Reception Maths – Spring Block 3: 6, 7, and 8

In Spring Block 3: 6, 7, and 8, pupils will extend their understanding of numbers to 8, developing their skills in recognising, representing, and manipulating these numbers. This block helps pupils build a deeper understanding of the composition of numbers, adding and subtracting 1, and exploring the patterns of even and odd numbers. Through hands-on activities, pupils will gain important skills that prepare them for future learning in number sense and problem-solving. The unit is carefully designed to align with the **White Rose progression**, ensuring a seamless path from one concept to the next.

 Week 4: Exploring Numbers 6, 7, and 8

In Week 4, pupils will focus on developing fluency with the numbers 6, 7, and 8. They will engage in a range of activities that help them recognise, represent, and explore these numbers.

– Find 6, 7, and 8 – Pupils will practise recognising and finding numbers 6, 7, and 8 in different contexts. They will use objects and number symbols to strengthen their understanding of these numbers, practising counting and matching numbers with their corresponding sets.
– Represent 6, 7, and 8 – Pupils will explore how to represent these numbers in various ways, such as using blocks, drawing pictures, or making sets with counters. This helps them visualise numbers and link them to concrete representations, strengthening their number sense.
– One more up to 8 – Pupils will explore the concept of ‘one more’ by counting forwards from any number up to 8. This helps them build an understanding of addition and how numbers progress in a sequence.
– One less up to 8 – Similarly, pupils will also practise counting backwards, exploring the concept of ‘one less’ up to 8. This activity supports their understanding of subtraction and helps them develop fluency in number sequences.
– Explore the composition of 6, 7, and 8 – Pupils will explore how these numbers can be broken down into smaller parts. For example, they will learn that 6 can be made of 3 and 3, or 4 and 2. This activity deepens their understanding of how numbers are composed and prepares them for addition and subtraction.

Week 5: Exploring Patterns and Doubles

In Week 5, pupils will focus on exploring patterns within numbers, particularly odd and even numbers, and doubles. They will build upon the understanding of number composition from Week 4 to explore how numbers can be combined in different ways.

– Odd and even – Pupils will learn about odd and even numbers, developing an understanding of how to identify whether a number is odd or even. This activity helps pupils recognise patterns in numbers and is an important skill for developing number fluency.
– Find a double (up to double 4) – Pupils will explore doubles, such as 1 + 1, 2 + 2, 3 + 3, and 4 + 4. This activity reinforces the idea of addition and helps pupils develop fluency with adding the same number to itself.
– Make a double – Pupils will also have the opportunity to make doubles using objects, counters, or drawings. This hands-on activity supports their understanding of the concept of doubling and builds their confidence in working with numbers.
– Combine two groups – Pupils will practise combining two groups of objects and counting the total. This reinforces the concept of addition and helps pupils develop a deeper understanding of how numbers combine.
– Conceptual subitising up to 8 – In this activity, pupils will further develop their subitising skills by recognising quantities up to 8 without counting. This is an essential skill for developing number fluency and understanding number patterns.

Meeting the Early Learning Goals (ELG)

This unit is designed to help pupils meet the Early Learning Goals (ELG) for number and numerical patterns. Through these activities, pupils will gain a deeper understanding of numbers up to 10 and begin to recognise number bonds, even and odd numbers, and doubles.

– Have a deep understanding of numbers to 10, including the composition of each number – By the end of this unit, pupils will have a solid understanding of the numbers 6, 7, and 8, including how these numbers can be composed and decomposed.
– Subitise (recognise quantities without counting) up to 8 – Pupils will develop their ability to subitise numbers up to 8, recognising quantities instantly without needing to count each item.
– Explore and represent patterns within numbers up to 10 – Pupils will explore number patterns, such as odd and even numbers and double facts, which will support their future learning in addition, subtraction, and number sense.
– Automatically recall number bonds up to 5 and some number bonds to 10, including double facts – Pupils will start to recall number bonds up to 5 and will begin to develop fluency with number bonds to 10, including doubling facts.

Why This Unit Matters

A strong understanding of the numbers 6, 7, and 8 is essential for developing number fluency and building a foundation for future mathematical learning. Through this unit, pupils will develop the skills they need to understand number composition, patterns, and basic operations like addition and subtraction. These skills will support their learning in later years and help them develop a strong sense of number and problem-solving ability.

By exploring the composition of numbers, identifying odd and even numbers, and working with doubles, pupils will gain a deeper understanding of how numbers work. These foundational skills are crucial for developing mathematical reasoning and preparing pupils for more advanced concepts in number and arithmetic.

Aligned with the White Rose Progression

This unit follows the White Rose progression, ensuring that pupils build their understanding of numbers in a structured and manageable way. By working with numbers 6, 7, and 8, pupils are gradually introduced to more complex concepts, preparing them for future learning in mathematics.

Conclusion

Spring Block 3: 6, 7, and 8 helps Reception pupils explore and understand numbers up to 8, while developing their skills in number composition, patterns, and basic arithmetic. By the end of this unit, pupils will have a strong foundation in number sense, preparing them for future success in mathematics.