Consolidation of number work and laying the groundwork for independent learning through our France week activities

As the children settled in during their first half term at school we enjoyed exploring numbers and building an awareness of the number system.

We sang number rhymes, recognised digits by observing features of their formation, counted forwards and backwards  to 30 using the register, and ensured the children had 1:1 correspondence of number practiced in ways varying from using objects collected from the outside environment to syllable claps.

There is a wide range of abilities and we are using our France week activities to introduce the children to a variety of roll play situations in which they have the oportunity to develop their problem solving, reasoning and numeracy skills at their own pace. Observations now being made will help us feed in directed challenges at appropriate levels for groups and individuals.

The main two role play areas we are focussing on for number work are the French Cafe and the Tour de France.

 The tour has on the one hand, the use of small numbers to count laps, but at the same time there is the oportunity to extend this by making it a  sponsored event. We will apply the real numbers  the children generate to be used in the context of money - adding the money we have raised, totalling the amount, and subtracting what we use.

The children will go down to the shops with money in their purses to buy provisions from the local village veg shop.

There will be provision to consolidate understanding in class role play areas. Parents can add to the children's learning by getting them involved with money in real situations at home. Please see me for ideas if required.