Year 2

We can guess or estimate how many there are in a group of objects

Year 2 Unit 3

What we are learning:

• Estimating is not about guessing an answer that is exactly right; it is about making a ‘near guess’ that is reasonable.
• Estimating is important for your child when he/she begins to calculate. If they can estimate they will know if their answer to a calculation is ‘sensible’.
• With experience your child’s estimating skills will improve.

ACTIVITY 1: ESTIMATING NUMBERS OF OBJECTS

Activities you can do at home:

Look at a packet of sweets, look at just one of the sweets and try to estimate.
How many sweets are in the packet? Do the same with a packet of biscuits.
How did you make that estimate?
How will you check if it is a ‘good’ estimate?
What is a ‘good’ estimate? Do we have to get the number exactly right?

Take a handful of paperclips/ sweets/Cheerios etc. – estimate how many are in your hand. Count to check and decide if it is a ‘good’ estimate. Make sure that you are counting the objects by putting them into groups.

Compare the number of objects different children can hold in their hand.
Why can I hold more than you?
How many might a giant be able to hold?
Use a matchbox, small box or saucepan and collect objects to fill it.
Estimate the number of objects and count to check

Good questions to ask:

How many do you think there are?
Can you estimate how many there are?
(After counting) How near was our estimate to the real number?
How accurate was our estimate?
How accurate do you think my estimate is? (After giving your child a ‘wild’ estimate) Why do you think that?

If your child:

Makes wild estimates that are a long way from reality
Don’t tell them that they are ‘wrong’ straight away –explore their estimate with them so that they can see it must be a long way from the correct answer. Ask them to make a second estimate to see if it is nearer.