Finger speed sums

Home > Stage 1 > Combining and separating quantities > Finger speed sums

Suggested content:

Recognise and recall number bonds up to ten

Recognise, recall and record combinations of two numbers that add up or bond to form 10
Model and record patterns for individual numbers up to ten by making all possible whole-number combinations (Reasons about patterns)
Create, recall and recognise combinations of two numbers that add up to numbers less than 10.

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. 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 some number of fingers.
Whoever says the sum first wins.
Then the pair breaks up and each person finds a new person to play with.
Advanced players can use two hands instead of just one.

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