Oral/mental Starters

[Guest]

I'm a trainee teacher and got to do an oral mental starter in a numeracy lesson with a Y1 /2 class anyone got any unusual ideas , getting really nervous

Edited November 2, 2005 by Guest

[Guest]

Hi Brenda, I teach reception now but on one of my training placements taught a year 2 class. Number bonds are always good for quick fire questions. I made some cards for no. bonds to 10 - there was a fish on either side of the card and the total of both fishes spots added to 10, so I would hold the card up for them to see how many spots were on 1 side of the fish and say 'how many spots can I see?' (eg I could see 4 if they could see 6 etc). I also did the same for no. bonds to 20 by making cards with trees and apples in instead of spotty fish. Also number bonds by playing skittles (with 10). Not much to go at but hope it helps a bit.

 

Good luck.

 

Emma

[Guest]

Hi Brenda

Can't think what they're called but you make cards with a number sum written on them, then make a 'slider' (a piece of card that slides along the card) which you use to cover different parts of the sum, then you ask the children which bit is covered. They're really good because you can differentiate this quite easily depending on which bit you cover.

I don't think I've explained myself very clearly but I could e-mail you a photo if you like

 

Angela

[Guest]

Thanx for your help I know the cards you mean Angela, I think they have some in the class Im working in, anyway got to do it tomorrow so here goes!!!!!!!!

[Guest]

Good luck, Brenda, I'm sure you'll be fine You can always do a maths song with help form the children. Currant buns is a good one because you can differentiate the price of the buns and can involve the children physically. I like to get the shop keeper to add up the total amount of money they have in their hand in between each verse of the song... (Probably too late for tomorrow?)

[basilbrush]

We play a game called PING PONG which the children really enjoy....

 

start off by saying the rhythm, you say ping, children say pong, get them used to the rhythm, then replace ping and pong with numbers, we use it for counting, saying 1 more or 1 less, number bond, you can extend it or simplify it as much as you want

 

i think i have explained it ok, if you want to know any more about it let me know

[Beau]

Brenda,

 

This is a topic which comes up regularly. If you type 'oral starter' or 'mental starter' in the search engine (Search forum posts - top right of this page!) you should come up with a couple more.