Teaching Maths in Primary Schools
PART TWO
Teaching Number (ii)
Early number
Interesting Facts about Numbers
It is important that teachers know some facts about numbers so that they can make their number lessons more
interesting. Give each group a number to discuss from 1 to 9. Let each group make a list of all the patterns and
interesting associations for each of the numbers. Here are a few of the possibilities which include facts more
suitable for older pupils:
I (One): one nose, mouth, etc. Goat, cow and sheep has one tail. Not prime. Does not alter any other number
that it multiplies. Greeks thought it was odd and even (wrongly).
One tail; one lonely tree:
2 (Two): two eyes, ears, arms, legs, feet, etc. Pairs. Couples. Birds have two legs. Bi (2) in biannual, bible,
bicentenary, biceps, bicolour, bicuspid, bicycle, bifocal, bigamy, bikini, bilateral, bilingual, billion, binary, binocular,
biology, biped, biplane, bisect, bivalve. Greeks saw as a number with "beginning" and "ending" but no "middle".
Unique in that 2 + 2 = 2 x 2. First prime number and only even prime number.
Two wheels; two eyes; two legs; two lenses:
3 (Three): Triangles. Tri (3) in triangles, triad, triceps, tricolour, tricycle, trident, triennial, trigonometry, trig point,
trilogy, trinity, trio, triple jump, triplets, triplicate, tripod. First odd prime number.
Three wheels; three sides; three legs; three sides to the triangle:
4 (Four): Squares. Four legs on chairs, tables, mammals. Cubes have square faces.
Quad (4) in square, quadrangle, quadrant, quadrilateral, quadruped, quadruple, quadruplet, quadruplicate. Four
cardinal points of the compass.
Four legs; four points; four legs:
5 (Five): Hand (fingers); foot (toes). Petals. Points on a star. Pentagon.
Five fingers; five toes:
Alan Grihault, 9, Noel Ville, Curepipe, Mauritius. Tel/Fax: (230) 675 0363 email: grihault@intnet.mu
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Teaching Maths in Primary Schools
6 (Six): Points of a star made with two equilateral triangles. A perfect number where its factors add up to 6 (1 + 2
+ 3 = 6). Hexagon. Insect's legs. Bees wax.
Six legs; six sides.
7 (Seven): Religious and mystic associations. Calendar number (days in a week).
7-Up drink. 7 deadly sins. 7 marvels of the world. 7 oceans.
Seven days; lucky seven; seven petals; seven holy candles:
8 (Eight): Oct (8) in octagon, octahedron, octave, octet, October (used to be 8th month!), octopus. Spider's legs.
Second cube number (2 x 2 x 2 = 8); one is first.
Eight legs; eight sides; eight tentacles:
9 (Nine): Last digit of Base 10 system. Third square number. Nine skittles.
Nine potatoes; Stained glass window nine; Roman nine:
10 (Ten): Number base for our Decimal System. Dec (10) in decade, decagon, decahedron, decilitre, decametre,
decathlon, December, decennial, decilitre, decimal, decimal point, decimate, decimetre. Song, "10 Little lucky
children". 10 cent coin. 10 fingers. Sum of first four numbers (1 + 2 + 3 + 4 = 10).
Ten fingers; ten toes; ten commandments:
Children’s activities for early number
Special note: the singular version of dice is die, but as most pupils and teachers refer to a die as a dice, we will
use this term throughout the book.
1. Game: Find the partner
You need: Cards with numerals, and cards with dots, stars, animals shapes (See the Printable Materials
section)
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© Alan Grihault
Teaching Maths in Primary Schools
Children practise matching up the two corresponding cards:
7
1
5
3
6
2
2. Game: Numbers Race
You need: A large dice with dots on each face, from 1 to 6. A play court scratched in the earth outside the
classroom (this can be marked with chalk inside the classroom if preferred):
6
1
4
2
5
3
5
2
6
3
4
1
1. Two teams (of about 6) line up on each side of the number court.
2. Each pupil takes it in turn to throw the dice. When a number is thrown, the child stands on that number written
in the square.
3. The teams continue to throw the dice, in turn, until one team covers all the numbers on their side of the court
and become the winners.
4. This game can be played on paper on the desk, and a stone is placed on the paper when a number is thrown.
3. Game: Snake’s Eye
You need: A Snake's Eye drawing (See the Printable Materials section). A die, with numerals 1 to 6 on
each face. A small stone for each pupil.
1. Up to 6 pupils can play in one group.
2. Each pupil throws the dice in turn, in a clockwise direction.
3. From the START pupils look for the number which corresponds to the numeral thrown on the dice. They place
their stone on the corresponding dots on the snake.
4. If another pupil is occupying that numeral, the pupil looks for the next unoccupied number corresponding to the
amount thrown.
5. The pupil who throws 1 (one) to land finally on the snake's eye, kills the snake and is the winner.
4. Game: Shop Race
You need: A Shop Race Board (This game can be found in the Printable Materials section), dice and
counters.
31
30
Alan Grihault, 9, Noel Ville, Curepipe, Mauritius. Tel/Fax: (230) 675 0363 email: grihault@intnet.mu
© Alan Grihault
Teaching Maths in Primary Schools
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Up to 6 pupils can play in one group.
The pupils take turns (clockwise direction) to throw the dice.
They leave the school on a race to the shop.
Each pupil counts the number of spaces on the road to the shop as shown on the dice.
The road can have any number of hazards on it.
The pupil who reaches the shop first is the winner.
5. Game: Dominoes
You need: A set of 30 domino cards (see the Printable Materials section).
Four pupils per game.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Shuffle the dominoes by placing them face down on the desk.
The pupils take seven cards each. There will be two cards over which can be placed to one side.
Pupils arrange who goes first and they play in a clockwise direction.
The first pupil puts down a domino. It should be a domino with the two sides adding up to the largest score.
In the example below it is 4+ 6 = 10.
The next pupil tries to match a card with the ‘4’ or the ‘6’.
In the example the ‘6’ is matched with ‘6 dots’ and a ‘3’ at the other end and the next pupil has to match a
domino with a ‘4’ or a ‘3’.
If a pupil cannot match any card he misses his turn.
The pupil to finish all his dominoes is the winner. If no one can get rid of their dominoes, the total number
left in each ‘hand’ is added up and the lowest total wins.
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6. Number Rhymes
Teach the following Number Rhymes to pupils together with the relevant actions:
Ten Little Children
One little, two little, three little children, (use fingers to show the numbers)
Four little, five little, six little children,
Seven little, eight little, nine little children,
Ten little happy children.
(wave both hands in the air)
They went in a boat and the boat tipped over, (cup two hands and turn over)
They went in a boat and the boat tipped over ,
They went in a boat and the boat tipped over,
Ten little happy children.
(wave both hands in the air)
They swam to the shore and lit a fire,
They swam to the shore and lit a fire,
They swam to the shore and lit a fire,
Ten little happy children.
(swimming action and hands upward as flames)
(wave both hands in the air)
They all went to sleep at the side of the river, (hands at side of head as if asleep)
They all went to sleep at the side of the river,
They all went to sleep at the side of the river,
Ten little happy children. (wave both hands in the air)
Catch a Fish Alive
Alan Grihault, 9, Noel Ville, Curepipe, Mauritius. Tel/Fax: (230) 675 0363 email: grihault@intnet.mu
© Alan Grihault
Teaching Maths in Primary Schools
One, two, three, four, five; once I caught a fish alive. (use fingers to show fish)
Six, seven, eight, nine, ten; then I let it go again.
Why did you let it go?
Because it bit my finger so!
(pretend to bite finger)
Which finger did it bite?
The little finger on the right.
(show the little finger on the right)
Buckle my Shoe
One, two; buckle my shoe,
(show actions to fastening shoe…
Three, four; knock on the door,
knocking door,
Five, six; chop up sticks,
chopping sticks,
Seven, eight; close the gate,
closing gate)
Nine, ten; start again!
Peter Plays with One Hammer
Peter plays with one hammer, one hammer, one hammer,
Peter plays with one hammer, this fine day.
Peter plays with two hammers, two hammers, two hammers,
Peter plays with two hammers, this fine day.
(one fist bangs on desk)
(two fists bang on desk)
Peter plays with three hammers, three hammers, three hammers, (two fists on desk, foot on floor)
Peter plays with three hammers, this fine day.
Peter plays with four hammers, four hammers, four hammers,
Peter plays with four hammers, this fine day.
(two fists on desk, two feet on floor)
Peter plays with five hammers, five hammers, five hammers, (two fists, two feet, nod the head)
Peter plays with five hammers, this fine day.
Ten Green Bottles
There were ten green bottles standing on a wall, (fingers or bottles can be used)
Ten green bottles standing on a wall,
And if one green bottle should accidentally fall,
There'd be nine green bottles standing on the wall.
There were nine green bottles standing on a wall, (bottles can be drawn on blackboard and rubbed off)
Nine green bottles standing on a wall,
And if one green bottle should accidentally fall,
There'd be eight green bottles standing on the wall.
Nick Nack Paddy Wack
Alan Grihault, 9, Noel Ville, Curepipe, Mauritius. Tel/Fax: (230) 675 0363 email: grihault@intnet.mu
© Alan Grihault
Teaching Maths in Primary Schools
Nick nack paddy wack give a dog a bone,
This old man came rolling home.
This old man, he played one,
He played nick nack on my drum.
With a nick nack paddy wack give a dog a bone,
This old man came rolling home.
This old man, he played two,
(three, four, five, six.)
He played nick nack on my shoe. (tree, door, hive, sticks.)
With a nick nack paddy wack.........etc., etc.
7. Counting
Let pupils count various objects within the school compound:
1. Count while sorting and ordering activities.
2. Count paces (perhaps while measuring).
3. Count groups of children.
4. Count things in nature such as leaves, petals and clouds.
5. Count people or cars as they pass the school gate.
6. Count window panes or other objects in the classroom, etc.
8. Patterns
Allow pupils to experiment by drawing around shapes. Give groups of children a number (from 4 to 9) and let them
make patterns using cardboard squares, stones, bottle tops, etc. Working in pairs, one pupil starts a pattern using
sorting material. The partner then tries to continue the same pattern.
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9. Partitioning
The partitioning of groups of objects is a very important early activity. A partition is something that separates, such
as a screen or curtain dividing a room in two.
Ask the children to place five objects in front of them. Let them partition the five objects, with a ruler or pencil, in as
many ways as they can. Encourage them to record their work as number facts of 5.
Now give a number to each of the groups (from 6 to 9) and let them find out how many different number facts they
can obtain from partitioning the numbers.
Alan Grihault, 9, Noel Ville, Curepipe, Mauritius. Tel/Fax: (230) 675 0363 email: grihault@intnet.mu
© Alan Grihault
Teaching Maths in Primary Schools
Later these number facts can be revised and used for introducing operations. This may be a good time to introduce
the "+", "-" and "=" signs:
1+4=5
2+3=5
3+2=5
4+1=5
10. Number Books
Children should be encouraged to make their own number books - finding out as much as they can about each
number.
Our book of
Our book of
5
3
(Five)
(Three)
11. Number Lines
Every classroom from Grade 1 to 4 should have a number line on the floor or on the wall. Let children design their
own number lines:
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
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15 16
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