Support Your Child With Maths by Pam Larkins

Author:Pam Larkins
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: school, learning, maths, primary, addition, subtraction, multiplication, times table, class, help, children, child, home, schooling, reading, writing, words, education, teacher, teach, top of the class, preparing, pre school, pre, preparation, prepare, KS1, KS2, kindergarden, kindergarten
ISBN: 9781781662892
Publisher: Andrews UK Limited 2012
Published: 2012-05-23T00:00:00+00:00

Patterns, Shape and Space:

Patterns

Patterns are found all around us - in art, nature, literature, music and maths. An understanding of pattern forms the building blocks for learning about algebra in later years. Songs and rhymes may repeat words in a particular order as a recurring pattern. We can make patterns using body sounds such as clapping or stamping. Look for patterns in the garden. Are the summer flowers arranged in colour patterns? Are there patterns in the paving slabs or the bricks on the wall? Are there patterns on our furnishings or clothes? Talk to your child about the patterns. Ask: ‘What shapes make this pattern?’ The pattern on your dress is red flower, yellow flower, red flower, yellow flower. What colour will come next?’

Once your child is able to recognise patterns in the home and environment ask them to make their own patterns from a range of things. Use beads, bricks, shapes, counters, cards or anything available. Having mastered a simple pattern you can challenge your child to make more complex ones.

These activities lead naturally into looking at patterns of numbers. ‘What happens when we count in 2’s? ‘ Is there a pattern to the numbers? Is this the same pattern as when we count in 5’s?’ Here we have the beginnings of multiplication. Encourage children to look at patterns of numbers in a 100 square. Ask them to colour in different sequences of numbers, for example all the fives. Ask ‘What pattern do you have when you count on in fives?’ Online activities for pattern sequences can be found at:

http://uk.ixl.com/math/year-1/complete-missing-parts-of-patterns

http://uk.ixl.com/math/year-1/growing-patterns

http://www.primarygames.com/patterns/question1.htm

2D shapes

Being able to discriminate between various shapes requires focused observation and is an important skill. Many shapes are very similar so children need lots of practice in identifying them.

Encourage your child to look for different shapes around the home. Name the basic shapes of circle, square, rectangle and triangle. Play matching games ‘The window pane is a square. Can you spot any more squares around the house?’ When making biscuits or sandwiches discuss what shapes can be used. Ask children about the shapes of crockery and cooking vessels.

Look at shapes in the garden such as the lawn, flower beds, flower pots, paving slabs, bricks, fence panels. Discuss how shapes differ from each other.

Play lotto games in which children have to match shapes. Once they can name the basic flat shapes talk to your child about their properties. ‘How many straight sides does this shape have?’ Is there another shape that has the same number of straight sides? What’s this shape with one curved edge called?

If you have a range of toy plastic flat shapes ask your child to make pictures with them and then name the shape they have used for different parts of the picture. Explore which shapes fit together perfectly and which shapes have gaps between them.

Symmetry

Explore the symmetry in shapes. Fold shapes in different ways to find the lines of symmetry. Look at the body shape in a mirror to understand how symmetrical it is. Look for symmetry in nature with leaves, flowers, butterflies and other insects.

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