Doubles and Halves

This weeks Maths focus is on doubling and halving. In order to help your son/daughter's understanding of multiplication, we use doubling to demonstrate what happens when a given number is repeated/doubled in a second equal group. They also need to understand the reverse process of doubling in order to help them to think about dividing numbers in to two equal groups. The class have already learnt about sharing and grouping small quantities, so now need to focus on the basics of fraction work. 

By the end of the year they should be able to confidently "recognise, find and name a half as one of two equal parts of an object, shape or quantity". Most children can identify that when we cut something down the middle we create a half, however, they also need to broaden their understanding of this concept in relation to mathematical quantities. 

Activity 1

Please have a go at completing Lesson 1 on the White Rose Home Learning page in the week titled 'Summer Term Week 1 (w/c 20th April)'. See if your son/daughter can have a go at answering the "flashback four" questions independently. In the video the lady refers to the 'Part - Whole Model'. Although we have covered this in school, your son/daughter may not be confident in using this approach. If this is the case then please ask them to focus on the 'number sentences' rather than on the model.

Activity 2

In class I quite like to use visual representations (such as the ones provided in the activities below) for children to clearly see that when we double we are adding another group that is the same amount as the one that we started with. I often use real life examples so that they can relate to the understanding that a double of something means that are two of them/it. For example, a double decker bus has two levels and a double- yolker is when there are two yolks in an egg.

*Before completing a selection of the sheets below, you may want to check your son/daughter's understanding of doubling by using practical equipment. You could show them an amount of objects and then you could ask them to double it with their own objects. After this you could ask them to verbalise the process. For example they could say " You had 3 objects and I doubled it by adding 3 more. There are now 6 objects."

Activity 3

At this age children need to understand that halving means that we are sharing or splitting something in to two equal groups or parts. Therefore we tend to focus on using the even numbers and not odd ones for the basics of this Maths concept in Year 1. Please have a go at following the White Rose Lessons on halving which can be found via the below week and under 'Summer Term Week 1 - Lesson 4' and 'Summer Term Week 2 - Lesson 1'. 

Activity 4 

Following the White Rose Lessons on halving see if your son/daughter can independently apply their new knowledge to the tasks below. 

Bonus Activity 

Have a go at completing the problem solving lesson from Oak National Academy.