Numberblocks Support Materials Series 3 Episode 21 The

Numberblocks Support Materials Series 3 Episode 21 The Way of the Rectangle A blue dot in the corner of a slide indicates that there are notes below the slide.

Practitioner Notes

Episode Description Twelve shows off her super-rectangle powers to Six and Eight during a relaxing yoga session on the beach. Six and Eight recognise that they are rectangles and discover that they too can break themselves into rows and columns. Four arrives and is interested in their exercise class. Twelve shows Four, Six and Eight how to do a 'turn' to make a different array. Four tries it out, and discovers that after he has turned he still looks the same. Twelve reassures him that this is because he is a special kind of rectangle. Two and Three come by and don't believe they will be able to make a rectangle. Twelve shows them that they are still a rectangle even when they are 1 block wide. All Numberblocks zoom around showing off their 'rectangle rays'.

Maths in the Episode Arrays The number 12 has three factor pairs (1, 12; 2, 6; 3, 4) but this is not the only number that can be organised into different arrays. This episode builds on the introduction to the language of describing arrays – 3 by 4 – and reveals how 6 and 8 can also be represented as arrays. The Numberblock coloured rays emphasise the rows and columns using colours that represent the number of blocks in each row or each column.

Using Mathematical Language Use these stem sentences to rehearse the mathematical ideas in the programme: “I am <3> blocks wide; I am <4> blocks tall. ” “I see <4> rows; I see <3> columns. ” “I am <12>, I am <3> by <4>. ”

Talk and Discuss Together

Talk and Discuss Together Watch the episode of Numberblocks. First ask the children what they noticed and allow them to talk to you and each other. What did you notice about the rays? The following slides are designed to stimulate children and adults to talk about the episode and draw out some key aspects of the mathematics.

Images © 2017 Alphablocks Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Enabling Environments in Reception

Enabling Environments Playing and Exploring Develop a class bakery play area. Include muffin/cupcake baking trays, egg boxes, recycled plastic shop-bought pie trays, ice-cube trays. These can be used for filling with scrunched-up paper or playdough. Active Learning Notice whether children fill array trays using rows or columns, or whether they fill them randomly. “I wonder how many are filled across the top? ” “I wonder how many filled across the middle. ” Do the children notice there are the same number of objects across each row or down each column? Creating and Thinking Critically Choose children to help place cups for snacktime on a tray using an array.

Learning Together in Y 1

I am___blocks wide. I am___blocks tall. Images © 2017 Alphablocks Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Who am I? I am___blocks wide. I am___blocks tall. Images © 2017 Alphablocks Ltd.

Further activities for Y 1 • Given a Numberblock array, complete sentences with missing information about how many wide or tall etc. • Given clues, represent the array using blocks or make coloured arrays on squared paper. • Given 12, 6, 8 or 10 cubes, arrange them in different arrays. How many can you find? • Make an ‘array display’ on a table with different arrays made from cubes, counters or small world objects. See if children can identify which arrays are the same but made from different objects. • Find three ‘special rectangles’ that are the same blocks wide as they are tall. • Describe 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 11 as a number of blocks wide and tall.

Learning Together in Y 2

I see ___ columns and ___ rows. TURN! I see a ___ by ___

I see ___ columns and ___ rows. I see a ___ by ___ array.

Make an array display. I see 2 x 5. Images © 2017 Alphablocks Ltd.

Make an array display. Images © 2017 Alphablocks Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Further activities for Y 2 • Discuss arrays with 1 column or 1 row. • Make further array displays by exploring all possible arrays and non-arrays for different quantities up to 30. • Sort quantities by the number of possible arrays that can be made from that quantity. • Use arrays to find out how many by counting equal groups. Represent the array using a multiplication equation. For example, 12 = 3 x 4; 12 = 4 x 3; 3 x 4 = 12; 4 x 3 = 12. • Look for arrays within arrays. • Explore quantities to 100 that have the same number of rows and columns (1, 4, 9, 16, 25, 36, 49, 64, 81, 100). Which ones can also be made from different arrays?