Dear 3EE parents,
The children’s English maths challenge this year for homework is to learn their times tables facts and related division facts. Hopefully Times Tables Rockstars has proved helpful for some, if you would like some non-screen options there are plenty of card game sets available with the question on one side and answer on the other. We even made our own individual sets for 4x and divide by 4 in class. Remember children will need to learn the related division facts. Use ideas from the homework sheets to look at how times tables can be used in context rather than isolation. It is fine to know that 4x6=24 but much more useful if you can then use that to work out, for example, how much 4 Compton Valance books costing £6 each will cost altogether.
The good news is you don’t need to learn as many times table facts as it might first appear. Once children know their 1x, 2x, 5x and 10x facts there are only 21 additional facts to learn so that children have the full compliment of times table facts under their belt. 11x and 12x table facts used to be essential in the days of imperial measures but with base 10 metric widely in use they are no longer key. Sadly the current government test in year 4 still asks for these facts to be learnt despite not needing them for everyday maths but of course the 11x table can be done by adding one more of a number onto the 10x table fact and equally 12 x NUMBER can be worked out as 10 x NUMBER plus 2 x NUMBER.
Please find the 21 essential facts sheet attached - 21 brightly coloured multiplication facts to learn in addition to the 1s, 2s, 5s and 10s to give your children a good mathematical tool of recalling their times tables multiplication and division facts quickly.
If you and your children are ever looking for more maths reasoning type activities to try at home then the NRICH website has some great ones - many of which can be accessed and explored at many levels so they may be suitable for siblings of different ages and may even engage you in a bit of puzzling and problem solving. In their own words “NRICH is an innovative collaboration between the Faculties of Mathematics and Education at the University of Cambridge, part of the University’s Millennium Mathematics Project. NRICH provides thousands of free online mathematics resources for ages 3 to 18, covering all stages of early years, primary and secondary school education - completely free and available to all.”
I hope you find this information helpful and look forward to meeting you tomorrow, along with Sofia, for parents afternoon/evening.
Many thanks,
Ruthy Trevitt