Skill:Problem solving, addition, subtraction

Resources: A variety of concrete materials to support pupils

Activity: Display and read aloud this problem to pupils: Some dogs and ducks were in the garden. There were ten legs altogether in the garden, how many dogs and ducks might there have been? Explain your answer. Allow pupils time on their tables to count out ten objects to represent the legs and explore how many of each there might have been. Then ask what if there were only ducks in the garden and still ten legs how many ducks would there be? Allow time for pupils to explore this and ensure they can explain how they know there would be five ducks.

Questions: How many legs does a dog/duck have? Could you write a sum to show how many dogs and ducks you have?