Lesson 27: Small friend plus 3 on an abacus
Level 3, Small Friends Pond. Plus 3: add 5, take 2 back.
What your child does, card by card
Small friends: plus 3. 3 and 2 make 5. PlayType opens the lesson: “Same trick, new friend.”
2 + 4 = 6: add 5. That is 1 too many. Take 1 back. 2 appears on the beads, then the rod clears again. Here the hands lead: they show 2, 7 and 6, and a moment later the beads copy each one. Above, “+5” and “1 back = 6” take turns to glow. Its words: “The trick of lesson 25.”
2 + 3: only 2 beads are free. The abacus makes 2, then clears. The labels “Start at 2” and “+ 3? Only 2 free” light up as each idea comes. “3 will not fit. So add 5!” Any bead or finger may be tapped afterwards.
Plus 3: add 5, take 2 back: 5 is 3 and 2. So 5 is 2 too many. On this card “+5: the top bead”, “−2: the friend” and “+3 = +5 −2” glow in turn as the beads move. Your child copies the order to work out 2 + 3 and 4 + 3.
Try it: your child works out 3 + 3, 2 + 3 and 4 + 3, with a green ring on the next bead to move.
Then a short practice without rings: work out 3 + 3, 1 + 3, 4 + 3, 6 + 3 and 2 + 3, each round starting from its own number.
In Copy me the drawn hand holds up 5, 7 and 6 in turn, and your child copies each one in beads.
In your head: the abacus is covered and your child works out 2 + 3, 4 + 3 and 3 + 3, showing each answer on the drawn fingers.
You're ready! Not enough beads for 3? Add 5, take 2 back.
What this lesson trains
16 answers in about five minutes. The tasks take 23 bead moves in all: 11 with a top bead and 12 with bottom beads. 9 is the top number here. Then 3 quick looks in your head. The friend rules here: +3 = +5 −2, used in 8 of 10 sums.
The first thing your child does: work out 3 + 3, 2 + 3 and 4 + 3.
Fingers and hands
Below the abacus the drawn hands show zero and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 9 here, finger for bead.
+3 on the fingers: the thumb opens and 2 fingers close (+5 −2).
On “2 + 4 = 6” the hands move first and the beads follow, so your child sees that a finger and a bead move together: open a finger and a bead goes to the bar, close it and the bead goes back.
In Copy me the hand leads with 5, 7 and 6 and your child turns each into beads.
What PlayBuddy and PlayType say
PlayBuddy: “Five is one too many. So one bead goes back!”
PlayType: “Not enough beads. Ask the small friend.”
Stars
With 1 or fewer slips across the 16 answers your child earns three stars; 4 or fewer, two.