Step 21 Lesson 2

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Place Value

Objectives

To compare numbers using the symbols < and >.

Resources

Abacus Workbook 1 | Black paper strips | Brass fasteners | Small plastic cubes | Card | 📄 0-100 landmarked line | 📄 0-9 cards

Vocabulary

greater than | less than | equal(s)

Today's Lesson

What to Get Ready

Make an equals sign by securing two strips of black paper with brass fasteners to a background piece of card (as below).

Introduction

Show your student the 📄 0-100 landmarked line with only the 10s marked & labelled.

Ask: ‘Where would 35 go on this line? Which two multiples of 10 does it lie between? Where is it between 30 and 40?’

Ask them to imagine 10 beads between 30 and 40 and to label its position.

Ask: ‘Where is 51 on this line? Is it closer to 50 or 60?’

Say: ‘Imagine 10 beads in the space between 50 and 60, and a tag after the first bead.’

Then ask: ‘Where would you put 83 on this line? Nearer to 80 or 90? Closer to 80 or 85, which is halfway between 80 and 90?’

Repeat with other 2-digit numbers.

Next, look at the ready-made equals sign.

Explain: ‘The equals sign means that whatever is on each side must balance.’

Make two towers of 2 cubes to fit between the two lines of the equals sign. Then take 1 cube off the right tower and add it to the left and move the two black lines so that the cubes still fit between them.

Explain: ‘There is space for more cubes at this end than at the other, and we call this a ‘greater than’ sign: what’s on this side is greater than what is on the other side.’

Record 3 > 1.

Now put 3 cubes on the right and 1 on left and explain that this is a less than sign. The smaller number goes on the left this time; there’s less space here.

Record 1 < 3.

Take two cards from a pack of 📄 0-9 number cards, for example, 8 and 3.

Ask: ‘What 2-digit numbers can we make with these? Which number will be bigger?’

Record 83 > 38 then 38 < 83 and read together.

Mark both numbers on the landmarked line. Repeat with other number pairs.

Main Activity

Shuffle a pack of 1-9 digit cards.

Take two cards and discuss what 2-digit numbers are possible to make using these two digits.

Mark both on a 📄 0-100 landmarked line and record the two inequalities.

For example, 54 > 45 and 45 < 54.

Repeat with other numbers.

This video demonstrates using the inequality signs to compare 2-digit numbers.

Workbook

To help your student consolidate their learning from today, please ask them to complete the activities on pages 26 and 27 of Abacus Workbook 1.