Addition and subtraction within 10 - Adding number bonds - Starter

In an engaging starter activity for Year 1 students during the Autumn Term, children are invited to explore addition and subtraction within 10. The focus of this session is on adding number bonds, a foundational maths skill that helps young learners understand the concept of whole numbers being made up of parts. To facilitate hands-on learning, each child is provided with 10 counters to use as a visual and tactile aid for calculation. The activity, titled 'Fluent in Four - Revision', presents a series of problems that encourage the students to fill in missing digits, find number bonds to 8, and calculate the total number of flowers on plants with 1, 2, or 3 flowers.

The exercises include a mix of numerical and word-based problems, such as "4 + 3", "three + five", and "six + 4", which cater to different learning styles and help reinforce the concept of addition. Pupils are also tasked with figuring out the result of half of 4 plus double 4, and completing equations like "1 + 6 =". The variety of questions aims to improve the students' fluency in addition and subtraction, while the use of counters assists in making abstract concepts more concrete. By the end of the activity, children should be more comfortable with number bonds and basic arithmetic within 10, setting a strong foundation for further mathematical learning.