Maths Blog

Here are a couple of free Y3 maths worksheets to challenge children’s knowledge of addition up to 20. I suggest that you take just one set of 10 questions at a time and that a stop watch or clock is used to time how long it takes to answer the questions.

How long should they take? Well, if a child knows their number bonds, not very long at all – certainly less than a minute. Any longer, even if the answers are correct, they are probably counting on rather than knowing. Similar pages are easily created if more practice is needed.

Use these pages to try and show improvement over time, as they become more confident and more knowledgeable.

Free Y3 maths worksheets: Know by heart addition facts to 20 (pg 1)

Free Y3 maths worksheets: Know by heart addition facts to 20 (pg 2)

By the end of year 2 (children aged between 6 and 7) children are expected to know doubles of all numbers up to 20 and to be able to quickly derive halves. This is quite a tall order, so plenty of practice and repetition is needed. The first of these pages gives you examples of the type of questions to ask and there is still a place for using apparatus (coins, counters etc) to double or half amounts. The second is an example of doubling numbers in the teens. Don’t go onto these until your child is very confident and knowledgeable about doubling single figures.

Some numbers are easy to double and to learn eg 5. Numbers above 5 are harder as they give answers in the teens. It also helps to know what odd and even mean. Keep halving to even numbers at this stage, although in the real world they will soon come into contact with halving odd numbers.

Free Y2 maths worksheet: Doubling and halving (pg 1)

Free Y2 maths worksheet: Doubling and halving (pg 2)

Children need plenty of practice with counting on to work out simple addition. The aim of this is to get them familiar with the numbers and after a while they will begin to be able to give answers without counting on: in other words they begin to know the answers. Knowing addition bonds up to 5 in year 1 is just as important as knowing tables becomes in later years. If children do not know that 3 + 2 is 5 without counting it will slow them down enormously and make working out 30 + 20 or 300 + 200 so much more difficult.

The pictures (including upside down teddies!) are still there to help but encourage your child to say the answer without counting on.

Free Y1 maths worksheet: Know addition to 5 (pg 1)

Free Y1 maths worksheet: Know addition to 5 (pg 2)

Here are some of the hardest types of questions facing primary school children. The first page is called single step operations: in other words only one thing has to be done to reach the answer. This, however, is not strictly true as, for instance, children may have to convert from hours and minutes to minutes before completing the operation or carry the same operation out several times to reach the answer.

The second page certainly need at least two things done to reach the answer. eg to multiply and then multiply again.

Children find this kind of activity very difficult. Taking two steps to reach an answer is beyond many at this age – they just “don’t get it”. This may be partly due to the fact that for most of the time we only ask them to carry out one operation – a page of sums is typical of this approach. It could also be due to maturity levels.

If they do find these too difficult try looking at examples from earlier years where one step is sufficient to reach the answer.

Free Y6 maths worksheet: Single step operations (pg 3)

Free Y6 maths worksheet: Multi step operations (pg 4)

These are very similar to the year 4 sheets, using all four operations, but with larger numbers.

The Operation box requires what method was used: addition, subtraction, multiplication or division.

The Method box requires how it was done; either mentally or on paper eg “I did this in my head because I know my 4 times table.”

The How box asks for the reason why the method was used: eg ” I divided by 4 because there were 4 equal chapters”.

It might be that children use a calculator if they have one available and there is no harm in this; the questions are designed to show what needs doing. If they don’t know what to do the calculator will be of no help!

Free Y5 maths worksheet: Choose the operation and method (pg 3)

Free Y5 maths worksheet: Choose the operation and method (pg 4)

I rather like these two worksheets for year 4 children. After the question there ia a table to complete which asks not just for the answer, but also for other information.

The Operation box requires what method was used: addition, subtraction, multiplication or division.

The Method box requires how it was done; either mentally or on paper eg “I did this in my head because I know my 4 times table.”

The How box asks for the reason why the method was used: eg ” I divided by 4 because there were 4 equal chapters”.

This really makes children think what they are doing and is a great aid later when asked to explain orally their methods.

Free Y4 maths worksheet: Choose the operation and the method (pg 3)

Free Y4 maths worksheet: Choose the operation and the method (pg 4)

These two worksheets continue the Using and Understanding strand with a look at making subtraction number stories. Encourage children to make realistic sentences using everyday situations. Using money and measurement are often the easiest ways to make up a number story. Also encourage them to make different types of stories rather than repeating the same one with different numbers. They may need a little prompting to think of situations: tickets, change from shopping, time spent on an activity are just three ideas.

Free Y3 maths worksheet: Making number stories (pg 1)

Free Y3 maths worksheet: Making number stories (pg 2)