Thread by @ThatMathsMan

Mental/oral starters in KS1 & 2 🧵

Mental starters, the activity you do as you begin the lesson, seem to have become a bit rarer* but they've def still got a place.

*possibly because they're not explicitly in a scheme or because they've been replaced by a retrieval quiz etc
1/n

Mental starters are great because they can
~ make time for counting and/or subitising
~ build confidence
~ involve everyone
~ recap prior learning
~ enable 'little and often' practice

And they can do all of this in less than 5 minutes!
2/n

Here's a few of my absolute favourite mental starters and why I like them.

"What's the question?"
Give the children a number and they give you questions where that's the answer.

✅ Low threshold
✅ No prep
✅ Endlessly resuable
✅ Works with all ages
3/n

"Chase the rabbit"
Use a 100 square or Gattegno chart and choose a starting number, e.g. 55, then give instructions (add two tens, subtract three ones, add ten) then say "Where's the rabbit?" 🐰

✅ Great for applying place value
✅ Kids love it
✅ Accessible and adaptable
4/n

"Odd one out" and WODB?
Show similar objects/numbers and ask children to identity their properties, similarities and differences. Then children identify Which One Doesn't Belong? and why (WODB).

✅ Many possibilities
✅ Promotes reasoning
✅ Easy to adapt
✅ Revisit learning
5/n

"Choral counting"
Teacher records skip counting and prompts children to recognise patterns and properties.

✅ Enables pattern spotting
✅ Promotes prediction
✅ Can be modelled with manipulatives
✅ Adaptable for all ages

6/n

"Maths Eyes"
Show a picture which is visually pleasing and ideally contains a focal point to talk about. Children ask mathematical questions about things in the image.
✅ Low threshold
✅ Vocab rich
✅ Works for all ages
✅ Can come back to it
7/n

"24"
Like a simpler version of countdown, but just with 4 one-digit numbers and the same target each time. Children aim to get as close to 24 as they can.
✅ Different levels of difficulty
✅ Many possibilities
✅ Can adapt rules to suit age group
✅ Wet break potential
8/n

I could go on and list more but for now I'll share links...

For "Chase The Rabbit" and more check out MATHS AT HOME by @Cambs_SIS
cambslearntogether.co.uk/asset-library/…

More about Choral Counting
tedd.org/choral-countin…

You can find MATHS EYES and WODB prompts on Facebook.com/cambsmathsteam
9/n

I will ask @threadreaderapp to unroll this thread.

You can then comment under that any of your favourite mental starters and why.
10/10

@threadreaderapp unroll