraction.

Q I’m thinking of a number. If I take away 3 I have 7 left. What is my number? Number fans.

• Show answer using number fans.

• How could we record this calculation?

∆ - 3 = 7 - how did children solve this puzzle? What is 3?

• 3 is difference between ∆ and 7 therefore count on from 7 to find ∆ .

Q I had some grapes in a bag. I ate 7 and I only had 5 left. How many did I have to start with?

Children to work with a partner to think of problem and solution to share with class - record pictorially or in words.
Q What is 7 + 2?

• Children to show answers on number fans. Ask child to write number sentence on board 7 + 2 = 9.

• Repeat this number sentence to the children then write

7+ =9

• Ask children to show answers.

Q How did you find the answer?

• Take children’s responses. Emphasise that first calculation helped us to work out second calculation.

Q What is the answer to + 2 = 9?

• Children to show answers quickly using number fans.

Q Did the other number sentences help us work this one out?

Q How?

• Again stress use of other calculations.

Q What is 7 - 3?

• Children to show answers on number fans. Ask one child to record number sentence using digit cards and signs.

Q What is the answer to 7 - = 4? write on board

• Children to show answer quickly using fans. Discuss how worked out answer. Put in missing number.

Q Then what is 7 - = 3? write on board

• The children in holding up answers.

Put in missing number.

Seat the children in a circle and put 2 hoops on the floor. Put one car in each hoop.
How many cars are in this hoop? How many in that one? How many altogether?
As you say one car and one car makes 2 cars altogether, write the same in words on the board.
Show the children a + and an = card and say that there is another way to write this number sentence
Now write 1 + 1 = 2 on the board, saying one plus one equals two.
Change the number of cars in the sets and ask the children to write the number sentence on their whiteboards.
Repeat with different numbers and saying things like:
If I add/subtract one more to this set what will the calculation be now?
Then ask: If I swap the hoops round will the calculation look the same? Will the answer be the same?
Show several examples.
Now ask the children to work in pairs. Give them a selection of dominoes and ask them to write number sentences to match the
dominoes. The more able should write both calculations e.g. 2 + 3 = 5 and 3 + 2 = 5.
Show the children a + and an = card and ask them to tell you what they mean.
Ask one child to come and write a number sentence using both symbols on the board.
Read it out e.g. one add two makes three altogether.
Ask if anyone can read the sentence in a different way. Encourage the vocabulary ‘plus’, ‘equals’, ‘add’, ’and’, ‘makes’‘altogether’.
Now write a sentence on the board with a missing symbol e.g. 3 □ 2 = 5.

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Who can tell me which symbol should go here?
Repeat several times replacing either the + or the = symbols with an empty box.
Give the children a selection of cards with missing symbols to complete. More able could have both the + and the = symbols
missing and replaced with □ and Δ.
Use the ‘4 operations missing number or sign’ spreadsheet from the primary frameworks website.
Choose the add & subtract page.
Ask the children if they can work out what the missing number is and write it on their whiteboards.
Discuss how they worked it out.
Ask a child to read the number sentence
Change the numbers several times and repeat always asking the children to read the calculation..
Now move the red box to cover the addition/subtraction sign. And repeat as above.
Use the ‘’Add or subtract missing number or sign’ spreadsheet form the primary frameworks website.
This program shows calculations with either a missing number or a missing sign at random.
Ask the children to write the missing number/sign on their whiteboards and then explain to you how they worked it out.
Ask another child to read the calculation aloud using appropriate vocabulary.
Repeat several times.
Give the children cards with either missing numbers or missing signs and ask them to compete in pairs

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