Year 1

We know how to write numbers up to 20 and beyond.
We can read numbers on a number line.

Year 1 Unit 3

What we are learning:

Children need to be able to recognize the numbers visually, say them and know which order they come in on a number line because of their size.

When saying numbers in sequence don’t always start at 1, try starting at different numbers.

Try counting backwards as well as forwards from different numbers.

To understand how our number system works, you need to count beyond 20 because it is only when we count beyond 20 that our number system becomes regular and your child will be able to ‘see’ and talk about the patterns in our number system. For example we say ‘seventeen’ but we write this as 17 – we change the order of the digits to write it.

Whereas, we say ‘twenty-eight’ and write 28 – the digits are in the order in which we say them. So the ‘teen’ numbers are tricky.

Some of them do not follow the rules. We do not say ‘oneteen’, ‘twoteen’, ‘threeteen’, ‘fiveteen’. All these are special cases that children can find tricky to learn because they do not follow the pattern.
Children just have to remember them and they often get them muddled – don’t worry this is very common – the more counting you do the quicker they will learn these ‘tricky’ ones.

ACTIVITY 1: READING, WRITING AND ORDERING NUMBERS

ACTIVITY 2: GAMES TO PLAY WITH NUMBERS BEYOND 10 AND 20

ACTIVITY 3: COUNTING ON A NUMBER LINE

Activities you can do at home:

• Recognize and read numbers together in real life at home, when out, shopping etc.
• Look at the shapes in numbers – straight lines and curves, and look at the different styles in which they are written.
• Write numbers in sequence together.
• Write in missing numbers on lines, in grids or tracks.
• Have numbers written on post-it notes/cards – ask your child to close their eyes. Remove one leaving the space –Ask, Which number is missing? How do you know?
• Do the same but this time close the gap – identify which one is missing and ask your child to put it back in the correct place. Take turns in playing this game where your child takes one of the cards and you have to identify which number is missing.
• Order non sequential numbers. Ask, Which one is the largest number? Which one is the smallest number?
• Write different numbers from 10 to 20 looking at how we write them in a different order to how we say them.
• Talk about how we don’t say ‘oneteen’, ‘twoteen’, ‘threeteen’, ‘fiveteen’ all these are special cases.
• Now write numbers from 20 to 29 and look at how we write them in the order we say them.

Good questions to ask:

Can you count forwards/backwards from…?
Can you write the number…?
What is the missing number here?

If your child:

Finds it difficult to say and write a number correctly, e.g. writing 14 and being able to say that this is ‘fourteen’.
Write the numbers (e.g. 10 to 19 in this case) on pieces of paper so that your child can choose the number and say it.
Try covering the number up and asking your child to write it down without seeing it.