An important part of learning mathematics is using and understanding mathematical vocabulary. Children need this vocabulary to talk about their work, to ask questions and to explain their thinking.
Target boards are grids with numbers or pictures that can be used to practise using mathematical language.
Counting with Target Board 1
Print Target Board 1. Point at any box on the target board and ask: How many Digit Dogs can you see? Do children count the dogs in ones or do they recognise the arrangement and say the number without counting?
Ask children to:
Point at 2 dogs, 3 dogs, 1 dog ……….
Point at 4 dogs. Now point at more than 4 dogs. Now point at fewer than 4 dogs.
Point at 3 dogs. Now point at 1 more than 3 dogs. Now point at 1 fewer than 3 dogs.
Ask:
Which boxes have the most dogs? Which boxes have the fewest dogs?
Which row has most dogs? Which column has fewest dogs?
How many dogs are in the first row altogether? What about the second row? And the third?
Point to some dogs and ask children to hold up that number of fingers or do that number of claps, or jump that number of times.
Now get children to ask the questions and use the correct vocabulary.
Play Match the Dogs. Put 4 sets of the Digit Dog cards face down in a pile. Take turns to turn over the top card and find the matching picture on your board. How many dogs are on your card? The winner is the first to cover their board.
Play Bingo. Have a board each, roll a dice, say the number rolled and cover that number of dogs with a milk-bottle top/ button/ counter. The winner is the first to cover their board.
Put 4 sets of digit cards 1 – 5 in a pile face down. Take turns to turn over the top card and match the number to the dogs on your board. First to cover their board wins.
Play One More Bingo. Put 4 sets of digit cards 0 – 4 in a pile face down. Take turns to turn over the top card, say the number that is one more than the number on the card and match that number to the dogs on your board. First to cover their board wins.
Digit Dog Challenges 