Year 1 have linked their current maths learning to their phonics knowledge and can confidently explain that number bonds are ‘special number friends’ that make another number. Having already explored finding number friends using part, whole diagrams and cubes, today, Year 1 deepened their understanding by using some different manipulatives- Numicon and sets of balance scales.

To begin with, the children used the Numicon as a great visual aid by placing pieces on top to check that the two number friends covered all of the holes. Next, we explored how the Numicon pieces were weighted and how we could check that the number bonds were correct by using the balance scales and checking that both trays were equal.

The session was ended with a very catchy rendition of Farmer Pete’s number bond song. I have a feeling that those pairs of special number friends which make ten are becoming super sticky in our Year 1 brains.