Lesson 38: Abacus small friends test for kids
Level 3, Small Friends Pond. 10 sums and 3 in your head. Get 10 right for the Pond Frog sticker.
What your child does, card by card
Small Friends Pond test. Show what you know! PlayType opens the lesson: “Test time. No hints. Show what you know.”
10 test tasks follow, one try each and no hints: work out 3 + 4, 2 + 3, 4 + 2, 4 + 1, 7 - 4, 6 - 3, 5 - 2, 5 - 1, 34 + 43 and 65 - 32. “Task 1 of 10” and so on keeps count.
In your head: the abacus is covered and your child works out 2 + 4, 8 - 4 and 23 + 32, picking each answer from 4, 6, 55 and 66.
You passed! Small Friends Pond is done. Next: Big Friends Bridge!
What this lesson trains
13 answers in about five minutes. The tasks take 24 bead moves in all: 12 with a top bead and 12 with bottom beads. Up to 77, read and set from the left. Then 3 quick looks in your head. 10 of the 10 sums need a small friend (“+4 = +5 −1”, “+3 = +5 −2”, “+2 = +5 −3”, “+1 = +5 −4”, “−4 = −5 +1”, “−3 = −5 +2”, “−2 = −5 +3” and “−1 = −5 +4”); the others use free beads.
Fingers and hands
Below the abacus the drawn hands show zero and 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 33, 34, 65 and 77 here, finger for bead: the left hand counts the tens, the right hand the ones.
+4 on the fingers: the thumb opens and one finger closes (+5 −1). +3 on the fingers: the thumb opens and 2 fingers close (+5 −2). +2 on the fingers: the thumb opens and 3 fingers close (+5 −3). +1 on the fingers: the thumb opens and 4 fingers close (+5 −4). −4 on the fingers: the thumb closes and one finger opens (−5 +1). −3 on the fingers: the thumb closes and 2 fingers open (−5 +2). −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).
What PlayBuddy and PlayType say
PlayType: “Test time. No hints. Show what you know.”
PlayBuddy: “Click Let's Begin, or press Enter!”
PlayBuddy: “Here comes the last one.”
PlayType: “Now do it in your head.”
The test and its sticker
13 answers, one try each, with no green ring and no help. 10 or more right give the Pond Frog sticker; fewer, and PlayBuddy says “Not yet. One more try and you've got this!” and Play again glows. Nothing earned before is taken away.