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Upside Down Numbers

471, 174, 129 or 921… Can you read all the hidden numbers?

Braille Activity

  • Numeracy
  • Place Value
  • Strategy

Level: 2

Number of players: 1

Duration: 15 min

Skills:

  • Name, read, write numbers

  • Recognise the place value

  • Collect / organise the information

  • Recognise spatial relationships

Practice 3-digit number reading, even upside down.

Goals

To improve understanding of the place-value of 3-digit numbers, tracking bricks in row, column and diagonal format.

The adult prepares

  • 1 baseplate

  • a number-sign brick

  • 9 random number bricks
    (some can be the same number)


Arrange the 9 bricks in a square (3×3), leaving spaces between them to make the numbers easier to read.

The children play

1

Ask the child to find and read all the 3-digit numbers in the grid: the numbers can be read by row, by column or diagonally.

2

Numbers can also be read upside down or backwards.

We are going to make an activity, which is a math activity. How do I know that?
Because that’s number sign.
Yes, so it means that everything on the base plate will be numbers.
So in this rectangle I have placed a lot of numbers. You have to read three-digit numbers
that can be written in a row, in a column, upside down this way, or upside down
this way. And even diagonally.
Okay.
So let’s try to see how many three-digit numbers can you find?
So can you tell me?
Okay.
This one is four hundred and sixty-two.
Two hundred and eighteen.
One hundred and sixty-seven.
Can you find some more?
-One hundred and twenty-four.
Yeah. Let me just check.
So you were reading…
-That one.
upside down in columns, right.
Yeah.
And then
this one is…
Eight hundred and… Sixteen.
Not so sure it’s eight hundred.
Oh. Six hundred and sixteen.
Yeah.
And this one is two hundred and eighty-seven.
Okay.
I’m sure there are more that are hidden.
But at least you found a lot of them.
So that’s really great. Thank you.

Facilitation tips

  • Allow time for exploration. Tactile examination of the bricks requires more time than visual perception.

  • Change the instructions:
    – find a prime number
    – find the largest or smallest three-digit number 
    – find a multiple of 5… etc