Let’s Add and Subtract

Children will deepen their understanding of the link between addition and subtraction in this scheme of work, as well as becoming more secure in using a variety of methods, including formal column addition and subtraction. Through challenging puzzles and fun activities, your class will become more fluent in using addition and subtraction in a variety of contexts.

This ‘Let’s Add and Subtract’ scheme of work for Year 3 contains everything you need for a week of Maths teaching, including lesson plans, differentiated activities, slideshow presentations and a variety of printable resources.

What do we know?

This lesson starts by challenging children to think about what addition and subtraction are and how they are used. They will clarify the relationship between the two operations, using bar models to support them. They are then challenged to solve some addition and subtraction missing number problems using a variety of methods and approaches.

Formal Column Addition

Children will start by being shown a formal column addition calculation where the digits have been replaced with place value counters. They will use this diagram to explain what is being shown and start to understand how the formal column method works. The slides then go through further examples, modelling how to solve formal column addition, using place value counters to help them visualise what happens when numbers are exchanged. Children can then use column addition to solve a variety of problems.

Formal Column Subtraction

Children start this lesson by estimating the answer to a subtraction calculation, then considering how they could find the actual answer. They then go on to explore column subtraction, using place value counters to help them visualise what is happening when numbers are exchanged. They then have a variety of problems to solve, using column subtraction to find the solutions.

Symbol Problems

This lesson will deepen their understanding of the relationship between addition and subtraction. Numbers within addition and subtraction sentences are replaced with symbols. Children are challenged to work out the value of the symbols using their knowledge of addition and subtraction. From the simple to the downright dastardly, there are problems for all abilities within the class.

Word Problems

The final lesson in this series challenges your class to solve a variety of word problems. The slides guide children through some different questions, using the RUCSAC (read, understand, choose, solve, answer and check) model to help them identify and complete the different steps needed to successfully solve word problems. During their independent learning, they can either keep the focus on the RUCSAC model to solve word problems, or take part in a word problem orienteering activity.