Numbots
From the innovators of Times Tables Rock Stars, comes a highly engaging platform for learning to add and subtract… NumBots!
NumBots is all about every child achieving the “triple win” of understanding, recall and fluency in mental addition and subtraction, so that they move from counting to calculating.
For more information on NumBots, please read the below presentation:
Counting to Calculate
NumBots equips each pupil with the set of core maths skills they require by building their knowledge from the ground up - starting at the very beginning with subitising.
Once pupils can recognise small quantities of objects (“counting-without-counting”), they are asked to subitise two groups, presented together. The deliberate use of previous arrangements helps introduce the idea of numbers being partitioned, laying the foundation for number bonds.
Familiar pictorial representations (including bar models and cherries) raise the difficulty of questions without affecting pupils’ confidence. Pupils begin to explore abstract number problems within 10, and practice automating their responses to “one/two more/less than...” questions.
This natural mathematical progression from one concept to the next ensures pupils are fully prepared to move on, from adding and subtracting within 10, to bridging 10, to finally answering questions involving two-digit numbers. Number lines and hundred squares are then used to explain more sophisticated addition and subtraction strategies, such as partitioning and compensation.
Automaticity and Understanding
Instant recall of key number facts must be built on a secure and genuine mathematical understanding in order for pupils to move forward and solve increasingly complex problems.
Our Story Mode is designed to develop pupils’ understanding of the relationship between different numbers and concepts, such as partitioning and the part-whole model. NumBots’ deliberate teaching-for-mastery approach has led to carefully sequenced and varied levels that ensure pupils fully grasp each essential new skill. As a result of methodically layering up the complexity, pupils maintain maths confidence and are primed to learn the next concept.
As well as cementing their understanding, pupils’ recall is also significantly boosted. While Story Mode is underpinned by best practice in memory formation - i.e. short, spaced practice sessions on interleaved material - the quick-fire questions and low-stakes quizzing in Challenge Mode enhances pupils’ retrieval of number bonds and addition and subtraction facts and improves the efficiency of their mental strategies.
Resources
Below are some worksheets pupils can use to practice the different skills and representations they are exposed to on NumBots and at school:
- Year 1 Find the missing part
- Year 1 Add by making 10
- Year 1 Adding within 10
- Year 1 Fact Families
- Year 2 Subtracting two digit numbers
- Year 2 Subtraction with coins
- Year 2 Adding two digit numbers
- Year 2 Addition of multiples of 10
- Year 2 Addition with coins
- Year 2 Number Bonds to 100
Below are some colouring activities that pupils can use to practice their number bonds:
