CONCEPT

OF WHOLE
NUMBERS
 PLACE VALUE CHART
Place Value in Ten Thousan Hundr Tens Ones
Words Thousands ds eds
Place Value in 100 10 1
Figures
Given Number
Digit Place Value 8 3
Value 2
word figure
3
2
8 Hundreds 100 8 x 100 = 800
3 Tens 10 3 x 10 = 30
2 ones 1 2x1=2
 Number Place Value Value
1. 485
2. 825
3. 8023
4. 7 018
5. 1 873
ADDITION
STRATEGIE
S
Introduce the concept using countable
manipulatives
Using countable manipulatives (physical objects) will
make addition concrete and much easier to
understand. It’s important to use a variety so students
begin to understand the concept independent of what’s
being counted.
Counting on fingers is the most intuitive place to start
before you transition to tokens, bottle caps, or paper
cutouts. If you want to incorporate some movement,
put students in small groups and have them join up,
counting out the total number of members once more
are added.
Transition to visuals
Start transferring addition to paper by
using illustrated sums, or having students
draw objects they can count.
It’s best if you put visuals alongside
numbers to promote association between
the two. Consider using a graphic
organizer with the sum written across
the top and a space for drawing under
each number.
Use a number line
At this stage, most students will still
be adding by counting out every
number in a sum to reach the total
solution. A number line, however,
removes the need to count out the
first number in the sum.
Counting Up
Once students know how to use a number line, you’ll
want them to use the same “counting up” strategy in
their heads.
You can then have them practice this by counting aloud
on their fingers. Let’s stick with 4 + 3 as an example:
•Students start with a closed fist and say “4”.
•Students then count up “5, 6, 7”, extending three
fingers one at a time.
•Students now have three fingers extended, but remind
them that the answer isn’t 3. They started with a 4 in
their fist and then counted up, so the answer is 7.
Finding the ten
This is a mental math trick that will help students
develop their procedural fluency.
Instead of adding two numbers together as they are,
encourage students to add them up to 10, and then
add the remainder to that 10. For example, the
process for 7 + 5 is:
•7 + 3 = 10
•We still need to add an extra 2, to turn that 3 into 5.
•10 + 2 = 12
You can use manipulatives to help students learn this
skill. Draw two rows of 10 boxes on a sheet of paper,
one under the other, and then have students place
manipulatives into them to represent the sum.
Memorize the math facts
Ultimately, we want students to be able
to add quickly and accurately in their
heads. This procedural fluency is
essential as they move onto more
complex problems, and there’s no way to
get there without memorizing every
single digit addition fact.
Here are a few strategies that help:
Break it down
The entire table of addition facts might seem
overwhelming, so just focus on specific sections at a
time. For example, you might focus on + 1 and + 2
one week, before moving onto pairs that add up to 10.

Gamify the process

Quizzes, group challenges, and rewards will make rote
learning more engaging. Just make sure it doesn’t
become too competitive and scare off any students
who are having difficulty.
Properties of Addition
Commutative property of addition: Changing the order of addends does
not change the sum.
For example, 4+2=2+4
Associative property of addition: Changing the grouping of addends
does not change the sum.
For example, (2+3)+4=2+(3+4)
Identity property of addition: The sum of 0 and any number is that
number.
For example, 0+4=0 + 4
Activity A:
Find the missing number and tell which property is used.
1. 10 + 9 = 9 + ________ Property:____________________
2. (4 + 11) +___ = 4 + (11 + 7) Property:____________________
3. 2 + (4 + 10) = (2+____)+10 Property:____________________
4. 3 + 5 + 9 + ____ = 8+9+5+3 Property:____________________
5. 0 + ____ = 9+0 Property:____________________
 Subtraction
Strategies With
Activities and
Games
Subtraction is an arithmetic operation that represents the operation
of removing objects from a collection. The result of a subtraction is
called a difference. Subtraction is signified by the minus sign (−).
The subtraction sentence can be written vertically and
horizontally. In the subtraction sentence the first number is the
minuend. The second number is the subtrahend and the answer in
subtraction is called the difference.
Subtraction is the inverse of addition. You can check the
answer in subtraction by adding the difference and subtrahend.
Then sum should be equal to the minuend.
Example:
834 minuend
subtrahend
- 22
812 difference
(1) Jump Strategy – Using a Number Line or Number
Chart
This is a very popular and visual way to help students work out
subtraction problems.
Students use a number line to record the jumps they make and
where they land on the line until they get to the answer. This
can be done in 10s, 5s, 1s – anything that makes logical sense.

You can provide each student with a number line that they can
keep close by. Laminate it and get them to use a whiteboard
marker to show how they would ‘jump’ along the line to work
out a variety of subtraction problems.
Split Strategy
One way of working out subtraction problems
is to split the second smaller number up into
place value values. This way works with all
types of subtraction sums including those that
need regrouping.
For example, the sum 164-48 =.
Students could break the second number into
40 and 8.
Counting back in 10s from 164 to 124 and
then subtracting 8 to make 116.
Partitioning
In partitioning, students expand the numbers into
their places before subtracting and then add the parts
together. It’s important to note that with this strategy
it will only work with subtraction sums that do not
need any regrouping of numbers.
So, basically they break the number into place value
figures like this:
Example sum: 24-13=
(20-10) + (4-3)=
(10) + (1) = 11
(3) Draw a Picture!
Drawing a simple picture (diagram) is also
another strategy students could utilise,
especially in the early years. Some
students are very visual and being able to
represent the numbers as items is hugely
beneficial to them.
 (4) Fact Families – Part-Part-Whole
Having an understanding of the inverse
relationship between addition and subtraction
through the use of fact families is also another
way students in the early years can cement
their understanding of subtraction.
When students are exposed to fact families, it
can help them memorise basic addition and
subtraction facts. Which in turn, can help your
students with more complex subtraction
problems.
(5) Use Known Facts – Mental Maths
In this subtraction strategy, students use
mental strategies to work it out in their head
by using their knowledge of basic subtraction
facts.
Encouraging your students to have instant
recall of basic subtraction facts will help
them in the long run when working out
subtraction problems with larger numbers.
(6) Subtraction Algorithm
Some would say the old-school way, the algorithm strategy is
still important to teach your students.
Teaching the concept of using an algorithm with no need to
regroup is your absolute starting point. Throwing borrowing
into the mix straight away can confuse your students.
We do love this poem about subtraction that can make a cute
classroom display to help students understand what action to
take when working through the subtraction algorithm process:
The Subtraction Poem
More on top? No need to stop!
More on the floor? Go next door!
Digits the same? Zero’s the game!
MULTIPLICATIO
N
Prepping to teach multiplication can
leave you more confused than your
students.
But teaching multiplication doesn’t
have to be difficult. It just requires
you to break it down step by step.
Here’s a five-step method for
teaching multiplication that will give
your students confidence, and you
some easy lesson plans.
Properties of Multiplication
1. Commutative property: When two numbers are multiplied together, the product is
the same regardless of the order of the multiplicands.
For example: 4 x 2 = 2 x 4
2. Associative Property: When three or more numbers are multiplied, the product is
the same regardless of the grouping of the factors.
For example: (2 x 3) x 4 = 2 x (3 x 4)
3. Identity Property: The product of any number and one is that number.
For example 5 x 1 = 5.
4. Distributive property: The sum of two numbers times a third number is equal to
the sum of each addend times the third number.
For example: 4 x (6 + 3) = 4 x 6 + 4 x 3
5. Zero Property of Multiplication: Any number multiplied by zero is equal to zero.
For example: 4 x 0 = 0, 156 x 0 =0
Fill in the blank with the number that will make the number
sentence correct, then identify the property shown by each
number.
1. ____ x 8 = 0; ____________________________
2. 1 x 7 = 7;________________________________
3. 7 x 3 = ____ x 7; _________________________
4. 8 x ___ x 9 = 0;__________________________
8 x ____ x 4 = 4 x 6 x 8;____________________
Step one: start with physical manipulatives
Countable manipulatives turn multiplication into a hands-
on concept. Any small tokens will do (buttons, blobs of
modeling clay, cutouts, bottle caps).
To make it easier to grasp, use the following strategies:
Group objects into sets
Let’s assume you’re working with the sum 3 x 4.
Have students group their manipulatives into three
clearly separated blocks of four either by drawing three
circles around them or placing them into three separate
boxes.
This allows them to visualize the underlying formula of
any multiplication question: x lots of a given
number y equals a total number z.
Use an array
Sticking with 3 x 4, have students order their manipulatives
into three rows each containing four pieces. This
arrangement is an array. Students can then number these
consecutively to discover that the three rows of four make
eight – not six, as they might assume from an addition
problem using the same digits.
Step two: introduce skip counting
Once they’ve got the hang of arranging their manipulatives
and counting them out, ease students into skip counting
(counting in lots of a given number).
Arrays or sets are still helpful. Now that they know each row or
set contains a given number of units, they can start adding
them together to reach an answer more quickly.
So the problem 3 x 4 becomes:
4
4+4=8
8 + 4 = 12
They can also practice skip counting by lots of two using their
fingers.
Step three: highlight the commutative property
The commutative property of multiplication is the ability
to reverse a sum and still get the same result. That’s
why 3 x 4 and 4 x 3 both equal 12.
If students understand the commutative property, they’ll
be able to handle multiplication tasks much more
flexibly. They’ll also have an easier time memorizing
their tables, because learning one fact means you also
learn its reverse.
You can teach this concept with a brain teaser: have
students create a 3 x 4 array by arranging manipulatives
on a piece of paper, then challenge them to create a 4 x
3 array without moving any of them.
Step four: drill and practice multiplication facts
Once they understand the concept of multiplication, it’s time for
students to memorize the facts – all the way up to their 12 times
tables.
Start with the easy ones:
•Any number multiplied by one remains the same.
•Any number multiplied by two is just that number plus itself.
•Any number multiplied by 10 gets a zero on the end.
•Any number up to nine multiplied by 11 is the same digit
repeated twice.
That’s a good chunk of the 12 x 12 multiplication table that can
be calculated with little effort. Don’t forget to remind students of
the commutative property, too – all these easy facts hold true
when the numbers are reversed!
Step five: work with words
It’s best to introduce word problems
alongside fact fluency practice, so students
get a sense of how multiplication translates
to real scenarios.
The shift to words can be tricky, so ease
students in by visualizing the problem to
begin with. Provide illustrations of the
quantifiable aspects of the problem, or help
students draw them themselves.
Beginning Division and Multiplication
Facts
As your child begins to learn division, it is
important for him/her to understand the
relationship between division and
multiplication. Children need to know their
multiplication facts well. (If they don’t
know their multiplication facts, practice
fluency for a few weeks before beginning
division.) Check out the additional links
below for tips and ideas to learn
Relationship between
multiplication and division
Beginning division teaches the simple
concept that in order to divide, you
must multiply. Use visual examples of
multiplication and division will help your
child learn to recognize the difference
between multiplication and division.
 Model how to find an unknown number with
multiplication or division.

To find out if your child understands the basic relationship between

multiplication and division, ask him or her:
•How can multiplication facts help you solve division problems?
Three Division Strategies
One aspect of the current math curriculum that I
love is the focus on teaching multiple strategies
and allowing children to decide which one works
best for them. This approach allows children to
understand and choose which method makes
the most sense for their learning style. Trying
different approaches can sometimes even make
the difference between failure and success in
math. Here are three different strategies to
teach when beginning division.
1. Make connections with division patterns
and break down numbers
This is number fluency at its finest. Teaching
children to recognize and use patterns within
number operations will make them very efficient
problem solvers.
6,000 ÷ 3
6÷3=2
6,000 ÷ 3 = 2,000
Just think of 6,000 divided by 3 as 6 thousands
divided by 3, and that is 2 thousands.
2. Breaking down numbers into “friendly” numbers using
an area model
260 ÷ 5 = 52
Break down numbers into “friendly” numbers. Breaking
down numbers into easily divisible numbers is important
to learn for number fluency. This may seem a bit tedious,
but understanding how to break large numbers into
easier-to-manipulate numbers can build children’s
mental math capacities.
Break down 260 into the “friendly” numbers 250 and 10.
I chose 250 because it’s the divisor, 5, multiplied by a big
number (50). I choose 10 because it’s the difference
between 250 and 260. These go inside the boxes of the
area model. Divide each one by the divisor to get the
factors, then add the factors together.
Divide using the standard algorithm
If you sigh with relief at this example, I completely
understand. This is the traditional way of teaching division
that most of us learned years ago.
This long division standard algorithm repeats itself with the
steps of:
1. Divide
2. Multiply
3. Subtract
4. Drop down the next digit
5. Repeat
*Many children get confused with steps 2 and 3 because
you are not actually dividing but multiplying and subtracting
to find a remainder.
 That’s a wrap…
Remember, when your children have
the tools and understanding – they
can all be little mathematicians! No
two classes are going to be the same
and each student will respond
differently to a variety of
mathematical concepts and activities.
Be guided by your class.