Mathematics @ ENPS

Foundation Counting - The ‘Fiveness’ of Five

Connection to the Mathematics Curriculum 2.0: To recognise and name the number of objects within a collection up to 5 using subitising.

We are learning to subitise numbers to 5, which is connected to counting and Place Value. To subitise means to see suddenly, without counting, the total quantity of a collection. In Foundation we have been practising and developing our confidence with subitising collections up to 5. This skill helps us build mental images for numbers, to visualise and learn number facts.

As quantities get larger (beyond 3), a solid knowledge of the part-part-whole relationships can help students subitise more efficiently, and further develop their mental models for each quantity. For instance, 5 can be partitioned and therefore seen in six ways: 0 and 5, 1 and 4, 2 and 3, 3 and 2, 4 and 1, 5 and 0.

GAME

To continue building confidence in these skill at home, try playing the game Subitising Snap:

Materials: Subitising cards sent home in your Home Learning Folder (Foundation students).

How to Play: Divide the cards evenly between all players. Players take turns to place down a card. When two cards are placed on one another and have the same value, the players must race to place their hand down on to the top of the pile and say ‘SNAP!’. The player who first places their hand on the pile wins the round. The winner of the round gets to keep all of the cards in the pile they snapped. A player is out of the game when they run out of cards. The winner of the game is the last player with cards left.

To further extend this learning at home, please continue to practise partitioning numbers to 10 using your Ninja Number Sliders! This will help to build students’ confidence of part-part-whole relationships which they can apply when subitising.

If you have any photos of your family playing Subitising Snap or practising part-part-whole relationships using the Ninja Number Sliders, please email them to Fran to feature in our school newsletter at Fran.Milic@education.vic.gov.au.

Happy subitising!

The Foundation Team

Lana Thomas, Ainslie McArthur, Tanya Ward and Hannah Morris