Small Friends Pond — Lesson 34: Small friends: minus 2 and minus 1
Small friends: all the taking away →Lesson 34: Abacus small friends: minus 2 and 1
Level 3, Small Friends Pond. The last two small friends, taking away.
What your child does, card by card
Small friends: minus 2 and minus 1. 2 and 3 make 5. 1 and 4 make 5. PlayType opens the lesson: “Same trick, new friend.”
Minus 4: 1 back. Minus 3: 2 back.: take 5, then give back what is too many. The beads show 8 and 6 and go back to zero. Here the hands lead: they show 8, 3, 4, 6, 1 and 3, and a moment later the beads copy each one. On the card, “8 − 4: 1 back = 4” and “6 − 3: 2 back = 3” light up one by one. Then the card invites a touch: “Tap a bead to try it.”
6 − 2: only 1 bottom bead is on the bar. 6 appears on the beads, then the rod clears again. Each label lights in turn: “Start at 6” and “− 2? Only 1 there”. After the show, the child can touch: “2 will not come off. So take 5!”
Minus 2: take 5, give 3 back: 5 is 2 and 3. Taking 5 is 3 too many. On this card “−5: the top bead”, “+3: the friend” and “−2 = −5 +3” glow in turn as the beads move. Your child copies the order to work out 6 - 2 and 5 - 2.
5 − 1: lesson 4, backwards: the top bead goes up. Four beads come to the bar. The top beads are outlined in yellow while the kids explain. The beads show 5 and go back to zero. Here the hands lead: they show 5, zero and 4, and a moment later the beads copy each one. Above, “−5: the top bead”, “+4: the friend” and “−1 = −5 +4” take turns to glow. Its words: “Minus 1: take 5, give 4 back.”
In Try it a green ring marks the next bead while your child works out 5 - 1, 6 - 2 and 5 - 2.
The tiny practice drops the ring: work out 5 - 1, 6 - 2, 3 - 2, 5 - 2, 8 - 1 and 5 - 1, each round starting from its own number.
In Copy me the drawn hand holds up 4, 3 and 4 in turn, and your child copies each one in beads.
In your head: the abacus is covered and your child works out 5 - 1, 6 - 2 and 5 - 2, picking each answer from 2, 3 and 4.
You're ready! Minus 2: take 5, give 3 back. Minus 1: take 5, give 4 back.
What this lesson trains
About five minutes and 17 answers. Altogether the child makes 23 bead moves (9 with the top bead, 14 with bottom beads). Nothing goes past 8. Then 3 quick looks in your head. The friend rules here: −2 = −5 +3 and −1 = −5 +4, used in 9 of 11 sums.
Your child’s first moves: work out 5 - 1, 6 - 2 and 5 - 2.
Fingers and hands
Below the abacus the drawn hands show zero and 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 here, finger for bead.
−2 on the fingers: the thumb closes and 3 fingers open (−5 +3). −1 on the fingers: the thumb closes and 4 fingers open (−5 +4).
On “Minus 4: 1 back. Minus 3: 2 back.” the hands move first and the beads follow, so your child sees that a finger and a bead move together: open a finger and a bead goes to the bar, close it and the bead goes back.
In Copy me the hand leads with 4, 3 and 4 and your child turns each into beads.
What PlayBuddy and PlayType say
PlayBuddy: “Taking five is one too many. So one bead comes back!”
PlayType: “Not enough beads. Ask the small friend.”
PlayType: “Top bead up, small friend on.”
Stars
Three stars for up to 1 slip in 17 answers, two stars for up to 4.