Today in maths, Year 3 had a fantastic time putting their problem-solving skills to the test with a game called Strike it Out! Using a number line from 0 to 20, the children worked in pairs, taking turns to cross out numbers and circle either the sum or difference of their chosen numbers.
This fun and interactive game helped the children explore number relationships, spot patterns, and develop clever strategies to outsmart their partner – all while practising addition and subtraction in a playful way.
Here’s what some of the children said during the lesson:
“I spotted that if you pick two numbers that are close together, their difference is really small!” – Anna
“I blocked my partner by using the number they needed!” – Simon
“We nearly used all the numbers- we had to think really carefully!” – Meraj
Ayub, from Hokusai, noticed and articulately explained that “you can never pick the number zero as one of your numbers, because the sum and the difference will be the other number you picked. For example if you have 11 and 0; the difference is 11 and the sum is 11.”
Why not try it at home?
You don’t need anything fancy – just a number line from 0 to 20 (or even just write the numbers on paper), and you’re ready to play.
How to play:
- Write numbers 0 to 20 in a row.
- Choose two numbers to cross out and circle either their sum or their difference.
- The next player must use the circled number and a new number to do the same.
- Keep going until one player can’t make a move!
Tip: Try playing cooperatively and see if you can use all the numbers together. Can you do it? Why or why not?
This simple game is a great way to support maths fluency and logical thinking at home and it’s lots of fun too!
Let us know how you get on!
Year 3 team