Finger speed sums

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Suggested content:

Model additive relations and compare quantities

Combine two or more groups of objects to model addition, identifying the relationship between the parts and the whole
Use concrete materials or fingers to model and solve addition and subtraction questions, counting forwards or backwards by ones as necessary

Coloured drawing of students playing 'Finger speed sums'

Equipment

Indoor playing area.

Activity set-up

Players spread out around the playing area.

How to play

Players move randomly around a playing area using a locomotor movement of the teachers choosing. When the teacher signals or blows the whistle, players find the nearest person and make a sum with the number of fingers shown on their hands.

Students meet in pairs with one hand behind their back.
They each put forward one hand with a number of fingers extended.
Whoever says the sum first wins.
The pair perform star jumps to match the answer. E.g., If the total was 7 each student would perform 7 star jumps.
Students continue moving around the playing area, waiting for teachers signal to find a new partner.

Variations

Play with two hands,
Play using any operation, eg. subtraction, multiplication.
Vary the locomotor movement, eg. skipping, hopping.

Adapted from: Math for Love

Combining and separating quantities