Mental Oral Starters

Y1 Summer Teaching Sequence D5

Activity 1
Objective: Compare pairs of number up to 20, say which is more and less
Resources: 1-20 cards

Shuffle 1-20 cards and give two to two children at the front of the class.
If Sams card is more thumbs up; if less thumbs down . Point to the two
numbers on the 1-100 grid to confirm.
Repeat with other pairs of children and numbers up to 20.

Activity 2
Objective: Compare pairs of number up to 20, say which is more and less
Resources: 1-20 cards

Children play in pairs. They shuffle a pack of 1-20 cards and deal between
them, upside down. They each take the top card from their pile. Who ever
has the bigger number takes both cards and puts to the bottom of their

pack.
The winner is the one with all the cards or the greatest number when you
end the game.

Activity 3
Objective: Know pairs of numbers with totals up to 10
Resources: Cubes, fingers

Children play flippy, floppy fingers in pairs. Each shake one hand as they
say flippy, floppy fingers, then each show a number of fingers. The first
child to say the total number of fingers wins a cube.
Repeat.

Activity 4
Objective: Know pairs of numbers with totals up to 10
Resources: Whiteboards and pens

Draw a 4 by 3 grid and fill with numbers less than 10 (some will be
repeated). Look for two numbers with a total of 5. Children work in pairs
to write an addition on their whiteboards. Share all the different
possibilities.

Original teaching sequence copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual
users
Y1 Maths TS_D5 Mental Oral Starters - Sum

Look for two numbers with a total of 6.

Repeat for totals of 7, 8 and 9.

Activity 5
Objective: Know pairs of numbers with a total of 10
Resources: Fingers!

Children put their hands behind their backs. Show seven fingers . How
many more to make 10? Children bring hands forwards to show three
fingers.
Repeat showing other numbers of fingers up to and including 10 in random
order.

Original teaching sequence copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual
users
Y1 Maths TS_D5 Mental Oral Starters - Sum